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NUS’s very own: the Best Debater in Asia |
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By Kenneth Kang
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Nov. 16 2011 |
The awkward, prolonged silence at the start of every tutorial discussion is something that many students at the National University of Singapore will not find unfamiliar. It is thus difficult for many to believe that NUS is the debating champion of Asia.
“Seriously? Cannot be. NUS students even have trouble speaking up in class, how to win debate competitions?” Miq Nesta, a final-year political science major said.
But it is true: not only is NUS the reigning regional debating champion, it is also home to the best debater in Asia.
Imran Rahim, a third year Law student, accomplished the unexpected in the Asian debating circuit: winning and ranking best speaker at the Asian British Parliamentary Debating Championship and the United Asians Debating Championships, the two most important debating tournaments in the region.
He out-talked over 300 other debaters from some of the best universities in Asia including University of the Philippines, University of Tokyo and Hong Kong University.
Not satisfied with conquering Asia, Imran and his teammate Robin Teo took on powerhouses like Yale, Oxford and Cambridge at the World Universities Debating Championships – the debating equivalent of the World Cup. They were the best performing Asian team, finishing as quarterfinalists and ranking among the top 30 debaters at the prestigious international tournament.
For Imran, it is not just about taking on the world and bringing glory to NUS. Despite the busy tournament schedule and the heavy workload he faces in law school, Imran still finds the time to share his skills with the next generation of NUS debaters.
“He really cares about the juniors and makes the effort to impart all that he knows without reserve,” Danielle Goh, president of the NUS Debate Club said. She added that Imran, as the club’s head of training, spends hours on weekends leading training sessions and personally coaching juniors new to debating.
His enthusiasm for grooming these future talents stems from his humble roots.
Hardly the trail-blazing superstar of the local debate circuit, Imran started debating a lot later than his peers. He even contemplated quitting debates in junior college after failing to make the cut for the team several times.
“Once you are not doing well, you start questioning whether it is worth your time and whether it is worth the effort,” he said.
But it was his excitement over geopolitics, which he read about during his National Service days that got him thinking about competing at the international stage.
“I got motivated to try debating again in university,” Imran said.
He excelled.
Now, Imran has cast his sights on a bigger prize – the world championships.
“We want to win at the Worlds. No doubt it’s going to be difficult, but I think it’s a realistic aim,” he said.
He related that the preparation for the tournament is the biggest obstacle to success at the world championship, as teams only get fifteen to thirty minutes to prepare.
“You really have to read widely to make sure you are well informed before you can even think about doing well in a debate. It’s tough – you’ve got to have the discipline to balance both school work and debates,” he said.
How does he manage then?
“It’s all about finding the motivation. I really enjoy what I do, both in law school and in debates,” Imran says.
And when asked when it would be NUS’s turn to win the World University Debating Championships, he replied, without hesitation, “The next one.”
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