Courtroom Conquest: Soumya (third from right) and friends with the Taiwan team, their opponents in the first round

After eight months of gruelling research and clearing the national selections in between, city boy Soumya Banerjee with four teammates from ILS Law College, Pune, finally achieved what every law student dreams — the chance to represent the country at the Shearman & Sterling international rounds of the annual Philip C. Jessup International Moot Court Competition at Washington DC. With partner Amit Shetye, Soumya pens an account of his US visit for Young Metro.

On March 25 when the sun dawned, it brought home the realisation that we were finally on our way to enjoy the fruits of the labour we had put in over the months. We had not slept the night before, yet the thrill of going abroad kept us on our toes when our flight AI-145 took off from Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai.

After 16 hours of utmost boredom, when we finally touched down at the New Ark Liberty Airport in New York, at 4 pm, we were awe-struck by the magnificence of a developed nation which was also the world’s biggest super power. However, our inquisitiveness had to take a backseat as we were immediately called to our connecting flight for the last phase of our journey. Another 45 minutes took us to our final destination, Washington DC, the capital of the United States.

Our team comprised Amit Shetye (oralist), Vera Ghadiyali (oralist), Soumya Banerjee (researcher), Suchindran B.N (researcher), Aniruddha Rajput (researcher).

The cold and pleasant weather in Washington DC was a welcome relief from the scorching Indian summer.

After two days of recuperation from the jet lag, on March 27 we visited the Washington Wyndham Hotel, venue for the competition and our pilgrimage for the next seven days. The orientation programme comprised 91 teams from 89 countries, including one from Afghanistan.

Our mooting rounds started with Taiwan, a team of five, but the amount of gizmos they carried gave us a feeling that we were facing a hi-tech laboratory. Lady Luck must have been with us when we won the morning round, as we just had not got into the mooting groove. However, the round was enough to shake us up and make us pull up our socks.

The next day was a real tester — Poland and Belgium. The round against Poland was a clean sweep but the afternoon session against Belgium was the most gruelling mooting round we ever faced, even though we emerged the better side.

Two consecutive rounds of almost three hours had really exhausted us. The standard of judging was rising with each round and questions were getting sharper and sharper.

The fourth round was against Michigan which was presided over by the dreaded Judge Carlson who made us feel that we were arguing the case for the first time. Lines of sweat were dripping from the sides of our faces and in the end, Michigan scraped past us. Losing this round by a narrow margin after three victories brought a disappointing end to our long journey but we all shared one thing — a smile of satisfaction, as we had given it our best shot.

In the evening, the go-national dress ball came as a refreshing change from the courtroom tension. Aspiring lawyers from 91 countries dressed in their national costumes were all out to show the world that even lawyers could shake a leg. Bringing 91 different costume from their respective countries on one carpet is something even the United Nation General Assembly cannot boast of. The ball was where the organisers revealed to us that the motto of Philip C. Jessup International Moot Court Competition was “to read, plead and interbreed”. This we did, making friends and posing for photographs with other teams from countries some of which we had not even heard of.

The competition concluded with a grand conference attended by eminent jurists.

Though the experience of visiting the holocaust museum (capturing the Nazi concentration camps at their gruesome best) and the Air & Space Museum (housing the Hubble space telescope) stand out, it was the interaction with Henry King and Benjamin B. Ferenz, World War II veterans and Nuremberg trial prosecutors, which we would cherish for a lifetime.

Martial moves

Yashvardhan Agarwal is in Class V, but he’s already a champ, as are his four team-mates. He’s got silver and gold medals under his belt, as do Nimesh Malpani, Nikhil Rathi, Sourav Biswas and Akshay Bothra. During a taekwondo trip to Delhi, to participate in an inter-school competition in the martial arts category, the Calcutta boys raked in the laurels.

But during the summer vacations, the Heritage School team doesn’t have much time to sit back and relax. Coach Mrityunjoy Roy has grand plans for the able youngsters — the world taekwondo championships in Malaysia in June, and more international contests later this year.

In Delhi, the five students who have been training under Roy for the past three to four years, entered the tools and sparring categories (the former being a demonstration of techniques and the latter involving battling it out in the ring against opponents). The contestants were divided according to age, belt and weight.

Being up against 290 of the best from 35 schools across the country was anything but easy, recalls Nikhil, a Class VII student. Yet they managed more than a medal each. Stage-shy they are not, with their last combat in the public sphere dating back to December 2003.

The competition was tough, so victory was even sweeter. “It was the first time I got a gold medal, so it was really nice,” says Yashwardhan. “My parents were very happy, and my friends have made posters applauding me.”

For now, though, they’re busy getting ready for Malaysia. They have been chosen for an international contest this month, to be held in Turkmenistan, but Roy is keen on the world championships, where he’s sure his team will come out on top. “Why not?” pipes up Nikhil.

Fifty & fine

BE College Model School, Shibpur, completed 50 years recently, with a three-day gala golden jubilee celebration. It kicked off with a colourful rally drawing more than 1,500 people, from nursery kids to ex-students, teachers past and present and guardians, marching with banners, placards and posters.

In the evening, a function by present students was organised. A tribute to Tagore, Sahaj Pather Sangey, a combination of dance and elocution, was delightful, as was the dance to the music of Pakheer Mela. This was followed by a drama, Saat Bhai Champa, based on the Bengali folk tale.

On the second day, the school flag-hoisting ceremony was held, with governor Viren J. Shah inaugurating the day’s events. Sanskrit songs and garba dances from Gujarat were the main attractions. The evening programme of songs by former student Sangeet Haldar and the performance by kathak dancer Malavika Mitra held the audience in thrall. The Calcutta Choir’s rendition of Goopi Baghar Kando, in an innovative format, was entertaining as well.

The final day began with inter-school competitions. While the BE College Model School emerged victorious in antakshari, the boys from Don Bosco, Liluah, grabbed the limelight in the dance category. At night was the grand finale with a Bharatanatyam performance and a live band.

A dance item on the theme of national integration and the recitation of Swadesh Amar moved the audience. Ex-student Mousumi Das’ Gauriya Nritya and Nachiketa’s songs brought the curtains down.

— Sayantan Bose,
Class XI, BE College Model School

Honing skills: Students of The Heritage School practise on the grounds

Chip off fun block

Bits and bytes of perfection was Syzygy, the computer club festival of La Martiniere for Boys, held earlier this month, on the school grounds. The list of participating schools included Don Bosco Park Circus (DBPC), GD Birla, Lakshmipat Singhania Academy, Mahadevi Birla Girls’, Assembly of God Church, Ashok Hall, St Xavier’s, Pratt Memorial, Queen of the Missions and Calcutta Girls.

The teams were provided tech topics in off-stage events like cartooning, desktop publishing, logistics, image manipulation, web page designing and more. A prom night was also organised at the end of the first day’s events. DJ Akbar Sami spun out trance, Indipop and western numbers, while local DJs Priyanjana and Sammy provided some more music.

After the opening ceremony, a fashion show on themes like summer, sport and spring clothing kicked off the sixth edition of the only computer club fest in the city.

Four Rounded, a medley by Sonarshi Sen, began day II. Solar Fan, Ghosh Machine, Shupa Undergarment, Pupsi and Ruliance: Kar Lo Duniya Mitti Mein, were the brands given to the teams for AD Spoof, which was deservedly won by Queen of the Missions.

For Impact (play), Do I C Wat I C, I C a PC, Abide of Perfection, I Dreamt of Syzygy and Smile — Tomorrow Will be Worse were just some of the crazy lines to be incorporated in the script. Californication and Outlandish were the chart toppers in Western Music, which ended the day. Speak Your Mind, comprising Ham and Block and Tackle, began the last day of the festival. The Kashmir issue was the subject of discussion for UN Mock. Indipop and western dance wrapped up Syzygy ‘04.

Overall, LMB reigned supreme, followed by Ashok Hall, DBPC and St Xavier’s. The Syzygods were Deotioma Mukherjee of Ashok Hall and Anirudh Mukhopadhaya of LMB.

— Sangeet Shirodkar

• The installation ceremony of Interact Club of Don Bosco Park Circus (ICDBPC) was held recently, at the school auditorium. The 11th executive board was installed while Aniruddha Kataruka of Class XII was named the new president.