Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 31 Aug: Welham Boys’ School hosted the 35th edition of the Oliphant Memorial Debates on 29-30 August. Instituted in memory of Ms Oliphant, the Founder of the School, this annual event continues to be a platform for fostering critical thinking, eloquence, and intellectual engagement.
Over the past three decades, the debate has been conducted in a variety of formats. This year’s edition followed the Modified British Parliamentary Format, adjudicated on the parameters of Matter, Manner, and Method.
The tournament witnessed the participation of 16 teams, which deliberated on a wide range of contemporary socio-economic and political issues. Following three rigorous preliminary rounds on themes of economics, technology, and sports, eight teams advanced to the semi-finals. The Best Speaker awards were conferred upon Nanda Karumudi of The Doon School, Dehradun in the first semi-final, and Aashvi Gupta of Welham Girls’ School, Dehradun in the second.
The Final Round featured Welham Boys’ School, Welham Girls’ School, The Doon School, and The Cathedral and John Connon Senior School, Mumbai. Contesting the motion, “This House opposes the Glorification of Selflessness”, the debate was marked by incisive arguments and spirited exchanges. In a closely contested finale, Welham Boys’ School emerged as the winners, with The Cathedral and John Connon Senior School securing the runners-up position.
The concluding session was presided over by Dr Lokesh Ohri, a distinguished writer, filmmaker, and cultural anthropologist. Dr Ohri holds a PhD in Cultural Anthropology from the South Asia Institute, University of Heidelberg, and has served as a Marsilus Van Inghen Fellow at Radboud University. He currently teaches at the Universities of Pittsburgh and Tübingen. Founder of ‘Been There Doon That’ and ‘Humanities Himalaya’, Dr Ohri has been conferred the Mahatma Gandhi Prize and the Outlook Responsible Tourism Award for his contributions to community-based heritage and travel.
