The event that started as Verbattle, the debate championship, has today reached a point of being recognized as the best and most efficient platform for growth, leadership, and thought exchange for children and young people.
It all began in 2005, with an internet search for a possible academic partnership between a school in India and a school abroad sharing similar values. The search yielded a list of many knowledge-based activities, among which the most prominent were debating championships held around the world, particularly in North America and Europe.
It was surprising to note that while countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh at that time were either hosting international debate events or participating in major global debating championships, India—the largest democracy in the world, a country with unity in diversity achieved through a parliamentary system of governance and a rich history of debate and healthy argument—was absent from the scene.
My first thought was that if debate as a tool for fostering an open society could be most effective in any nation, it should be India, where it can work better than anywhere else. Unless India encourages its citizens to debate responsibly and settle issues democratically and non-violently, its vast diversity and differences, coupled with the unlimited potential for conflict, could lead to disastrous social catastrophes in the future.
It is the developing world—the third-world countries and nascent democracies—that most needs debate as a civilized alternative to armed conflict for resolving issues. This realization brought about the urge to create a debating platform for children and young people in this country. The idea, once conceived, caused enough restlessness until it was discussed with like-minded people. On the spur of the moment, a new word was created—Verbattle.
Combining "Verbal," an adjective, and "Battle," a verb, the word Verbattle was formed. It functions as an adjective, a noun, and a verb. When the civilized expression that is verbal engages with the brutal, crude, and uncivilized concept of battle, the cerebral mechanisms of offense and defense transform into a meaningful and humane output of speech, enhanced by corresponding gestures. This redefines the urge to battle while retaining its spirit, aggression, and passion.
Verbattle could be the only word that truly expresses how two opposing parties or a group with differences can redefine battle and discover a more evolved way to settle disputes or win over each other.
Originally conceptualized as a state-level debate championship in English for school students aged 12 to 16 in Karnataka, Verbattle has been evolving into a larger platform ever since. This evolution has been a natural process driven by inputs from people who believed in its potential, participant responses, and the results of the event itself.
It was both surprising and exhilarating to see children displaying exceptional acumen in recollecting facts, presenting sensible arguments, and expressing ideas and opinions that were unexpected for their age group. Verbattle could not remain just a debate competition; it had to grow into a bigger space with a broader role.
The format itself is unique because the entire competition starts with the premise of leadership. Students are invited to participate and discover their potential to become leaders. Leadership potential exists in every individual; it only requires the right opportunity to be identified and nurtured.
After selecting participating teams at the school level, the zonal level becomes a process to identify teams based on language and thinking abilities, mannerisms, and voice. Additionally, the team of two is evaluated to ensure both members are capable of understanding all sides of an issue and, most importantly, both sides of an argument.
The subsequent stages leading to the finals aim to identify the top three teams that can debate, deliberate, and discuss any subject with the necessary alacrity and wisdom. These teams are expected to be equipped with information, skills, and the means to perform effectively in the finals.
The best team reaching the finals is believed to possess the qualities, talents, skills, and diverse knowledge essential to argue independently for an extended period under tough scrutiny by opponents, mentors, judges, and the audience. Over eight Verbattle events, the effectiveness and validity of this method have been proven and established. Verbattle’s aim to discover and showcase children’s ability to demonstrate human competence has been uncompromisingly achieved.
