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Two tracks. One world-class experience. Competitive or non-competitive, you choose.
April 3-5, 2026 | American School of Bombay, BKC | Grades 5-6 (MS Rising Stars), 7-8 (MS Varsity), 9-12 (HS)
"US Debate truly changed my life.
Seven years ago, I brought that same opportunity to India, not just for confident speakers, but for quiet thinkers who never imagined themselves as debaters.
Research confirms that US evidence-based debate uniquely develops critical thinking, research, and communication skills, all at once.
Winning happens over time. The real victory is who each child becomes along the way."
Bringing together South Asia's #1 debate organization with Harvard's century-old tradition of intellectual excellence
Speech Debate India is South Asia’s unmatched #1 organization in global research-based debate tournaments. Led by 2x US State Debate Champion and Stanford University alumnus. With SDI’s pedagogy, 200+ unique students have won international awards.
Harvard Debate Council is a student organization of Harvard College. Founded in 1892, HDC represents over a century of intellectual excellence at the highest academic level. Globally recognized for shaping elite debaters and thinkers.
Registration is more than the tournament entry. It's a complete preparation pathway designed to set students up for long-term growth.
Weekly online US debate format and topic prep sessions leading up to the tournament. The earlier you register, the earlier you can start preparing!
We'll provide a starter pack of materials to help reinforce format rules and speaking order, along with sample cases and topic evidence!
April 3, attend our special, live in-person debate prep and topic sessions with Mr. Kacholia and student interns, enjoy fun debate games, and join future leaders across India and beyond!
The SDI HDC Championship Series consists of multiple Championship events leading to the SDI HDC Championship Finals. Each event is independently designed to be rewarding for student intellectual growth.
This is not a one-off event. This is a season-long intellectual pathway.
Ready to reserve your spot?
Register NowOur country has no shortage of 'elocution' opportunities. What's missing is a global standards championship pathway in research-based debate.
| THIS IS NOT | THIS IS |
|---|---|
| Opinion-Based | Evidence-Based |
| Impromptu Speaking | Comprehensive Research |
| MUN / Parliamentary | US Research-Based Debate |
| Performance Focused | Academic Depth & Structured Reasoning |
| One-Sided Advocacy | Debating BOTH Sides |
You prepare BOTH SIDES of every issue. That develops balanced perspective.
US Research-Based Debate is the most widely adopted high school debate format in the United States, built around research, evidence comparison, and structured rebuttal.
Want the full prep pathway + tournament experience?
Register NowAn hour to learn. Years to refine. A lifetime to apply leadership skills.
PRO SIDE
2 STUDENTS
CON SIDE
2 STUDENTS
US Research-Based Debate topics go far beyond “politics”: students learn to think across economics, business, technology, and global strategy.
Students prepare BOTH sides of every issue, and either side can go first, a level playing field that builds genuine critical thinking.
US Research-Based Debate builds durable skills in research, evidence comparison, and structured rebuttal. Over time, those habits translate into clearer thinking and more persuasive communication.
Research demonstrates there is no other academic activity that stimulates a child's development across so many core intellectual and life skills simultaneously.
Evaluating sources, identifying bias, constructing evidence-based arguments. Students learn to distinguish credible research from misinformation.
Building logical frameworks, anticipating counterarguments, strategic weighing. The discipline of structured thinking becomes second nature.
Clear articulation, time management, responsive engagement. Students develop confidence not through performance tricks, but through intellectual mastery.
Arguing both sides develops perspective-taking and balanced judgment. You cannot truly understand an issue until you can defend the opposing view.
Not as performance exercises, but as byproducts of genuine intellectual depth. True confidence comes from knowing you've done the research.
Top universities prioritize research literacy, critical thinking, structured reasoning, and confident self-expression, exactly what this format develops.
Five Pillars of Structured Cognitive Leadership
Students in Grades 5-12, divided into three divisions: Grade 5-6 (MS Rising Stars), 7-8 (MS Varsity), and 9-12 (HS). Students compete within their division. Students from across India and international locations are eligible to participate. Teams may be from different schools and cities. SDI teammates very often work across local schools, other cities, and countries, building connections with students nationally and abroad that extend well beyond the tournament.
No experience needed, and you don't have to compete. We offer two tracks for the April 4-5 tournament days:
Growth Track (FC Live): Students participate in structured debate rounds and receive group coaching debriefs with Mr. Kacholia. No wins or losses. The focus is on applying skills, gaining real experience, and growing at your own pace.
Championship Track (GC Live): Competitive divisions with rankings.
Both tracks include the complete experience: online prep sessions, materials, the April 3 Workshop Day, April 4-5 rounds, judge feedback, and an official SDI × HDC certificate.
Workshop learning and tournament experience build on each other. Skills taught in the Workshop gain depth through application in real rounds, and the experience of debating sharpens what students take away from future classes and workshops. Each reinforces the other. The Growth Track gives your child this complete learning cycle in a supportive, non-competitive, long-term environment.
Absolutely. US Research-Based Debate is not about being loud, it is about being clear. Introverts over a longer period of time often develop into some of the strongest evidence-based debaters at a national and global level. Many of our most successful debaters have been highly introverted and found power in prepared argumentation rather than other formats that often reward impromptu styles.
The structure of US Research-Based Debate supports thoughtful students. Research and evidence matter more than charisma. US Research-Based Debate focuses on making you sharper, not louder. If your child prefers a non-competitive setting, our Growth Track offers structured rounds with group coaching debriefs with Mr. Kacholia but no wins or losses, designed for exactly this kind of student.
Yes. You may register individually and form a partnership later with another student seeking a partner in your eligible division. Our SDI mentorship interns will also help facilitate finding a partner.
The Championship is a two-day tournament (April 4-5). For preparation: weekly online sessions of 1-2 hours starting in March (attend the ones you can), plus optional self-directed research materials at your own pace, from 0-2 hours a week for students who want to go deeper. We know many students have busy schedules, which is exactly why we've built the SDI Workshop day (April 3), designed to take students from zero to debate-ready in a single day.
The Registration Form does not require payment details. Fees for priority and late tiers, plus GST, are listed in the registration section below, and next steps will be confirmed by email after you submit the form. Completing payment to reserve a spot covers all tournament and preparation components: March online prep sessions, research materials, an evidence starter pack and sample cases, the April 3 SDI Workshop, Zero to Ready, at the American School of Bombay, the April 4-5 Speech Debate India × Harvard Debate Council Championship Series at the American School of Bombay, judge feedback and ballots, and an official Speech Debate India x Harvard Debate Council certificate for the event.
