Debaters: 10 Debaters in Zonal Finals of Maha’s Speak for India Maharashtra: Razor Sharp Arguments on the Merits and Demerits of Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Mumbai News
College students from various parts of the state attended the district-level competition at IES Management College & Research Centre in Bandra.“All the participants were 10/10! They were so convincing that we as judges were wondering where to cut marks,” said Rohan Rajiv Joshirao, assistant vice president, Federal Bank.
Another judge Dr Sunil Saxena, assistant professor at IES MCRC, said, “Our task was very challenging because the quality of debaters was excellent. It gives me hope because in this generation, the future of the country seems to be in safe hands.” His peer Harshal Bhagwat, head of marketing, IES MCRC, said all the youngsters expressed themselves lucidly whether in English, Hindi or Marathi.
The contestants had barely 10 minutes to prepare after they drew chits for their assigned topic, but they presented their case in such an informed, eloquent way that reflected days of preparation.
Harsh Nagvekar of CWC Law College in Malad, Abhay Aalshi of Vaze Kelkar in Mulund, and Yash Patil of BK Birla College in Kalyan debated whether AI would cost human jobs, while Pooja Sursure of SNDT Law College and Sharvil Ramaiya of Pravin Gandhi Law College in Vile Parle argued whether social media apps were overtaking human communication. Nirbhay Sonar of Pratap College in Amalner and Walia Khan of HK College of Pharmacy in Jogeshwari, brainstormed over the value of reality TV shows.
Bhagyashree Prabhutendolkar, a student of journalism at St Xavier’s College, received a shock just before the morning’s debate as she learnt that their professor Perrie Subramaniyan had passed away suddenly. “I held her memory in my heart as I spoke because she had inspired all of us to lend a voice to issues that matter,” she said.
Each winner was excited for the zonal round that is the next milestone. Speak for India is an initiative by Federal Bank Hormis Memorial Foundation, in association with The Times of India and Maharashtra Times, to encourage students to take a stand on pertinent issues and play the role of change-makers in society. Now in its sixth edition, India’s largest intercollegiate debating platform promises Rs 2.5 lakh in prize money to the winner, Rs 1.5 lakh to the runner-up and Rs 35,000 to each finalist.