Sadath Khanday
Shopian, Aug 9 (JKNS): In an effort to encourage youth participation, confidence and effective communication, Masnoon Malik, National Speaker & Youth Icon, successfully organised “The Speaker’s Podium, Speech Competition 2026” at the Cinema Hall, Town Hall, Shopian.
The event brought together 65 young speakers from different educational backgrounds, providing them with an opportunity to step onto a public stage, address a live audience and present their ideas and perspectives on contemporary issues.
The programme witnessed enthusiastic participation from students and aspiring speakers, many of whom took the microphone before an audience as part of their early public-speaking journey. Participants demonstrated confidence, creativity, clarity of thought and a willingness to engage with issues relevant to contemporary society.
The event was graced by Major Chauhan, Mr. Yawar Banday, and Mr. Hazim Rashid, Director, Pitman Institute, along with members of the media fraternity, educators, faculty members, volunteers and other distinguished guests.
Speaking about the objective behind the initiative, Masnoon Malik emphasised the importance of providing young people with opportunities to express themselves, particularly at an early stage of their academic journey. He highlighted that confidence is developed through experience and that students need platforms where they can overcome hesitation, face an audience and learn to articulate their thoughts effectively.
The idea behind The Speaker’s Podium was also rooted in Malik’s own experience as a young speaker. Having received his first significant opportunity to speak publicly during the final months of Class 12, he sought to create a platform where students could begin that journey much earlier.
The event brought together students from different age groups, including young participants from school-level classes as well as senior students. The diversity of participants reflected the growing interest among young people in public speaking, debate, communication and intellectual activities.
The competition focused on key aspects of public speaking, including content and originality, delivery and stage presence, language and communication, and time management. Participants were evaluated on their ability to present their ideas clearly, confidently and logically within the prescribed time.
Competition Results
The competition witnessed strong performances from the participating speakers.
Fidvi Fatima secured the First Position, while Daniya Javed secured the Second Position.
The Third Position was jointly shared by four participants following a tie in the final scores: Qudrat, Ziya Showket, Fatima Malik, and Mohammad Faiz Wani.
The winners and participants were felicitated during the programme in recognition of their performance and participation.
Beyond the competitive aspect, the event sought to emphasise the importance of the first opportunity. For a young student, stepping onto a stage, holding a microphone and speaking before an audience can be a significant personal milestone. The organisers sought to use the competition as an avenue for students to develop confidence that could benefit them in academics, interviews, professional settings and other areas of life.
A notable feature of the programme was the participation of students at different stages of their education. The presence of younger participants alongside senior students demonstrated that public speaking can be introduced and developed from an early age rather than being limited to higher classes or college-level activities.
The programme also witnessed the presence and support of members of the local media fraternity, who covered the event and interacted with participants and organisers. Their participation added further exposure to the young speakers and highlighted the importance of connecting students with the wider community.
The distinguished guests appreciated the initiative and congratulated Masnoon Malik for organising the programme and creating a platform focused on youth development. They acknowledged the importance of providing young people with constructive opportunities to improve their communication abilities, confidence and leadership qualities.
The presence of educators, media professionals and other distinguished personalities further added significance to the programme, allowing participants to interact with individuals from different professional backgrounds and gain perspectives beyond the conventional classroom environment.
Speaking about the larger objective of the programme, Malik stressed that young people cannot be expected to develop confidence merely by being told to “be confident”. According to him, confidence comes from opportunities, experience and the willingness to take the first step.
The Speaker’s Podium was therefore envisioned not merely as a speech competition but as a space where students could speak, think independently, listen to different perspectives and develop the confidence to participate actively in society.
The participation of 65 speakers highlighted the enthusiasm and potential of young people in Shopian. Their performances reflected a growing willingness among students to engage with ideas and issues beyond the conventional academic environment.
The successful conduct of the programme also demonstrated the potential for youth-oriented initiatives that focus on communication, confidence and leadership development. Such platforms can help students move beyond the classroom and gain practical experiences that contribute to their personal and professional growth.
For many participants, the event also marked an important first step in their public-speaking journey. While the competition recognised the top performers, the broader objective remained to ensure that every participant walked away with greater confidence and a stronger willingness to speak.
The organisers expressed hope that The Speaker’s Podium will continue in the coming years and evolve into a larger platform for young speakers, giving more students an opportunity to express their ideas, overcome stage hesitation and discover their potential.
The programme ultimately carried a simple but significant message: sometimes, one opportunity is enough to make a young person believe in their own ability.
Through The Speaker’s Podium 2026, that opportunity was placed in the hands of 65 young voices, giving them a stage, a microphone and an audience willing to listen. (JKNS)
