New Delhi, 30th June 2025: The Speakers United (TSU), a leading debate education organization focused on quality argumentation and independent thinking, has concluded the fifth edition of The Big Experience, its annual summer debating program, with 80 student participants from across India—the largest cohort in the program’s history. Held over two weeks in Gurgaon, the camp brought together students from Grade 6 through Grade 12 from Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Jaipur to debate, research, and argue without any AI assistance.
The program ran in four groups of approximately 20 students each and covered public policy, international relations, philosophy, history, and active citizenship. All sessions were held in a gadget-free environment, a deliberate choice by TSU that has become increasingly significant each year as AI tools become more integrated into how students prepare for debate.
Founded in 2009 by former Google, IBM and LinkedIn executive Priyanka Kapuria, TSU has spent over fifteen years developing communication and critical thinking programs for young people across India. The Big Experience, now in its fifth year, is the organization’s most intensive offering, designed for students eager to go beyond surface-level debate preparation and develop the ability to think, argue, and engage independently.
“Debate education has always been about teaching students to construct an argument, not just consume one. What we are seeing now is a generation with unprecedented access to information and a declining ability to do anything original with it. The Big Experience exists to reverse that, one student at a time,” said Priyanka Kapuria, Founder of The Speakers United.
Facilitators observed consistent and measurable progress across all four groups. Students who struggled to sustain an independent argument beyond thirty seconds on Day 1 were constructing and delivering structured four-minute speeches by Day 2. By the program’s end, participants showcased stronger independent research habits, sharper rebuttal skills, and greater confidence engaging with complex issues without external help.
TSU also noted a broader shift in intellectual attitude across groups. Students became more willing to question assumptions, seriously consider opposing viewpoints, and take ownership of their arguments instead of outsourcing their thinking.
Parent feedback collected after the program reflected the same trend. Responses described children returning more confident, articulate, and eager to participate in reasoned discussions. One parent even reported being out-argued at home twice within hours of their child returning from camp.
Now in its fifth consecutive year, The Big Experience has established itself as one of India’s most rigorous non-competitive debate programs for school students. Registrations for the 2026 edition open in March.
About The Speakers United
Founded in 2009 by Priyanka Kapuria, The Speakers United is a Delhi NCR-based organization focused on building communication and life skills in young people. With over fifteen years of programs across debate, public speaking, and critical thinking, TSU works with students to develop skills that extend well beyond the classroom.
