At 4pm on the green expanse of the Chandigarh Golf Club (CGC) bordering the iconic Sukhna Lake, Major RS Virk (retd) is in his element. The 59-year-old veteran effortlessly mixes military discipline with an easygoing charm. Posing for the camera on the 10th hole, he exudes the contagiously upbeat vibe of “chardi kala”.
Chandigarh Golf Club president Major RS Virk (retd) striking a pose at the 10th hole on the sprawling green course. (Keshav Singh/HT)
Yet, behind his welcoming demeanour is a man on a mission—one determined to honour his election promises of transparency, modern governance, and community inclusion.
Six months into his year-long tenure after securing the second-largest victory margin in club history against his close friend Capt Mohan Bir Singh (retd), Major Virk has moved swiftly. A former aide-de-camp to ex-Tripura governor Lt Gen KM Seth—father of Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth—he understands administrative rigour. “In the first 90 days, most of our key promises were delivered,” he says, leaning into his core poll plank of institutional accountability.
Yojana Yadav is senior news editor at Hindustan Times, Chandigarh. She oversees the production of HT editions for states north of Delhi. She’s been with HT since 2003. During her two-decade-long career, she’s worked at The Tribune, Chandigarh; PTI, Delhi; and TOI, Ahmedabad.Read More