Eight college students clear Speak for India semis; final lap today
New Delhi: Confidence radiated from the stage as college students walked up, took the mic, locked eyes with the audience and launched into powerful speeches. Eloquent, bold and charismatic, they showed no signs of nervousness despite the high-pressure setting — the semi-finals of
Speak for India
, Delhi-NCR edition, an initiative by Federal Bank Hormis Memorial Foundation in association with The Times of India and Navbharat Times.
The semi-finals took place on Thursday at
Mata Sundri College for Women
, where 32 students from across the region competed fiercely for a place in the finals, scheduled for the following day at the same venue.
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After intense rounds of argument and rebuttal, eight students emerged as finalists — Prikshit Deswal from Bennett University, Greater Noida; Deepanshu Jha from Delhi School of Journalism; Naman Sharma from GKFTII, Film City Noida; Shivank Trivedi from Maulana Azad Medical College, Delhi; Jasmehar Kaur from Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce, Delhi; Deepansh Jawrani from OP Jindal Global University, Sonipat; Aradhya Maithani from St Stephen's College, Delhi; and Niyati Gautam from Inderprastha Engineering College, Ghaziabad.
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The round was judged by Uzma Nadeem, assistant professor in the environmental studies department at Mata Sundri College for Women, and Sapna Kumari, assistant professor in the English department at Lady Irwin College. Both judges expressed admiration for the depth of thought, the quality of articulation and the confidence displayed by the participants. "It has truly been an honour to serve as a judge for today's contest. It was a pleasure to witness such passionate and articulate young minds engaging in meaningful debate. The level of preparation, clarity of thought and confidence was truly commendable. Each speaker brought unique perspectives, making the contest intellectually enriching," said Nadeem.
Kumari said events like these played a vital role in nurturing future leaders and critical thinkers. "I encourage more youngsters to use this opportunity as a source of growth and confidence," she said.
Maithani, one of the finalists, said, "I enjoyed each and every stage of this competition. I believe that for developing the skill of debating in a country like India, this competition is a must."
Speak for India provides a platform for college students from across Delhi-NCR to voice their views on contemporary issues. Top debaters were identified through multiple levels. Students could choose Hindi or English as their preferred language to debate in. The winner will get a cash prize of Rs 2.5 lakh while the runner-up will receive Rs 1.5 lakh. Each of the finalists will get Rs 50,000.
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