I REST MY CASE, YOUR HONOR. 🗿⚖️
August 10th, 2026. On the Amarjyoti Saraswati International School campus, the ASISC Fr. George Hess Memorial Literary Competitions took place. I partook in the Debate competition. 2 schools, 2 people per team,and 2 judges. I walked into the room, confident as ever. A pep in my step if you must. All my confidence vanished as my heart dropped when I heard the topic for the debate.
Human rights over Economic growth.
That was the topic. The whole topic wasn't even a proper sentence... We were allowed the option to either prepare in the hall where we would be speaking or to prepare in the library. When someone says library, what comes to mind? Probably a cold, well lit, room, with a comfy sofa, and racks and racks of books, arranged systematically by the dewey decimal system? Well that was also my interpretation of the word library. That all changed when I came to my current school ASIS. Our library is equipped with a "state of the art" air conditioning system. Mother nature + A couple of ceiling fans here and there. The library also includes "adequate lighting" and the "largest and most extensive collection of books". It contains 3 main types of book.
- Reference books / Academic books
- Children's story books
- Worn down encyclopedias
We were allowed to use any books in the library to our advantage. Though that would be a massive waste of time, effort, and mental capacity because you wouldn't find anything. 3 of my fellow competitors and I had to sit in the library which was heated to a toasty 38°C and had a musty smell of mold... After what felt like 10 minutes but turned out to be 45, the time had come. The time in which apparently "Words speak louder and more boldly than silence". My partner, Hriday went first (he was for the motion). Hriday spoke nicely, in fact he spoke so well, that I truly believed that he would win the best speaker for the motion.
Then came my turn. Vihaan Vaghela (against the motion, supporting the fact that economic growth was more important and should be prioritized over human rights). I walked out to the dais/podium with my notes. My teacher, gave me a quick, microlecture about the rudimentary rules and what we were and were not allowed to do and apparently we were not allowed to take any prepared materials to the dais (though in the rules and regulations, it specifically stated that we were allowed to take a set of cue cards with notes written on them). I spoke for a measly one and a half minutes before I blanked completely. I paused. Then my teacher told me something encouraging which I currently fail to recall, but it was along the lines of, ‘Relax. Chill'. Then one of the judges, told me that I was doing well, though I did not formulate my speech past the 1st example due to a lack of time and a lack of in-depth knowledge on debates on philosophical economics having practiced on the topics of education, technology, and international problems.
I had to abruptly end my speech, even after receiving encouraging words from my teacher.
That is all, I must conclude here.
Then I proceeded to walk off stage, while the audience was clapping loudly, though I believed that it was purely out of sympathy and because they were my friends,
2 hours pass, me and my fellow competitors and schoolmates are sitting in the communal hall, when all of a sudden, our principal starts announcing the results for all the literary competitions.
I sit back thinking that I didn't get any position, but to my great surprise, "Best team: Vihaan Vaghela and Hriday!" In this moment my reaction can be best depicted by this emoji: 😑 followed by the reaction of: "What the absolute hell."
I unfortunately had to go to the front of the hall. I didn't want to. I didn't deserve it. My speech was not close to anything that I would even consider giving 3/10 to.
I went up to the front of the room. Took a expressionless photo and stood to the side.
"The best speaker against the motion goes to: Vihaan Vaghela!" Again in this moment my reaction can be best depicted by a combination of these 2 emojis: 😒 + 😑. Followed by the reaction of: "Screw this shit. I'm done."
Again, I don't know what the judges saw in me, or what they considered even giving any points to but once again, Hriday and I won. Now we have to go to Ahmedabad on the 20ᵗʰ of August to now compete in the regional round of the ASISC Fr. George Hess Memorial debate competition.
Your honor. I rest my case 🗿⚖️
-Vihaan Vaghela