By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: BSF Sr. Secondary School emerged champion in the prestigious Dr MM Das memorial annual running trophy on Debate organised for the 16th year, under the aegis of Zenith Jubelieth Club, Laban, with Army School and St. Edmunds’ College being adjudged the runners-up and the second runners-up respectively.
The topic for the debate was ‘Coalition politics encourage regionalism at the expense of nationalism’. Mawprem legislator Manas Chaudhuri was the Speaker while the debate competition was judged by Naba Bhattacharjee, Anuradha Paul and S Bhattacharjee.
The young students representing six prominent institutions made an impressive comprehension of political bargains in the country both by speaking ‘for’ and ‘against’ the motion, the value of the substance over style made the students involve in thinking on their feet as they responded. After hearing each moot, the students had 30 minutes to prepare following which each member of the team were allotted eight minutes to put forward their arguments. The two representatives from the six schools were divided with one speaking ‘for’ and the other speaking ‘against’ the motion.
Sonia Bhattacharjee of Army School was adjudged the ‘best speaker’ while Anirban Paul of BSF Sr. Secondary School walked away with the title of the ‘best humorous speaker’.
The participating students included Sabah Taslim and Sonia Bhattacharjee (Army School); Korbor Kharbuli and Nongiaiasan Kharbuli (St. Edmund’s Senior Sec. School); Anirban Paul and Debtanu Deb Roy (BSF Sr. Sec. School); Sneha Dutta and Prantoo Saikia (St. Edmund’s College); Kevinson Jyrwa and Mukesh Thakur (BBS College) and Skhembor Kharpuri and Francis Lalremsiama (Shillong College).
