23rd Dr. Amidas Goradia International Inter-School Debate in English

The Indian School hosted the 23rd Dr Amidas Goradia International Inter-School Debate in English over the virtual platform on 26 and 27 August 2024, continuing a cherished tradition of intellectual engagement and eloquence. This annual debate not only highlights the importance of structured argumentation and critical thinking but also fosters a spirit of healthy competition and collaboration among students from diverse backgrounds. 

This year, as in previous years, the presence of 5 international teams from Nigeria, Kuwait, Oman, and two SAARC nations, Sri Lanka and Nepal, brought a valuable global perspective to the competition. The flagship event also welcomed 21 schools from across the length and breadth of India, spanning the North, East, West, and South, and 17 esteemed schools from Delhi-NCR. An intense battle of words unfolded as the 43 teams engaged in spirited intellectual discourse.

This year’s debate was dedicated to several landmark commemorations, each representing a significant contribution to literature, civil rights, revolutionary thought, and the arts. These included the 460th birth commemoration of William Shakespeare, the birth centenary of James Baldwin, the forthcoming centenary of Malcolm X, the 145th birth commemoration of Sarojini Naidu, the 225th birth commemoration of John Brown and the centenary of Mrinal Sen. 

Principal Ms Tania Joshi addressed the gathering, reflecting on the tradition and importance of the debate. She highlighted the debate’s role in fostering intellectual growth and providing a significant platform for young debaters to engage with challenging topics. Her address was a motivating start to the event, as she wished all the participants success and encouraged them to perform at their best.

Ms Bansuri Swaraj, MP, was chief guest on the occasion. She is a distinguished senior advocate of the Supreme Court of India and a Member of Parliament representing the New Delhi constituency. In a video messaged she offered her encouragement and best wishes to all the students participating in the event.

The debate featured an esteemed panel of judges, led by Mr Pranab Mukherjee, independent media analyst and knowledge resource curator known for alternative theatre, the visual arts, and public speaking. With him on the panel were Mr Sahaj Umang Singh Bhatia, documentary filmmaker and performance artist, and Ms Baani Singh, social work professional dedicated to sustainable development in rural Punjab. Their diverse expertise and experience greatly enriched the debate's intellectual depth.

The event was skilfully conducted by the compères, Depaanshi Moitra (XI) and Jasraj Singh Chadha (XI), whose seamless moderation contributed to the smooth flow of the proceedings. The Indian School debating team comprised Unnati Mishra (XII), Zavaibah Akhter (XII), and Aarav Bansal (X).

The debate commenced with a rigorous series of preliminary rounds, featuring a blend of extempore and turncoat debates. In the extempore round, participants demonstrated their quick thinking and extensive knowledge on a range of topics such as "The World of Peter Drucker", "The Legacy of JRD Tata", "Vaccine and Cyrus Poonawalla", "The Importance of Being Earnest", and "A Blank Letterhead". Each speaker showcased his or her ability to articulate ideas spontaneously, leaving the audience intrigued.

The turncoat debate added an additional layer of challenge, with second speakers skilfully switching sides every 1.5 minutes. They spoke both for and against the motion, presenting balanced arguments on topics such as "We need an immediate ceasefire in Gaza", "The commercialisation of the concept of beauty", "Technology has no accountability and conscience", "Films influence people’s behaviour", "Aggression and mindset", "Climate change is a bigger emergency than the ongoing wars and recent pandemics put together" and "No law can legislate on matters of love, guilt, and gender".

The bridge round required the third speaker of each team to draft constructive affirmatives and negatives on the motion "This house rejects Russia’s territorial claim and subsequent annexation of Crimea". Participants were given fifteen minutes to prepare their drafts, further highlighting their ability to think critically and structure their arguments effectively.

These preliminary rounds set the stage for an intense competition, where each team demonstrated its skills in argumentation and rebuttal, paving the way for the semi-finals and finals. The semi-finalists included The Indian School, Muscat, Mayo College Girls’ School, Ajmer, Singapore International School, Mumbai, Vasant Valley School, The Indian School, The Future Foundation School, Kolkata, Maharana Mewar Public School, Udaipur, and Sunbeam, Lahartara. The motion for Semi-final 1 was "Global capital poses a long-term threat to civil liberties" and the motion for Semi-final 2 was "Global inaction about Yemen only reveals our deep-seated bias".

The finalists were The Indian School, DAV Sushil Kedia Vishwa Bharati School, Kathmandu, Mayo College Girls’ School, Ajmer, and Wycherley International School, Colombo. The motion for the final round was "Diversity and pluralism is the roadmap to peace, not homogeneity, monologue, and uniformity". During this round, block and tackle took place, and the third speaker spoke for one minute.

The event concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by the head boy and head girl, who expressed gratitude to the School management, judges, and all participating schools. The winners were announced across various categories, with The Indian School, Muscat, being named the Overall Best Delegation. Sunbeam School, Lahartara, and The Indian School, New Delhi, were recognised as Joint First Runners-Up. The event was a resounding success, highlighting the importance of debate as a platform for intellectual and personal growth. As per tradition at our School, we did not accept the Runner's-Up trophy and gladly handed it to Sunbeam School, Lahartara.

Results:

Five Best Speech Writers:

Vanshika Chettri - Paljor Namgyal Girls’ School, Gangtok

Ryna Khanna - Invictus International School, Amritsar

Rudra Pratap Shaw - Madhusthali Vidyapeeth, Jharkhand

Aadyansh Maharana - Indian Language School, Nigeria

Prajjawal Tewari - Birla Vidya Mandir, Nainital

 

Five Best Speakers - Extempore:

Faiz Aftab - Bombay Scottish School, Mumbai

Sonakshi Sharma - Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar

Daya Vinil - Indian Education School, Kuwait

Hamdan Hussain Siddiqui - St. Columba's School, New Delhi

Aashritha Girish - St. Francis De Sales School, Bengaluru

Five Best Speakers - Turncoat:

Udhbhavi Arora - Bluebells School International, New Delhi

Ganeev Kaur Kapoor - Springdales School, Dhaula Kuan

Kavya Bansal - Birla Divya Jyoti, Siliguri

Tanishka Kumar - Delhi Public School, Gaya

Navdha Kaushik - Birla School, Pilani

Best Speakers - Semi-Finals:

Yojit Mirani - Singapore International School, Mumbai

Hrid Bhattacharaya - The Future Foundation School, Kolkata

Joint Best Interjectors:

Salma Afreen Hussain - Maharana Mewar Public School, Udaipur

Vanshika Agrawal - DAV Sushil Kedia Vishwa Bharati School, Nepal

Best Speaker - Block and Tackle:

Ayan Mehrotra - Sunbeam School, Lahartara

Best Speaker - Final:

Nihal Bhatt - Indian School, Muscat

Joint Best Delegation Speech Coordination and Synergy:

Vasant Valley School, New Delhi

Mayo College Girls’ School, Ajmer

Joint Best Delegation Research:

Singapore International School, Mumbai

The Future Foundation School, Kolkata

Joint Third Position:

Maharana Mewar Public School, Udaipur

The Future Foundation School, Kolkata

Joint First Runners-Up:

Sunbeam School, Lahartara

The Indian School, New Delhi

Overall Best Delegation:

The Indian School, Muscat