Galgotias Students Rahat Shuja, Khushi Kumari Win National Debate At IIT Roorkee Fest
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Two students from Galgotias University have won the top prize at a national debate competition held during Cognizance 2026.
Rahat Shuja, a third-year B.Tech student, and Khushi Kumari, a first-year MCA student, were declared winners of the Verdict National Debate Competition at Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee. They competed against teams from universities across the country.
For Rahat, just being at the event was a big moment. “Attending Cognizance itself was an opportunity. The support from faculty and the chance to take part in different activities made a difference. Winning feels like an outcome of that exposure. It still feels a bit unreal,” he said.
Khushi said the experience pushed them to stay sharp through every round. “We wanted to compete at the highest level and present our arguments clearly. Debate is not just about logic, it also needs composure. We stayed focused and worked as a team. Winning this for the university means a lot,” she said.
Their win comes at a time when colleges are trying to push students beyond classroom learning. Skills like clear thinking, communication and the ability to handle pressure are now seen as just as important as academic scores.
At Galgotias, students are encouraged to take part in debates, competitions and other forums alongside their coursework. The idea is to help them build confidence and learn to handle real-world situations.
The win at IIT Roorkee reflects that approach. For both students, it was less about a single competition and more about the journey that got them there.
