Question 1: Can you briefly describe yourself?
Answer: Greetings! My name is Shivam, and I am a student at Motilal Nehru College. In addition, I am a student at The Institute of Company Secretaries of India. I am an avid debater who has participated in national debates. I am also active in APDs that are prevalent at Delhi University. I have interned at organisations like The Economic Times, the BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Delhi University among others. Furthermore, I am a strong promoter of gender rights and equality because I have a younger sister and I want to make the world a better place for her. That is why I've also been working with my college's Women Development Cell.
Question 2: How will you set out your experience of meeting with the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India?
Answer: During my VCIS internship at DU, a few top interns were selected to meet with the Prime Minister of India as a part of the Delhi University's Centenary Celebrations.
As a result of the Hon’ble PM’s security protocols, we had no idea this would happen. When we were taken for an RT-PCR test, the day before, we only speculated that we might have the opportunity to meet with the Indian Prime Minister. We were under strict instructions not to disclose anything regarding the test to anyone and to be present at the VC office at 7 AM, the next day.
The next day, it was a struggle to contain our excitement upon witnessing his magnificent presence.
We actively and enthusiastically engaged with the PM. The PM's humility was the nicest part of this. We were all fully engaged in a discussion regarding student life, New Education Policy, College life and many other interesting topics. In addition, he was overjoyed to engage with youngsters and discuss their perspectives. The PM also suggested us to maintain a healthy sleep schedule. Sitting next to the PM was truly a memorable experience.
Question 3: As you are actively engaged in speaking up on social issues, can you tell us about your experiences while working on these initiatives?
Answer: Even before I attended college, I had decided to join two societies: the Placement Cell and the Women's Development Cell. I joined WDC, and it was there that I discovered what Feminism really meant. We organised many varied activities ranging from arranging rallies to arranging speaking sessions at the college.
One of my personal favourite memories: Defying stereotypes by hosting sessions on breast cancer, cervical cancer, and menstruation (against some active criticism from some stakeholders). In my final year, I am the general secretary of WDC and the only elected male representative of the ICC (Internal Complaints Committee) of my college.
I also had the opportunity to meet with Mrs Swati Maliwal, the Chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women at the CPL Policy Conclave 2023. During that session, among many, opinions on same-sex marriage, gender-related technology etc. were discussed. My conversation with Mrs. Maliwal revolved around discussing how can we make the college campuses of India safer. It was truly insightful to have interacted with her.
Question 4: How do you stay motivated and maintain a high level of performance always?
Answer: If you’re not from a top tier-1 institution, have you felt that crippling feeling of not having that ‘brand name?’ During my first year of college, I suffered from that same feeling of inadequacy. But then I decided that I will not let the college brand name or this society define me, and I will do my own thing. You will all be given opportunities at some point. Simply go with the flow because, at the end of the day, what matters is doing good things and giving your best.
Question 5: How do you balance your interests and hobbies along with academic responsibilities?
Answer: In my college life, I have to strike a balance between three things: CS, College Academics and Co-curricular (Debating + WDC + Internships). Managing and juggling between these activities surely posed a challenge especially because debating is a really time-consuming activity. However, it also forced me to learn time management and prioritisation. I leverage the fact that a good chunk of the Commerce degree’s syllabus coincided with my Company Secretary course. I am quite strict with my CS study plan since I don't want to disrupt the consistency. I had to learn to say ‘no’ to opportunities that did not coincide with my goals. Furthermore, between urgent and important, I have learnt to prioritise the important.
Question 6: Can you share your journey of becoming a National Level debater and any significant milestones along with it?
Answer: There is a backstory to this; when I was in sixth grade, I had a friend who was a fantastic speaker and I was a terrible speaker; at the time, he participated in one of the inter-college Hindi extempore competitions, but for some reason he couldn't go, so I had to go in his place. I did not win it, in fact, I performed badly. So, I worked hard to enhance my speaking skills, and it was a long and painful process. My friends were vital in this because they encouraged me to speak out no matter what. You will feel more confident if you surround yourself with individuals who encourage you. I competed in the zonal round and eventually won. In addition, the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) organised 'the 21st All India Debate Competition 2022'. Among several students, I managed to pass three rounds: Zonal, Delhi, and North Indian round. I participated in the final national round held in Kolkata but did not win. However, I believe that losing a competition is also important because it tells a person to keep practising regardless of how skilled they are. There’s no point in stopping.
Question 7: Can you describe a difficult debate round you experienced and how you manage to navigate through it|?
Answer: Debates are challenging most of the time. At times you get a topic that you don't believe in and you have to convince other people about a thing you yourself don't believe in. Also, you are facing a person who is almost equally smart and trying to convince them otherwise. One of the peculiar debates that put me in a difficult position was in regard to ‘proving that Western feminism has done more harm than good to Indian society.’ Being a feminist myself, it was so tricky to speak against feminism. However, on sheer principles and logic proving how Indian society was different from the West, my team won the debate. When my college started, I got introduced to Asian Parliamentary Debates, which is a prevalent form of debating at DU. Before that, I was only familiar with conventional debating. Only one month after joining the society, I was obligated to participate in the APD debate with other students. Debates need a high level of concentration; we did our best but only won one of five debates during my first tournament. The purpose of making us participate in the discussion is to get us used to it and to observe how losing feels at first. That's where I learned that whatever you're doing, don't expect to always win; instead, give your all and leave the rest to God. Because, in the end, it is never a loss, because even losing teaches you a lot.
Question 8: What according to you are the skills and qualities essential for a successful debater at the National level?
Answer: There is no such skill needed in this. The people who debate on a national level are so diverse. One is from Ashoka University, another is from DTU, one is doing engineering, and another is interested in humanities. However, I would say the one thing that is significant in debating is reading. When we went to Kolkata for debating at the national round, half of our conversation was in and around books we have read, news, and famous people we follow. Never in your life detach yourself from reading.
Question 9: What is your particular goal and where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Answer: My current goal is to get through my CS exams in December. After passing the exam, I will begin a 21-month internship, at the end of which I will evaluate my position. If I require an MBA, I will pursue it; otherwise, I will continue with my work. I'll just do my best and see where it takes me. I generally believe in going with the flow, but preparing is also essential. In my case, I only plan for the short term and avoid overthinking about the future because the process itself is dynamic. At the same time, it is important to always be clear about the direction that you want to move in, while also staying flexible.
Question 10: What tips will you give to people who get demotivated easily and are not able to attain their goals?
Answer: According to me, just think of the next logical step to take to get back on track, even if it's just picking and opening the book. In my opinion, just make an effort and do your best. You will eventually get back on track because you came into this world to make a difference. Also, people are upset because they did not get into their desired college, but this does not define them. I agree that people in tier-1 colleges get greater opportunities. But if you’re not in them, that’s all the more reason for you to make some extra effort, and challenge the world. Simply do your best, things will eventually fall into place.
HIGHLIGHTS-
●He is a National Level Debater, actively participates in APDs, and cleared three rounds at the '21st All India Debate Competition 2022.'
●He was one of the very few students in a VCIS internship who were selected to meet with the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India.
●He is a social activist and a strong promoter of Gender Right Equality and defied the stereotypes by hosting sessions on breast cancer, cervical cancer, and menstruation.
●Met with Mrs Swati Maliwal, the Chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women and discussed how can the college campuses of India become safer.
●He believes that we should never disconnect ourselves from reading because reading is a prominent part of our life.
●He believes you will all be given opportunities at some point. Simply go with the flow because, at the end of the day, what matters is doing good things and how well you do them.
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