Azaad Debate Society

The Azaad Debate Society was built out of a clear diagnosis: the quality of Sikh discourse needed raising. Disagreements within the community too often collapsed into ego, violence, or avoidance — and engagement with wider society was limited by insularity. The Society exists to offer a better way that is structured, principled debate grounded in the values of truth over comfort and ideas over egos.

The goals behind it are layered. To upgrade critical thinking and articulation across the community. To work toward societal cohesion rather than fragmentation. To counter extremism and combat gangsterism by offering young Sikhs a more compelling use of their intellectual energy. And to demonstrate how Sikhs can engage in politics and wider discourse, legally, ethically and effectively.

The inaugural event, held at Hari Singh Nalwa Combat Academy in Leicester on 7th March 2026, debated the motion "Does Punjabi Culture Pull Down The Panth?", with a Professor of Sociology and a Sikh Punjabi content creator on the Opposition, and an Investigative Journalist and PhD Researcher on the Proposition. We sold out completely and had to issue new tickets.

The Society is now expanding into education. A structured course is in development, led by one of my team memebrs, teaching critical thinking, logical fallacies, articulation, and basic philosophy to young adults, drawing directly on the Logicnama.com curriculum. The aim is to prepare students to enter formal debate tournaments. The first cohort will be hosted by Hari Singh Nalwa Combat Academy, whose students form the core intake — a deliberate pairing of physical and intellectual discipline under the same roof.

The course is open to Sikhs and non-Sikhs alike. That openness is intentional and long-term. The vision is for the Azaad Debate Society to become a space where non-Sikh vs non-Sikh debates are hosted with Sikhs in the chair — moderating, facilitating, setting the standard. A Sikh-run Oxford Union, but with genuine Sikh values running through the institution.