CHENNAI: More than 96 students representing various institutions in Chennai participated in the Comparative U.S.-India Constitutional Law Debate conducted at the Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University (TNDALU) in Chennai on August 19. Organized by the U.S. Consulate General in Chennai and Loyola College, in association with the TNDALU, the debate aims to foster a greater respect and understanding for the constitutional values shared by the world’s oldest and largest democracies.
The four top debaters picked from the Chennai contest will compete against their peers from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala in the final debate round in Chennai, September 14.
Selected students from the Chennai event:
- Pranov Suresh, Loyola College
- Anita Elizabeth Jose, Women’s Christian College
- Kailash Gowthaman, Loyola College
- Pavithra Sundararajan, School of Excellence in Law, Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Law University
The judging panel for the contest comprised Sara Greengrass, Political Officer, U.S. Consulate General in Chennai; Dr. Arun Thiruvengadam, Professor, School of Policy and Governance, Azim Premji University; and Lakshmi Narayanan, Attorney, High Court of Madras.
Sara Greengrass said, “The healthy exchange of ideas is a longstanding tradition in both the United States and India, and these student debates are a reflection of our shared commitment to democracy and rule of law. It was fantastic to see the energy and excitement the competitors put into their preparation, a true demonstration of their understanding of our constitutions and free expression.”
The winner of the final round in Chennai will receive a MacbookPro as the first prize and subscriptions to prominent resource databases about law and a trophy. All the participants will receive certificates.
