HYDERABAD: Unlocking their power of persuasion, three high-schoolers from Hyderabad have been dynamically breaking the barriers of classrooms. As part of the Indian team for the World Schools Debating Championship (WSDC), these teenagers can debate on almost anything, from public policy, international relations, and philosophy…and then the world is their oyster.
WSDC is a debating competition for high school students between 14 to 18 years of age. It is hosted by a different country each year and attended by over 60 national high-school teams from around the world who compete for the title of World Champion. The WSDC 2023 was held in Hanoi, Vietnam. It was the first World Championship held in-person since the 2020 pandemic, as the last three years were conducted online.
India has been participating at WSDC since 2008 when a small group of five schools came together to send a team to Washington DC, where they won only two of their eight preliminary rounds. They were sponsored by the Ramco Group of Companies. In 2016, the Indian Schools Debating Society (ISDS) was established with the vision to transform high school students from diverse backgrounds to think critically and communicate effectively through debate, fostering them into future leaders.
In 2018, India was in the grand final of the world championship and a speaker from India was crowned ‘Best Speaker in the World’. In 2019, India won the championship and an Indian speaker was made the ‘Best Speaker in the World’. This year’s talented team from India included Haasini Kelampalli, Karthik Palakodeti and Rohan Seelamsetty from Hyderabad, Hitishaa Goyal from Jaipur and Avni Chadha from Indore.
Debating, as a vital life skill, offers these youngsters a multifaceted platform to cultivate critical abilities that will serve them well in various aspects of their lives. That is what motivates and inspires Rohan Seelamsetty, who has been a part of the team for the past three years. Talking about his experience, he says, “Representing India was an exhilarating journey that has truly expanded my horizons. Engaging with top debaters from around the globe challenged me to refine my argumentation and eloquence — in the process, spurring a period of immense personal and professional growth.”
Most of the students who go through the rigorous screening process at the regional and national levels, begin their journey at 13 years of age and learn to dissect complex arguments, phrase them eloquently and present them in a convincing manner. “Navigating diverse topics, from feminism and international relations to philosophy and Artificial Intelligence tested my critical thinking and adaptability,” adds Rohan.
Trained by an incredible set of coaches who have themselves been champions and leaders in debating at the university level, the students practice for hours to improve their general knowledge about the world, their debating strategy and their speech and presentation skills. They are trained to debate on any topic pertaining to a real-world problem with a mere one-hour preparation without the help of the internet or their coaches.
“Debating sharpened my critical thinking, research, and communication skills. The experience of constructing and defending arguments boosted my confidence and ability to articulate thoughts effectively. Debating not only expanded my knowledge but also helped me make incredibly close and life-long friends,” says Karthik Palakodeti. Both Rohan and Karthik were also champions of the International Competition for Young Debaters (ICYD), 2021, where they got an opportunity to meet then-Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu.
Rohan’s mother, Vindhya Seelamsetty confides in CE as she says she cannot debate with her son anymore. “Debating has given a lot to my son, for example, working as part of a team. Adapting to different roles and different people every year while also managing their studies, co-curricular activities has been quite a challenge. All five kids have literally burned the midnight oil,” she says.
A lot is owed to the coaches, she adds, who do not charge a single rupee for training these young adults. “Even the kids’ tickets to the venues of these competitions are sponsored by ISDC,” says Vindhya. Rohan gives a shout-out to his coaches, whose “commitment, sense of humour (though appallingly bad at times) and resilience in the face of adversity have left me with stories I’m going to tell for years to come!”
Besides communication skills, debating championships also allow students to travel to various countries and engage in valuable cultural exchange. “Travelling to different countries, meeting incredibly smart people and getting to do in-person debate were enriching experiences I am very grateful for. It helped me create memories that I’ll never forget,” says Haasini Kelampalli.
The team also participated in the Asia Championships in Bangkok this year, where they finished as grand finalists, dropping a debate on a close 5-4 decision in favour of China. At the WSDC 2023, they were top-ranked in prelims, the only team out of 64 nations to clear all eight preliminary rounds. They finished as quarter-finalists, dropping the debate to Scotland at a close 4-3 split decision. Nevertheless, the team was hugely popular and well-acclaimed at both championships.