Personal Essay

 
Where some see a verbal war between two diametrically opposed views, I see unity in
debating. The two sides ultimately seek to solve the same problems, albeit through
different perspectives and solutions. As an American citizen of Indian origin studying in
the UK, discussing whether democracy should be considered an innate human right in
the Finals of the Hong Kong Parliamentary debate competition, was a particularly
powerful experience for me. I was able to draw on my multi-cultural background from
countries with unique histories rooted in struggles for independence and learn from
debaters living through a period of democratic upheaval in Hong Kong.
 
It is this same love of solving problems and collaboration that I explore by leading math
olympiad training sessions for students at school. To challenge myself beyond my
school’s curriculum, I participated in a theoretical computer science summer Program in
Algorithmic and Computational Thinking (PACT). More than mastering topics ranging
from graph theory to dynamic programming, I learned how to think creatively, solving
difficult problems that seemed to have no obvious solution. This skill not only allowed
me to excel in olympiads, such as the Oxford Computing Challenge, but also in
debating: an art which requires solutions to seemingly intractable societal issues. 
 
As a debater I have learned that a well proven argument builds from a premise by
drawing upon logical mechanisms. Having attended primary school in India, Gifted and
Talented programs in the American Public School system, an online high school, and an
English boarding school, I have benefited from a diverse education that has given me
access to the logical mechanisms to succeed as a debater and student. Taking
advantage of these opportunities, I have been able to analyze global concerns, such as
the sustained conflict between Israel and Palestine, for a project that was awarded Eton
College’s Arab-Israeli History Essay Prize.
 
At PACT, I befriended Nikhil from Pune, India who shares my passion for debating.
However, he told me that he had never attended a competition or received coaching
because his community did not have the resources to organize debating events.
Wanting to help underprivileged students access the logical mechanisms that I had
benefited from, I created the ‘Art of Debating’ program. I recruited instructors from my
boarding school’s debate team and conducted workshops in collaboration with PACT,
hoping to use my debate experience to embolden a global community of ambitious
students with the confidence and communication skills necessary to make the most of
their talents. This summer Nikhil is returning to the program as an instructor to train the
next generation of Indian debaters, showing that the spark of community service can
inspire to create a momentous, global impact. 
 
After successfully coaching students from America, India, Russia, Ethiopia, and
Rwanda, I wanted to contribute to my English boarding school’s surrounding community
as well. Using my experience from organizing the Art of Debating program at PACT, I
reached out to local state schools to similarly empower students through debate
coaching. It is fulfilling to see the Art of Debating program now selected as an official
volunteering placement for Eton students’ mandatory community service requirements.  
 
Civil debate is more important to me than ever in light of nationalist policies in India, the
UK, and the US. It is disheartening to see increasing numbers of people refusing to
engage with those they disagree with, preventing vital issues from being addressed
through debate and compromise. This problem is also noticeable on college campuses
where discourse is marred by ideological intolerance and division. I believe the unifying
philosophy of debate can help overcome this impasse by encouraging respectful public
discourse, acceptance of diverging views, and a wider understanding of common
interests in solving problems for the betterment of ourselves and society.