The Yale Hindi Debate

THE YALE HINDI DEBATE

Born as a student’s idea in a Yale classroom, the Yale Hindi Debate has grown exponentially, from an ambitious venture to an intellectual, cultural, and social institution. 
The debate was established as a Yale-only event in 2008, and now sees participation from faculty and students from USA’s preeminent schools, including Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, the University of Pennsylvania, NYU, Cornell, UCLA, Wesleyan, Rutgers, the University of Texas at Austin, and Wellesley College.

2022 Yale Hindi Debate National Round Results

April 20, 2022  /  YHD President

Congratulations to the winners of the 2022 Yale Hindi Debate, which took place on Friday, April 15, 2021. After a year of virtual speaking, the debate returned to an in-person format on Yale’s campus. Speakers from seven universities around the country debated the resolution, “Rather than space, we should remain on earth // अंतरिक्ष के बजाय हमें धरती पर रहना चाहिए.” A total of 14 speakers participated in the national debate, with eleven speaking for the motion and three against. Students spoke in one of three categories: Non-Native, Non-Heritage Undergraduate; Non-Native, Heritage Undergraduate; Native Undergraduate. The winners were as follows:

Non-Native, Non-Heritage Undergraduate

Best speaker: Sophie Bhurtel, Yale University

Second-best speaker: Taryn Riddle, Harvard University

Non-Native, Heritage Undergraduate

Best speaker: Dishti Gopalani, Vassar College; Saisha Malhotra, New York University (tie)

Second-best speaker: Aarya Kaushik, Harvard University; Daevan Mangalmurti, Yale University (tie)

Native Undergraduate

Best speaker: Gayatri Sharma, Columbia University

Second-best speaker: Muskaan Thackeray, New York University

The institutions that participated in this year’s competition were Columbia University, Harvard University, New York University, The University of Texas at Austin, Vassar College, Wake Forest University, and Yale University.


2022 Yale Hindi Debate Preliminary Round Results

April 20, 2022  /  YHD President

We are delighted to announce that after an evening of stimulating debate, the Preliminary 2022 Yale Hindi Debate selected three students to represent Yale University at the National Round. The Best Speakers were as follows:

Native Category:

  1. (Qualified for National Round) Best Speaker: Devina Aggarwal

  2. Second-Best Speaker: Yash Bhansali, Bilal Moin (tie)

Non-Native Heritage Category:

  1. (Qualified for National Round) Best Speaker: Daevan Mangalmurti

  2. Second-Best Speaker: Kavya Jain

Non-Native Non-Heritage Category

  1. (Qualified for National Round) Best Speaker: Sophie Bhurtel

  2. Second-Best Speaker: Daniel Bacheschi

2021 Yale Hindi Debate: National Round Winners

February 07, 2022  /  YHD President

Congratulations to the winners of the 2021-22 Yale Hindi Debate, which took place on Friday, April 9, 2021. For the first time in its history, the debate took place virtually as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Speakers from seven universities around the world debated the resolution, “Resolved: Restrictions on free speech are justified to stop the spread of disinformation.” (झूठी ख़बरों और अफ़वाहों के प्रसार की रोकथाम के लिए अभिव्यक्ति की स्वतंत्रता पर प्रतिबन्ध उचित है.) A total of 15 speakers participated in the national debate, with seven speaking against the motion and eight in favor. Students spoke in one of four categories: Non-Native, Non-Heritage Undergraduate; Non-Native, Heritage Undergraduate; Non-Native, Non-Heritage Graduate; Native Undergraduate. The winners were as follows:

Non-Native, Non-Heritage Undergraduate

Best speaker: Sydney Pritchard, University of Kansas

Second-best speaker: Daniel Bacheschi, Yale University

Non-Native, Heritage Undergraduate

Best speaker: Sagar Pathani, New York University

Second-best speaker: Kirin Mueller, Yale University

Non-Native, Non-Heritage Graduate

Best speaker: Alexander Williams, Yale University

Second-best speaker: Lynn Bernabei, University of Pennsylvania

Native Undergraduate

Best speaker: Yash Bhansali, Yale University

The universities that participated in this year’s competition were Yale, NYU, UNC Charlotte, UT Austin, KU, The Lauder Institute (UPenn), and Dublin City University.

Congratulations to the 2021 Preliminary Yale Hindi Debate Winners!

April 01, 2021  /  YHD President

We are pleased to announce that after an afternoon of riveting debate, the Preliminary 2021 Yale Hindi Debate has selected three students to represent Yale University at the National Round. The Best Speakers were as follows:

Native Category:

  1. (Qualified for National Round) Best Speaker: Yash Bhansali

  2. Second-Best Speaker: Bilal Moin

Non-Native Heritage Category:

  1. (Qualified for National Round) Best Speaker: Ishan Negi

  2. Second-Best Speaker: Kirin Mueller

  3. Third-Best Speaker: Daevan Mangalmurti

Non-Native Non-Heritage, Heritage Graduate Category

  1. (Qualified for National Round) Best Speaker: Alexander Williams

  2. Second-Best Speaker: Aditya Kumar

Best Interjector: Anne Northrup

Topic For 2021 Yale Hindi Debate

February 26, 2021  /  YHD President

The topic for this year’s Yale Hindi Debate has been determined!

“ Restrictions on free speech are justified to prevent the spread of disinformation. ”

“झूठी ख़बरों और अफ़वाहों के प्रसार की रोकथाम के लिये  अभिव्यक्ति की स्वत्रंतता पर प्रतिबंध होना चाहिये ” 

Introducing the 2021 Yale Hindi Debate Organizing Committee

February 26, 2021  /  YHD President

Bacheschi_Daniel 2.jpg

Daniel Bacheschi

As a third-year Electrical Engineering and Hindi student, Daniel Bacheschi is the 2020-2021 Yale Hindi Debate Co-President. Having spent some time in Chennai, India, then Jaipur, India, Daniel has developed a strong connecting with South Asian culture, and enjoys watching Bollywood films, dancing, and reading about South Asian politics.

YHD National Round Awards - 2018

January 30, 2019  /  YHD President

Awards

Best Speaker (Native) | Neil Shah, Rutgers

Second Best Speaker (Native) | Naima Gupta, Yale

Best Speaker (Heritage) | Srishti Sharma, University of Kansas

Second Best Speaker (Heritage) | Bibek Basnet, Yale

Best Speaker (Non-Heritage) | Henry Robinson, Yale

Second Best Speaker (Non-Heritage) | Marie Hornung, University of Kansas

Best Interjector | Raj Ramnani, Yale

YHD Prelim Round Awards - 2018

January 30, 2019  /  YHD President

Awards

Krish Desai, Best Speaker (Native)

Naima Gupta, Best Speaker (Native)

Yashu Jindal, Second Best Speaker (Native)

Bibek Basnet, Best Speaker (Heritage)

Ishaan Srivastava, Second Best Speaker (Heritage)

Henry Robinson, Best Speaker (Non-Heritage)

Daniel Bacheschi, Second Best Speaker (Non-Heritage)

Krish Desai, Best Interjector

10

May 16, 2017  /  YHD President

Our Judges: Shikhar Singh (Yale), Dr. Shaheen Parveen (Rutgers), Patrica Sabarwal (University of Kansas), Gyanam Mahajan (UCLA), Anand Dwivedi (UPenn) - in order from left to right

Our Judges: Shikhar Singh (Yale), Dr. Shaheen Parveen (Rutgers), Patrica Sabarwal (University of Kansas), Gyanam Mahajan (UCLA), Anand Dwivedi (UPenn) - in order from left to right

Sanat Khurana (left), Seema Khurana (center), Ipsitaa Khullar (right)

Sanat Khurana (left), Seema Khurana (center), Ipsitaa Khullar (right)

Swapna Sharma, Senior Lector (left); Seema Khurana, Senior Lector (center); Reeta Devi - Fulbright FLTA (right)

Swapna Sharma, Senior Lector (left); Seema Khurana, Senior Lector (center); Reeta Devi - Fulbright FLTA (right)

Our speakers

 

Best Speaker (Native) | Ayushi Chamaria, NYU
Second Best Speaker (Native) | Saira Arshad, Rutgers
Best Speaker (Heritage) | Shukan Patel, UCLA
Second Best Speaker (Heritage) | Shubhangi Shekhar, NYU
Best Speaker (Graduate) | McCaulay Singer-Milnes, Columbia
Second Best Speaker (Graduate) | Phillip Sergio, Harvard
Best Speaker (Non-Heritage) | Daniel Lee Theisen, University of Kansas
Second Best Speaker (Non-Heritage) | Jessica Standifer, UCLA
Best Interjector | Arjun Prakash, Yale

 

Thank you, everyone, for a wonderful YHD 2017!
See you next year!