AWSDC 2017

ISDS 1 (Team India at WSDC 2017) entered the Octo-finals breaking 10th. They lost the Octo-finals against South Africa A Green on a split 2-1 decision.

ISDS 2 (the Development squad) bowed out with 3 wins out of 6 and an inspiring performance.

There were two teams representing the Indian Schools Debating Society (ISDS).

ISDS 1, which also participated in the World Schools Debating Championship 2017, consisted of:

Chaitanya Kediyal
Chaitanya Kediyal is pursuing a degree in law at Oxford University. He was among the 40 top speakers in the open category at AWSDC 2016 and the 15^th best ESL speaker at WSDC 2017.

Dhananjay Ashok
Dhananjay is in his 12th grade at The International School, Bangalore, studying Science. He was part of Team India at WSDC 2016, in Stuttgart, Germany, where he was named the 22nd best speaker in the Open category and the 3rd best ESL speaker, and at WSDC 2017, in Bali, Indonesia, where he was named the 9th best speaker in the Open category and the 2nd best ESL speaker.

Hemanth Chakravarthy
Hemanth represented India at WSDC 2015, 2016 and 2017. In 2017, he was ranked the 8^th best ESL speaker in the world.

Karthik Tadepalli
Karthik has just completed his 12th grade at the National Public School, Indiranagar, Bangalore, and is currently at the University of Pennsylvania. He was part of Team India at WSDC 2016, in Stuttgart, Germany, where he was ranked the 14th best ESL speaker, and at WSDC 2017 in Bali, Indonesia, where he was ranked the 7th best ESL speaker in the world.

Tejas Subramaniam
Tejas, the youngest member on the team, is currently in his 10th grade at the PSBB School, K.K. Nagar, Chennai. He was a part of the ISDS team that won the International Competition for Young Debaters, 2017, where he was ranked the best speaker in the Open category, and of Team India at WSDC 2017, in Bali, Indonesia.

ISDS 2 consisted of:

Aatmik Gupta
Aatmik is in his 12th grade at the Modern School, New Delhi, studying Science. He was a part of Team India at WSDC 2016 in Stuttgart, Germany, and was a part of the Development Team representing ISDS at AWSDC 2017

Callistine Jude Lewis
Callistine is in his 10th grade, at Kendriya Vidyalaya in Cochin. He was a part of the Development Team representing ISDS at AWSDC 2017.

Harsith Ravichandran
Harsith is currently in his 10th grade, at the PSBB School, K.K. Nagar, Chennai. He was a part of the ISDS team that won the International Competition for Young Debaters, 2017, where he was ranked the 2nd best speaker. He was also part of the Development Team representing ISDS at AWSDC 2017.

Neha Dadke
Neha is currently in her 11th grade, at Vikas – The Concept School in Hyderabad. She was part of the Development Team representing ISDS at AWSDC 2017

Yastika Guru
Yastika is currently in her 10th grade at the Sanskriti School in Delhi. She was part of the Development Team representing ISDS at AWSDC 2017.

Amrithavarshini Venkatesh

Amrithavarshini Venkatesh: Varshini has been associated with ISDS first as a debater on Team India (in 2008 and 2012) and now as a coach (starting 2014). Varshini graduated from the IIT Madras Humanities programme and consulted on international development efforts with the Dalberg Advisors Mumbai office before joining ISDS in full time capacity as Executive Director

Dhruva Bhat

Dhruva represented India at WSDC in 2011, 2012, and 2013. He studied at Harvard University, where he served as the President of the Harvard College Debating Society. Dhruva coached India in 2016, and 2017.

Arjun Vignesh

Arjun will be pursuing a degree in Healthcare Policy at Johns Hopkins University. He was a part of Team India at WSDC 2013. He coached the ISDS Development Squad at AWSDC 2017.

Padmapriya Govindarajan

Padma is judging for India. She recently graduated with an Integrated Masters in Development Studies from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, and will start pursuing a China Studies program from the Peking University this fall, as a recipient of the prestigious Yenching Scholarship. She also served as a correspondent for The Diplomat. She was ranked the 18th best ESL speaker in the world at WSDC 2012 as part of Team India; she was also a part of Team India at WSDC 2009 in Athens, Greece, and a part of the team representing ISDS at the Russell McVeagh International Schools Debating Tour in New Zealand.

Varun Baliga

Until recently, Varun studied at the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR) University of Law, and he currently works at Luthra & Luthra Law Offices. At university, he had an avid debating career, making the quarterfinals and being named the 3rd best speaker at Hong Kong Debates Open, making the quarterfinals of UADC 2016, and the octofinals of Malaysia Debates Open 2017. Additionally, he was the 3rd Best Speaker at the M.S. Ramaiah Memorial Parliamentary Debate in 2014 and 2015, a semifinalist and the 9th Best Speaker at the NUJS Parliamentary Debate in 2016.