Sharun: When I first started debating, making it to the finals of International Majors felt like a far-off dream. Imagining the spectacle of teams waving their national flags on that grand stage was pure fantasy. But now, hitting the finals of ABP has turned that dream into a “pinch me, is this real?” moment. Waving your country’s flag in the international spotlight is a special honour, and is one that not everyone gets to experience. Trying to process the surrealness of it all is still sinking in for me.

Nayantara: It was a dream come true! Like any sport, debating is fiercely competitive, and it demands hours of work, and many sacrifices and deals you some hard losses in return. The pure joy when you reach the top makes all of that worth it. It also feels like we’ve proved ourselves, not just to the world, but in our own eyes.

We’re third-year students majoring in the mechanical department at IITB.

Nayantara: I’m a debater at heart- someone who refuses to accept things without reason, who wants to discuss the pros and cons of every decision (much to the dismay of the people who have to listen to me). I love debating in my everyday life, everything from policies to the environment to philosophy. So I was always interested in debating and when college gave me the chance to pursue it seriously, I jumped at it.

Sharun: I started debating in school and I was excited about the idea of having the chance to go to Mexico for the World Schools Debating Championship. I didn’t make it to the team but I fell in love with the activity. To me everything in life is a debate, you are constantly making decisions and debate helps you structure and be persuasive to yourself and at times to others. It’s a remarkably demanding endeavour and I am addicted to it because I relish the competition, the thrill of winning, and the pure enjoyment it brings. We get to travel across India and, sometimes, internationally to participate in tournaments.

As a debating society, we train and send teams for national and international tournaments. So our preparation really started in our first year. We did so many practice debates to hone our skills, I’ve lost track. We call them spars because like the jousts between medieval knights, words can slice up your arguments into shreds and your winning chances are on the line every moment. We spend most weekends in preparatory tournaments where we compete the whole day to simulate the competition we would face. Not to mention we had to wake up at 4 am to do online Japanese tournaments in their time zone. Logistics were honestly a big part too. Finding rooms to practice early morning or late at night, scrambling for permissions to rewrite exams we had to miss, not to mention the funding (or the lack of it). In the end, sheer grit and unwavering determination paid off. We also took part in Mahasangram, an International Debate Tournament in Kathmandu, and won there in the lead-up to ABP.

The ABP tournament is the Asian Games of University Debating. Known as one of the most prestigious tournaments globally, it involves a series of qualifying league rounds followed by knockout rounds. Over 70 teams participated in the ABP tournament including representatives from countries such as China, Singapore, Philippines, South Korea, and Bangladesh. The intense competition comprised six qualifying rounds and subsequent knockout rounds, involving the best-debating teams across Asia. In each debate, four teams were designated as opening government, opening opposition, closing government, and closing opposition. We had 15 mins to prepare our case, on topics ranging from education and finance to philosophy and international relations, with no access to the internet, and spoke for 7 mins each. Teams were ranked at the end of each round, with top-ranked teams progressing to the knockouts.

We reached the finals of the ABP tournament, marking a significant achievement for an Indian team, particularly since the last Indian team to reach the finals did so in 2011 in a smaller first edition of the Asian Championship. Back in the day, a typical debater has a chance of making it to the finals 4-5 years after they start and only a handful of very talented debaters ever achieve that. But we started competitive debating only 1.5 years ago. We had to face debaters with years of experience starting from school and financial support from their universities and we had nothing of that sort. It is the journey of getting there that we are so proud of- the countless hours we spent reading up about obscure issues in the world, traveling to tournaments in between our hectic institute lives with absolutely no guarantee of any reward. We entered the competition as underdogs and rose to the 3^rd position in the league rankings (the best an Indian team has ever performed), beating teams who were Asian finalists from the previous year. Nayantara was also the first Indian woman to be in a major debating tournament final. Hopefully, we’ve set a path many will follow after us.

Being on the finals stage is something every debater dreams of. We walked up to the stage and placed the Indian flag on our designated table. The final of a major debate event is a grand affair, a black-tie spectacle hosting an audience of over 500 people, including accomplished debaters. With the event streamed worldwide, the atmosphere was intense and, somewhat, intimidating. We made a conscious effort to keep our cool, sticking to our usual routines and resisting the urge to do anything out of the ordinary just because it was a big deal. We took a moment to look back at our debating journey and thank everyone who helped us before we presented our speeches.

The experience of participating in the final rounds of the ABP tournament left an indelible mark on us, representing a significant milestone in our debating journey, with the ranking as finalists highlighting our remarkable performance. We met students from all over Asia and got a peek into their lives, cultures, and experiences. We didn’t just meet our idols, we heard them say “You ran a great case!” What more can you ask for? The way our friends back home cheered us on was heartwarming.

As far as debating goes, we are both going to Vietnam for the WUDC (World Universities Debating Championship) this December where we hope to continue our form and bring laurels to IITB. Funding is a challenge, however, for us and the rest of the IITB contingent going to WUDC.

In terms of our academics and career plans:

Nayantara: I want to research sustainable materials and create something that can make a difference in the world. Solar cells, plastic alternatives, water purification…these are the challenges that excite me. A PhD is on the cards, and I look forward to putting my brain to puzzling problems and new materials.

Sharun: I’m inclined towards a career in consulting. I like the nature of the work in consulting, which involves logically analysing business problems. This is similar to debating as well, as we would get a topic on the spot and think of it from different perspectives, break it down, and analyse the motion. Unparalleled exposure to different industries and the chance to shape the future of businesses is something I am really excited about!