HT Correspondent
HOJAI, Feb 8: The Purbottar Pradeshiya Marwari Yuva Manch (PPMYM), a non-profit voluntary youth organisation, organised the finale of the inaugural edition of the Justice BP Saraf Memorial Inter College Debate Competition in Guwahati on Wednesday. The competition paid homage to the late Justice BP Saraf, a former Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, and a noted jurist and philanthropist, known as a great son of Assam.
The competition aimed to provide a platform for young debaters from various colleges across North East India to showcase their oratory skills and express their views on diverse topics of contemporary relevance. The competition was the brainchild of Om Prakash Aggarwal, the former provincial president and former NVP of the All India Marwari Yuva Manch, who envisioned a debate show fostering intellectual discourse and critical thinking among the youth.
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Coordinated by project chairman and PTA vice president Devesh Mundra and PTA convener Prachi Harlalka, the competition saw diligent efforts to make the event a success. Supported by all branches of the Marwari Yuva Manch, which hosted preliminary rounds in their respective locations, the competition commenced at Gauhati Commerce College Auditorium on Tuesday, and concluded on Wednesday, at KBR Auditorium, Cotton University. The grand finale was jointly organised by the Guwahati Samriddhi and Guwahati Professional branches.
Eminent personalities from various fields attended the grand finale as judges. The chief guest was Malay Barua, a retired IAS officer and distinguished administrator. The special guest was Tirthanka Das Kalita, the regional intellectual head of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Invited guests included Swapnil Barua, another retired IAS officer, Professor Sudeshna Bhattacharjee, the head of the Sanskrit department of Guwahati University, Dr Niranjan Kalita, the head of Srimanta Sankardev University, and Dr Radheshyam Tiwari, the principal of BMBB College. Valuable guidance was provided by Diganta Biswa Sarma, a Sahitya Akademi Award-winning writer and speaker, who mentored the participants throughout the competition. The program was attended by many executive members of the Purbottar Pradesh Marwari Yuva Manch and various branches of MYM Guwahati.
The welcome speech was delivered by Babita Mittal, the president of the Guwahati Samriddhi branch. The vote of thanks was given by CA Ekta Garodia Agarwal, the secretary of the Guwahati Samriddhi branch.
The competition witnessed a fierce battle of words among the finalists on various topics of current relevance. Drishti Barua from North Lakhimpur University was awarded the best debater or the first prize for her eloquence and logic. The runner-up prize was shared by Chayanika Bora from Sibsagar College and Niskamona Asomiya from Royal Global University, who displayed remarkable skills and confidence. The third prize was awarded to three debaters: Mintu Deka from Gauhati University, Sabnam Suhana from Ajmal Foundation, Hojai, and Pradipta Roy from Gauhati Commerce College, for their commendable performances.
The competition received overwhelming appreciation from all participants and guests, who praised the Marwari Yuva Manch for organising such a meaningful and enriching event. They expressed hope that the competition would continue in the future, inspiring more young minds to participate and excel. This information was provided by PPMYM PRO coordinator Nikhil Kumar Mundra.
