Eight students reach Speak for India K'taka finals after intense competition

Time of India

21-04-2025

Bengaluru: Confidence radiated from college students as they stepped on to the stage, took the mic, and spoke with clarity and conviction during the semi-finals of Speak for India–Karnataka edition.
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Organised by the
Federal Bank Hormis Memorial Foundation
in association with The Times of India and Vijay Karnataka, the event saw participants deliver powerful speeches with ease.
It was held Monday at
Kristu Jayanti College
(Autonomous), Bengaluru, with 29 students from across the state competing for a spot in the finals, scheduled to be held Tuesday at the same venue.
Eight finalists emerged from the round: Amshu Hegde (Yuvaraja's College, Mysuru), Vasudeva Thilak (Vaikunta Baliga College of Law, Udupi), Ananya Vinod (Reva University, Bengaluru), Ifra Ayesha (School of Social Work Roshni Nilaya, Mangaluru), Chinmay Gowda KT (University Law College, Bangalore University), Manya MV (MS Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, Bengaluru), Chandan M Naik (MES College ACS, Bengaluru), and Prateek Hegde (JSS SMI UG & PG Studies, Dharwad).
The panel of judges included author and public speaker Abhishek Shivaram, academic and former state-level debater Shrutha Nadig, and Kumaran P, assistant editor at Happiest Health.
Judge Abhishek Shivaram, author and public speaker, called the session "extremely enthralling" and applauded the participants for their performance. "The quality of debaters was top-notch, and we as judges found it extremely difficult to do the scoring! Great job TOI and Federal Bank," he said.
Judge Shrutha Nadig added, "It was a pleasure to serve as a judge for the debate competition. The session was challenging, with participants showcasing remarkable skill and insight. We look forward to witnessing more such events in the future."
Chandan Naik, the finalist from MES College, Malleswaram, expressed his excitement, saying: "The D in Democracy stands for debate and discussion. The Speak for India debate competition upholds that spirit among the youths of the country.
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I'm grateful for the opportunity and excited for my finals."
Students descended from different parts of the state to rub shoulders with their peers. Speak for India provides a platform for college students to voice their views on contemporary issues and become the change-makers of society. Top debaters in Karnataka were identified through multiple levels of competition. Students could choose Kannada or English as their preferred language to debate in.
The winner will get a cash prize of Rs 2.5 lakh, while the runner-up will receive Rs 1.5 lakh. Each of the finalists stands to win Rs 50,000.