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GEMA Student Speaker Competition Winner: Diyalini

The GEMA Student Speaker Competition continues to be a platform for young students to bring light to powerful and impactful stories. While this year’s winner, Diyalini P. B., did exactly the same by honoring Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy in her speech. Diyalini shared in this heartfelt interview regarding why she decided to speak about Dr. Reddy, a trendsetter in medicine, women’s rights, and education. This student narrated how Dr. Reddy established India’s first cancer hospital, fought against child marriage, and became nation’s first female lawmaker. Diyalini shared her unshakeable admiration and respect for the doctor’s dedication and courage in standing up for women’s education during a time when society was against it. Diyalini talked about how she wanted to inspire people, especially young girls. For young girls to learn about Indian women who brought real change in the society. She also states that only a handful of individuals her age are aware of Dr. Reddy, and she took pride in presenting such a significant figure to both her peers and future generations. In the course of the interview, Diyalini also shares her feelings of nervousness at the start. In a very intriguing manner, she describes how the support of her mother and the regular practices helped her speak confidently. She described the competition as a learning experience that helped her improve her communication skills and gain knowledge about Indian history. The interviewer maintained a very warm and friendly tone throughout the interview, asking open ended questions that allowed Diyalini to express herself freely and naturally. This interaction reflected the heart of GEMA’s mission, that is, encouraging young people to find their voice, speak with purpose, and honor the unsung heroes of the society. Diyalini’s dedication, clarity, and calm presence in both her speech and interview proves why she was the deserving winner amongst so many students. Watch the full interview with GEMA Student Speaker Competition winner Diyalani here.

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Viraaj Kaushal: GEMA Student Speaker Winner on Public Speaking, Books & Big Dreams

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When asked what his final words to future participants were, 12-year-old Viraaj Kaushal, studying in 8th grade from St. Mary’s School, confidently replied, “Don’t be nervous, just go with the flow.” Joined by GEMA for an interview after his win in the GEMA International Student Speaker Contest, Viraaj opened up about his love for public speaking and the thought process behind the scenes of preparing for the contest. I believe books aren’t just for school but for life. On being asked how he felt on winning, Viraaj expressed how happiness and a sense of pride washed over him. In his speech on “Reading In The Digital Age,” Viraaj emphasized his belief that books shouldn’t be restricted to school but should be treated as essential lessons in life. He expressed that getting to show people everything he had worked hard for and putting his effort to the test was his favourite part of the entire journey, claiming that despite previous experiences in public speaking, repeated rehearsals and memorization helped him overcome the tiny bit of anxiety he had. They helped me craft the best version of it. Viraaj shared that his mother and teachers had been his primary support during the preparatory journey of improving his weak spots and staying consistent. He credited them for being the ones who helped him not sound like a robot and craft the best version of the speech, which would ultimately lead him to his big win. Viraaj enjoys being expressive and mentioned that speaking in front of people helps him do that, and he credits his past experiences for helping him grow more confident on stage and on camera. As a confident and well-spoken individual, he shared that a topic he would like to speak on in the future was marine life and AI— a topic over which he and the interviewer shared a chuckle over given their shared interest in marine life. If you could win a prize for anything else, what would it be? As the interview drew closer to its end, Viraaj spoke about his big dream of being recognised and appreciated by the Prime Minister of India. “When it comes to accolades, the list just doesn’t end. But the real honour would be being recognised and appreciated by the Prime Minister of the country,” he shared. As the interview wrapped up, Viraaj left a clear mark as a confident and thoughtful young speaker. With his ambition and gratitude for those around him, and interests ranging from marine life to artificial intelligence, it’s safe to say we’ll be hearing more from him in the years to come. Watch Viraaj’s full interview here.

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I calmed myself down and I said, “Sudiksha, you can do this.”

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Affirmed thirteen years old Sudiksha Chunduri from Hyderabad before pressing record for her speech on “Reading In The Digital Age” for the GEMA Student Speaker Competition not expecting to be hailed the winner. In a post-event interview with GEMA, Sudiksha shared her experience and insights on how she prepared and how she feels about her win. Representing Prerana Waldorf School, Sudiksha opened up about her love for public speaking claiming she loves speaking her heart out to people but still admitting that despite her lack of stage fright, she was nervous about missing out on important details in her speech. Who helped you prepare the most? Sudiksha expressed gratitude towards her father, sharing how his thoughtful insights helped her refine her tone and clarity and supported her until she gained confidence after practicing line-by-line until picture perfect. “He taught me how to express my thoughts in a way people would want to listen.”, Sudiksha expressed. “He played a very important role in helping me out.” She opened up about her surprise at having won the competition as she didn’t expect to do so out of nervousness and fear of having missed out essential details in her speech. Nonetheless, the whole experience to her was refreshing and exciting as she got to research on an interesting topic and putting her thoughts down was one of her favourite parts. What else would you like to win a prize for? Apart from being an excellent public speaker, Sudiksha has a keen interest in singing and would love to be able to participate in singing competitions and hopefully win a prize. She recounted her passion in singing ever since a young age and is now being professionally trained in traditional devotional music. And to anyone who’s planning to participate in the competition next year, Sudiksha wishes them well acknowledging GEMA as a platform that recognises people’s efforts which would help them refine their communication and speaking skills. As the curtains close on this year’s International Student Speaker Competition, Sudiksha’s intellectual mind and thoughtful nature proves her ability as a natural speaker and a bright mind of the future. Watch Sudiksha’s full interview with GEMA here.

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Spotlight on Kyra: Winner of the GEMA Student Speaker Contest

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Join Kyra Hitesh Kapoor Bharwani, hailing from Calcutta International School, Kolkata—the winner of GEMA’s Student Speaker Contest 2025—during an interview with GEMA, where she opened up about her hobbies, preparations, and insights on the win. How did you feel about winning? Winning, to Kyra, was a big moment of excitement and happiness. Her winning speech on “If I Was a Tree” was a topic she chose, given her love for nature and flowers. Even outside of the classroom, Kyra shared that she enjoys being in nature and one of her interests include knowing about all sorts of flowers, bugs, and insects, quoting the lotus as her favourite flower. Who supported you the most? Preparing for the contest took time and practice, and she credits her mother and aunt—who encouraged her throughout—for being her support system. With their help, she was able to prepare diligently and rigorously, which ultimately led her to the win. When asked what her favourite part of the entire journey was, Kyra remarked she felt the proudest when she found out she had won and called the overall journey from preparations to the big win her favourite part. What is your dream topic to talk about? Kyra says she would like to talk about gymnastics, a subject she hasn’t spoken on before, even though she’s a gymnast herself. Apart from her love for public speaking, she would also like to receive recognition in sports—specifically basketball. For other students thinking about joining the contest in the future, Kyra encourages them to give it a try, calling it a fun and exciting learning experience. With this win, Kyra proves herself as a captivating speaker with big goals and a bright future. Watch the full interview with GEMA’s Student Speaker Winner Kyra Bharwani here.

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