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Three world-class events.
Two tracks, you choose.
Most students start as beginners.
Grades 4-5 (ES), 6-8 (MS), 9-12 (HS)
June 5-7, 2026 | Pathways School, Gurgaon / Delhi
June 12-14, 2026 | Indus International School, Bangalore
June 19-21, 2026 | American School of Bombay, Mumbai
June 5-7 Delhi | June 12-14 Bangalore | June 19-21 Mumbai
Build national rankings - join 1, 2, or 3.
"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.
SDI x HDC Championship Series, Mumbai, April 2026
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!
Day 1, attend our special, live in-person debate prep and topic sessions with Mr. Kacholia, enjoy fun debate games, and engage in a practice debate!
The Summer Program consists of three regional events across Delhi, Bangalore, and Mumbai, with continuing pathways toward the SDI HDC Championship Finals. Each event is independently designed to be rewarding for student intellectual growth.
These are not one-off events. This is a long-term 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
Most of the students at every event have never debated competitively before. That is exactly why we built the Growth Track, for thoughtful children who want the full Championship experience without wins, losses, or eliminations. You still receive the official SDI × HDC event certificate, and your early debate experience counts toward building national-level rankings over time. Grow at a comfortable pace.
On Day 1 your child learns the format directly from Mr. Kacholia. On Days 2 and 3 they debate real rounds with debrief sessions with Mr. Kacholia, not eliminations. They receive the same materials, the same workshop, and the same feedback as Championship Track students.
Many of our strongest national-level debaters began in the Growth Track.
Register for Growth Track ›Students in Grades 4-12, divided into three divisions: Grade 4-5 (ES), 6-8 (MS), 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 can choose either a competitive or a gradual, non-competitive growth option that's great for beginners. SDI is the first in India to introduce this option leveraging years of experience through Mr. Kacholia's courses. We offer two tracks for the Day 2-3 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 Day 1 Workshop, Day 2-3 tournament 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 (Days 2-3). For preparation: weekly online sessions of 1-2 hours in the weeks leading up to each event (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 1), designed to take students from zero to debate-ready in a single day.
Registration is Rs. 16,500 + GST per event. This covers all tournament and preparation components: online prep sessions, research materials, an evidence starter pack and sample cases, the Day 1 SDI Workshop, the Day 2-3 Speech Debate India × Harvard Debate Council Championship Series, breakfast, lunch, and snacks for all three days, feedback with SDI Insights, and an official Speech Debate India × Harvard Debate Council certificate for the event. Payment can be made by UPI/GPay/bank transfer (no additional fee) or by credit card/debit card/net banking (2% convenience fee).
