Given the success of the Debating Matters competition in the UK, we are delighted that Debating Matters has just successfully completed its second year in India, and plans for year three are underway.

Debating Matters India is jointly organised by the British Council India and the Institute of Ideas. The pilot year of the competition ran from September 2008 to January 2009 and was kindly supported by Pfizer. Debating Matters India 2009/10 ran from from July 2009 to January 2010 and is kindly supported by Shell Companies India and The Wellcome Trust.

India, with its strong tradition of debate and extensive schools debating scene, is a wonderful country to introduce the Debating Matters ethos and approach to. Pragati Mitta, a debater from Delhi Public School, Noida, which enters numerous debating competitions, told us that Debating Matters allowed her team to “experience a whole new dimension of debating” because “unlike other debate competitions” it “emphasised more on the research and preparation than the sound bites and semantics”.

Just eight schools won through to the National Final - held at the British Council India’s headquarters in New Delhi from 14-16 January 2010 - from nearly 400 who entered the competition in July 2009. After two days of tough debate the victors of Debating Matters India 2009/10 were Delhi Public School, Megacity, Kolkata - the winners of the East India Regional Final in November last year, and now Debating Matters India ‘Champions 2010’.

Watch the DM India National Final 2010 videos now!

All the debates were streamed live via the British Council India’s website, broadcasting to a both an Indian and British audience of friends, families and fellow debaters. Video of the event is now available online, via the British Council India’s website.

After opening round debates on India’s economic development and climate change, and clinical trials, the semi-finalists were: St. Columba’s, New Delhi and Delhi Public School, Megacity debating whether industrialisation benefits India’s rural poor, and Cathedral and John Connon School, Mumbai and Symbiosis Society’s College of Arts &Commerce, Pune took on the issue of India’s young politicians and the future of the nations’ politics.

The final saw a good but challenging debate between Delhi Public School arguing for the motion “Alternative medicine should be embraced as an essential part of healthcare in India” with Symbiosis Society’s College of Arts &Commerce arguing against. The debate was judged by S. Jalaja, Secretary, Department of AYUSH, Ministry Health; Dr George Thomas, an orthopedic surgeon; and Sir Mark Walport, director of The Wellcome Trust. All the judges enjoyed the debate immensely and said what an excellent project Debating Matters India is for encouraging you people to engage with ideas and issues of substance.

Speaking about the event as a whole, Sir Mark Walport said:

“I’ve seen a series of terrific, first class debates here, demonstrating that these are hard working and thoughtful young people”.

In addition to the title of ‘Champions 2010’, Delhi Public School, Megacity have also won a trip to London to take part in a showcase debate with the UK National Final winners at the Institute of Ideas Battle of Ideas festival 2010.

See the video below to hear why students, teachers and judges had such a good time at the first ever DM India National Final in Delhi, January 2009.

DM India National Final in Delhi, January 2009

FURTHER HELP

Read news about the DM India 2009/10 launch event and visit the British Council’s DM India competition website.

If you’d like to see Debating Matters expand to countries please contact Tony Gilland.