20/08/2026
IIC GGDSD College Organises Educational Visit to Innovation Mission Punjab
Chandigarh, August 19, 2026: The Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC) of Goswami Ganesh Dutta Sanatan Dharma College, Sector 32, Chandigarh, organised an educational visit to Innovation Mission Punjab (IM Punjab), a key implementation unit supporting the state’s startup and entrepreneurial ecosystem. The visit, held at 9:00 a.m., was attended by more than 30 students from various disciplines, including B.Com, B.A., and BCA, with the objective of bridging the gap between academic learning and real-world entrepreneurial practice.
The programme was conducted under the leadership of Dr. Ajay Sharma, Principal and President, IIC, GGDSD College, who encouraged the students to develop an innovative and entrepreneurial outlook and make the most of opportunities available within the evolving startup ecosystem. His encouraging words motivated the students to look beyond conventional career pathways and consider the possibilities of becoming job creators through innovation and entrepreneurship.
The event was coordinated by Dr. Vikram Sagar, who facilitated the visit and interactions with the resource persons. Innovation Ambassadors Dr. Nidhi Mittal and Dr. Gurjit Kaur also supported and participated in the programme, contributing to the objective of promoting innovation, entrepreneurship, and experiential learning among students.
The sessions at IM Punjab began with a candid discussion on the importance of identifying one's purpose and understanding the larger motivation behind pursuing a degree and career. Drawing from his own experience as a B.Tech graduate, Mr. Somveer Anand encouraged students to reflect on their interests and aspirations and emphasised that discovering one's purpose early can make the journey towards entrepreneurship and professional growth more meaningful.
The first session, delivered by Mr. Ashish, focused on the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and the importance of identifying a meaningful problem before developing a business idea. Students were introduced to the key stages of the startup journey, including ideation, research, prototyping, and achieving Product-Market Fit (PMF). Through examples such as Lahori Zeera, which addressed distribution challenges, and Urban Pitara, which adopted a zero-inventory model, the students learned how innovative businesses can validate ideas with limited resources before scaling their ventures.
The second session provided students with an insight into the broader startup ecosystem and the role played by ecosystem enablers such as IM Punjab. The speaker explained the various forms of support available to emerging entrepreneurs, including government funding opportunities, incubation facilities, expert mentorship, and internship programmes. Students were also introduced to the network of regional incubators, including institutions such as IISER, NIPER, and Thapar, and were informed about the opportunities available for developing entrepreneurial and managerial skills.
The visit concluded with an engaging interaction between the students and the resource persons. The central message of the programme—“Think big, but start small”—encouraged students to use their college years as an opportunity to experiment, innovate, and learn from practical experiences. The visit successfully achieved its objective of familiarising students with the startup ecosystem and providing them with a clearer understanding of the practical steps involved in transforming an idea into a viable venture.
The enthusiastic participation and active interaction of the students made the visit a meaningful and successful experiential learning initiative. It not only enhanced their awareness of entrepreneurship and innovation but also encouraged them to explore opportunities for creating solutions, generating employment, and contributing meaningfully to society and the local economy.
