In India, debate is often seen as the domain of elite English-medium schools, being an extracurricular activity reserved for students with polished accents and expensive coaching. But in government schools across Hyderabad, a new initiative is breaking that stereotype by bringing structured debate training to students in Telugu, their mother tongue.
Founded in 2023, Mahati is a student-led nonprofit founded by Akhilesh & Karthik Palakodeti that teaches Telugu-language debating to children in under-resourced schools. Over the past 2 years, Mahati has conducted more than 25 sessions, reaching over 150 students, many of whom had never spoken in public before.
What makes Mahati’s model stand out is its homegrown curriculum, carefully designed with over 50 debate topics and activities, all drawn from students’ social studies curriculum and catered to boost their general knowledge. Debates on issues like environmental problems, elections, and gender equality help students explore real-world challenges while building the skills to express their views clearly and confidently.
Akhilesh conducting an introductory session about the fundamentals of debate Importantly, all of this happens in Telugu, allowing students to think and speak in the language they are most comfortable with. This removes a major barrier that often prevents government school students from accessing public speaking opportunities. At Mahati, students learn that intelligence and leadership are not tied to fluency in English.
Akhilesh is a former member of the Indian National Debate Squad and Best Novice Speaker at the International Competition for Young Debaters (ICYD). Karthik, too, is a four-time member of Team India at the World Schools Debating Championships and is recognized by the former Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu. Having trained and competed at the highest levels of English-language debate, Akhilesh wanted to share what he had learned with students who rarely get such exposure. “Debate helped me grow as a thinker and communicator,” Akhilesh says. “Mahati is my way of giving those same tools to students who deserve them just as much.”
Mahati is now led by a core team of three: Akhilesh Palakodeti, and Aakash Gupta. Together, they coordinate curriculum development, school outreach, and volunteer training.
Karthik offers feedback to one of the students on their speech
As Mahati continues to grow, the team hopes to expand to more districts, train student mentors, and build long-term partnerships with schools and NGOs. The message is simple: debate belongs to everyone. And when it’s taught in a student’s own language, it becomes even more powerful and impactful.
To learn more about Mahati’s work, visit www.mahati0telugu0debate.com