The most anticipated tournament of the year, the Sri Lanka Schools Debating Championship, hosts a battleground of the finest wits and minds that debating in the island has to offer. Organized by the Faculty of Law Moot Court and Debating Society, the title of Champion at this prestigious tournament is contested with great ardor and borne with great pride. Through the tireless toil of the members of the Sinhala Debating and Oratory Society, the shield was raised by Royalists in the year 2021 as well. 

Hosted on an online platform, the tournament took place on the 29th and 30th of May. Over 200 students engaged in debates at the Sinhala Medium competition alone, being open to a plethora of schools from across the nation. As always, the Sri Lanka Schools Debating Championship was graced with the presence of the most esteemed adjudicators in the debating circuit, highlighting the stakes at hand when taking part in a tournament of this caliber. 

Royal College was represented by the following individuals from the Sinhala Debating and Oratory Society:

Binara Anthony

Minidu Adithya

Hirun Matheesha

Minuga Chanmira

The first day promised to be challenging from the onset itself, as the presence of only four league rounds left little margin for error. In a display of true spirit, the Royal team commendably rose to the occasion with back to back wins for the former half of the preliminaries. However, the result of the 3rd round was not as favourable, and the four debaters found themselves in a precarious situation. Never losing sight of their end goal, the team made a tournament-defining comeback in the final preliminary round and crossed the bridge to the knockout rounds.

Qualified to the knockout rounds were the 16 best teams in Sri Lanka, all eager to test their mettle against one another. In the Octo-finals, Royal College triumphed over Sumangala College and in Quarters against Vidyartha College Kandy. This was followed by a victory against Ananda College in the Semi-finals and thus Royal had secured a spot in the Grand Finals.

The last trial to be overcome; the final round of the tournament was now upon the debaters from Reid Avenue. Together with their opponents from D.S. Senanayake College, the Royal College team gave the panel of adjudicators as well as the numerous spectators a debate to be remembered. It was with bated breath that all those present awaited the decision after the conclusion of the debate. Finally, the announcement was made; with the unanimous decision of the five adjudicators, Royal College was proclaimed Champions at the Sri Lanka Schools Debating Championship of 2021. 

Having done so, the Sinhala Debating and Oratory Society adds yet another accolade to its history in this tournament:

2011 – Champions

2012 – Champions 

2013 – Champions

2014 – Semi finalist 

2015 – Semi finalist 

2016 – Champions

2017 – Champions

2018 – Runners-up

2019 – Octofinalist

2020 – Runners-up 

2021 – Champions

It is a testament to the institution that the team achieved such a feat this year amidst the adversity of these times and it is a sign that the future of Royal Debating is bright.