 Early Times Report
JAMMU, Oct 10: Rich Harvest School, under the aegis of the Sahodaya Schools Complex, Jammu, hosted the Sahodaya Turncoat Debate Competition on October 10, 2026, with enthusiastic participation from schools across the region.
The programme commenced with a warm welcome by Ms Anita Bhatia, Head of Institute, Rich Harvest School, who extended greetings to the participating schools, distinguished guests, judges, teachers and students. Mrs Ruchi Charak, Director, Rich Harvest School, graced the occasion and applauded the initiative, emphasising the importance of such platforms in nurturing confident, articulate and thoughtful young minds.
The topic for the Turncoat Debate was "Social Media: Connecting People or Isolating Them?" The participants were required to argue both sides of the resolution, testing their spontaneity, presence of mind, logical reasoning, communication skills and ability to shift perspectives effectively.
The competition was adjudged by an eminent panel comprising Mr G A Khwaja Senior Bureaucrat (retd.), Dr Sadaf Shah, Professor, University of Jammu; Ms Amit Pal Kaur, Professor, MAM College. The judges assessed the participants on content, spontaneity, clarity of expression, presentation, arguments and their ability to effectively switch viewpoints.
The First Prize was awarded to Smyra Khajuria of JK Public School, Kunjwani, the Second Prize to Saina Singh of Heritage School, the Third Prize to Sayam Sharma of Model Academy and the 1st consolation was bagged by Adarsh Sharma of Rich Harvest School.
The winners excelled in presenting compelling arguments on the resolution, "Social Media: Connecting People or Isolating Them?", while demonstrating remarkable versatility and command over both sides of the debate.
Mr Ranbir Katal, Presiding Officer and Advisor to Dogra Group of institutions gave away the prizes and felicitated the winners and participants. He congratulated Rich Harvest School and the Sahodaya Schools Complex for organising the competition. He encouraged students to analyse contemporary issues from multiple perspectives and express their views with confidence, logic and sensitivity.
Adding distinction to the programme, renowned NDTV journalist Mr Pradeep Dutta attended as the Special Guest and moderated the judges' observations and interaction following the competition. The judges shared valuable feedback on the performances, highlighting the strengths of the participants and offering constructive suggestions for further improvement.
Advocate Gambhir Dev Singh Charak, Managing Director, Rich Harvest School, addressed the gathering and appreciated the efforts of the participating schools, teachers and students. He lauded the initiative of the Sahodaya Schools Complex in providing students with meaningful platforms to develop critical thinking, effective communication and confidence.
The event witnessed enthusiastic participation and impressive performances, making the Sahodaya Turncoat Debate Competition 2026 an enriching and memorable experience. It successfully encouraged students to think critically, respond spontaneously and appreciate diverse viewpoints on an issue of contemporary relevance. |
