41st Manik Chandra Barooah national-level debate competition held at Cotton University

GUWAHATI: The 41st edition of the Manik Chandra Barooah National Level Debate Competition was held at the Kalaguru Bishnu Prasad Rabha Auditorium at Cotton University on Friday. The competition witnessed 52 participants from 26 participating institutions from Delhi, Meghalaya, Assam, and other parts of the country debate on the issue of the climate crisis. The topic of this year’s competition was ‘Climate Crisis Affects Developing Societies Like India with Far-Reaching Implications on Their Geopolitics, Economy, and Sustainability in the Global Race Today”.

While Shreyasi Vedashruti and Sanjana Rani of St. Edmund’s College, Shillong, bagged the Best Team award, Masoom Priya and Vasu Khajuria of Hindu College, University of Delhi, won the second Best Team award. Md. Hasan Sabreen Rohman of Sibsagar Commerce College and Sanjana Rani of St. Edmund’s College, Shillong, won the best debater and second-best debater awards, respectively. Ankita Sarmah Bordoloi of Cotton University won the best interjector award.

Associate Editor of The Hindu, Sandeep Phukan, presided over the house as the speaker. Eminent journalist Teresa Rehman, Director (R&D) of the Centre for Environment and Climate Action Foundation, Dr. Kamal Kumar Tanti, and Head of Human Resource and Legal Department at Numaligarh Refinery, Dr. Kajal Saikia, were the jury members of the debate competition. The inaugural event of the competition was graced by DGP, Assam, G. P. Singh. During his address, he said, “Debating is a primary skill that propels you to greater heights. Those who can speak their hearts out and express themselves are true leaders. The topic of today’s debate is contemporary and of extreme importance to the people of this planet. I hope today’s debate will not only enable everyone to speak their minds on the issue but also serve as a roadmap for policy planners to mitigate the climate crisis”.

Vice Chancellor of Cotton University Prof. Ramesh Chandra Deka, Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof. Ganesh Chandra Wary, and Registrar Dr. Arindam Garg were also present at the inaugural event.

In his welcome address, Registrar of Cotton University Dr. Arindam Garg also stressed the role of debate in promoting critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and other soft skills, as he welcomed everyone present in the programme. The inaugural event ended with a vote of thanks by Debating and Symposia Section Secretary Binoy Kalita. This year’s competition was organised with a two-day agenda on September 7 and 8, respectively. A talk on the visionary Manik Chandra Barooah was organised on September 7. It was delivered by eminent writer and critic Mayur Bora, who highlighted the invaluable contributions of the visionary. A souvenir was also released by DGP G.P. Singh at the inaugural ceremony, stated a press release.

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