Doha, Qatar: Birla Public School (BPS) emerged as the overall champion in the schools category at the Qatar Debate Open (British Parliamentary format) 2026–27, hosted by Qatar Debate at Georgetown University in Qatar on October 2 and 3, 2026.
The two-day championship brought together 84 teams from Indian and international schools across the globe, providing a competitive platform for young debaters to engage in rigorous argumentation and critical discourse. The participating teams competed through four qualifying league rounds, following which the top-performing teams advanced to the knockout stages.
Birla Public School fielded three teams in the competition: Team 1, comprising Ananya Roseleen Mathias (Grade XII) and Arnav Suhag (Grade X); Team 2, comprising Ryan Geo (Grade X) and Mohammed Zidane (Grade X); and Team 3, comprising Ayaan Noushad (Grade X) and Hiteshnath Suresh (Grade X).
All six debaters delivered strong performances throughout the preliminary league rounds, with the three teams securing 10, 8, and 6 points, respectively.
Two teams from BPS progressed through the quarterfinal and semifinal stages to reach the Grand Final. Following a closely contested final debate, Team 1 secured the Championship title in the Schools Category, marking a significant achievement for the school on the international debating circuit.
The BPS debaters also earned notable individual accolades. Ananya Roseleen Mathias of Grade XII was adjudged as the Best Speaker in the League, while Arnav Suhag of Grade X was awarded Third Best Speaker in the League and the Best Speaker in the Grand Final.
The awards were presented during the closing ceremony by Communication Coordinator at Qatar Foundation Khalid Al Ali Rahim, and Senior Advisor to the Dean at Georgetown University in Qatar Dr. Christine Schiwietz.
