Debating Matters today

Updated on: Wednesday, December 02, 2009

British Council and Institute of Ideas, UK presented the Regional Finals of Debating Matters India at the Rabindranath Tagore Centre, Indian Council of Cultural Relations, Ho Chi Minh Sarani, on November 28, 2009

Twelve schools from across East India took part in the regional finals in Kolkata on November 27-28, debating topics such as:

    * The media is justified in invading the privacy of public personalities
    * Commercial surrogacy in India is morally acceptable
    * There should be no curbs on artistic freedom
    * Quotas for women in politics will bring about equality
    * India should pay more attention to economic development than climate change

On November 27, four of these twelve schools made it to the semi-final rounds. Early in the day on November 28 Army Public School, Bengdubi, Delhi Public School, Megacity, Loreto Day School Sealdah and KV Cossipore fought it out for a place in the national finals debating the motions: “Quotas for women in politics will bring about equality” and “Injustice and not ideological fanaticism is at the root of global terrorism”.

DPS Megacity and Loreto Day School made it to the finals.

Devart Poddar and Abhishek Ghosh of Delhi Public School Megacity beat their opponents Ipshita Shome and Deepawali Mitra of Loreto Day School Sealdah, debating the motion, “India should pay more attention to economic development than climate change.”

The final debate was chaired by Sujata Sen, director of British Council, East India and judged by Philip Walters, chairman of the UK educational publishing company, Rising Stars and a UK trustee of Yale University Press, Subhasis Neogi, reader in Energy Science and Technology and director of the regional test centre and G Rautela, director general of the National Council of Science Museums, a network of 27 science centres in India

Prizes were also given out for best audience participation and these went to Devart Poddar, Abhranil Dutta and Kushagra Poddar.

The regional finalist and the runner-up qualified for a two-day residential national final, to take place in New Delhi on January 14-16, 2010. British Deputy High Commissioner Sanjay Wadwani handed over prizes to the winning teams.
Tony Gilland, society director of the Institute of Ideas, taking over the session said, “It is an exciting format for debating in India that emphasises content and intellectual rigour over everything else. It fosters a questioning culture and invites participants to delve deeper into issues that affect their lives and society. We want students to explore ideas and go beyond speeches.”

On being asked to share his views on the occasion this is what Philip Walters had to say, “I’ve been so impressed by what I have seen. I’m often asked to speak about the differences between the Britons and their Indian counterparts. But what struck me were the similarities. I feel that our future is safe in their hands. It feels good to see a congregation of the youth for in the UK, they are demonised by the media.”

He added further, “I honestly think you all are winners. Learning to debate in front of an audience, logically and coherently is an important life-skill.

Debating Matters today

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