Campus Times | Lucknow 

Lucknow witnessed an engaging contest of ideas and oratory on August 23, 2026, as La Martiniere Girls College hosted the 79th Inter-Martiniere Debate. The annual meet brought together young debaters from La Martiniere Girls College, Lucknow, and La Martinière for Girls, Kolkata, for a thought-provoking exchange on the changing nature of human relationships in the digital age.

The motion before the participants was, Social Media Has Replaced Genuine Human Connections. The debate examined whether the growing dependence on digital platforms has strengthened communication or gradually diminished the depth and authenticity of face-to-face relationships.

Both teams presented well-reasoned arguments, supported their positions with persuasive points and responded confidently to opposing views. The exchange reflected the participants command over language, clarity of thought and ability to engage with a contemporary issue from multiple perspectives.

The proceedings were evaluated by a distinguished panel comprising Mrs. Vipra Srivastava, a business development and education management professional at Tata ClassEdge; Dr. Vineet Maxwell David, Professor of English and Modern Languages at the University of Lucknow; and Professor Ranu Uniyal, bilingual poet and Chief Editor of PYSSUM.

After a closely contested debate, La Martinière for Girls, Kolkata emerged victorious, successfully defeating the motion. Lavanya Jain of the Kolkata team was adjudged the Best Speaker for her performance.

The event concluded with the Prize Distribution Ceremony, followed by a Vote of Thanks by Lady Principal Mrs. A. Dass, who expressed her appreciation to the adjudicators, participating teams and all those involved in organising the inter-school debate.