Ahmedabad Student's Double Achievement

Ideas on economics, religion, education, and more, as advocated by world leaders Mahatma Gandhi and Swami Vivekananda, were explored in relevance to the contemporary times by Mana Shah, a student of Integrated Master of Science (Class of 2026), during the recently held intercollege competitions. 

Mana Shah's double achievement includes winning first place at the elocution competition held at GLS University, competing alongside 28 colleges. Her speech explored Vivekananda's approach to education based on inquiry, practice, and critical thinking, and education as a tool to foster brotherhood while valuing individuality simultaneously. 

Mana also secured the first runner-up position at the Times of India Public Speaking Contest regional round at the Ahmedabad Management Association. She was amongst the 20 chosen speakers from 100 participants. Her 3-minute speech explored Gandhian philosophy's relevance in contemporary times. 

She mentioned how courses such as 'Locating Globalisation' with Professor Maya Ratnam and 'Family, Community, and Nation' with Professor Mary Ann Chacko from the School of Arts and Sciences helped her frame arguments during the contest. "The liberty to curate our learning paths, allowing us to explore multiple disciplines, and the faculty has helped broaden my perspective and frame arguments for the topics. The contests proved to be an enriching experience," said Mana.