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.