DU's SRCC hosts second edition of Arun Jaitley Memorial Debate

New Delhi, Apr 16 (PTI) Delhi University's Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) on Wednesday hosted the second edition of Shri Arun Jaitley Memorial Debate (SAJMD) honouring the spirit of oration, intellect and the enduring legacy of the late BJP leader.

Jaitley graduated in Commerce from the SRCC in 1973 and passed his Law degree from the Delhi University in 1977.

He was an Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) student activist and became president of the Delhi University Students’ Union in 1974.

Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat presided over the ceremony as the chief guest and Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Economic Advisory Council, attended the event as the guest of honour, an official statement said.

“Shedding his political identity, Arun Jaitley was an institution in himself. His ethics, statesmanship and love for SRCC remain unmatched,” Shekhawat said in his address.

Sanyal spoke on the intersection of industrialisation and sustainable development, contextualising it within India's current geopolitical and macroeconomic landscape.

Reflecting on his student years at the SRCC, he highlighted Jaitley’s intellectual influence on India’s economic discourse.

The event culminated in a ceremonial award function marked by academic brilliance and statesmanlike reflection. A total prize purse of Rs 2.5 lakh – equally divided between English and Hindi categories – was awarded to winners, reflecting the SRCC’s commitment to promoting critical thinking across linguistic mediums.

SRCC Governing Body chairman Ajay S Shriram and Principal Professor Simrit Kaur also remembered Jaitley’s deep bond with the institution and reiterated the college’s commitment to nurturing informed and articulate citizens.

The debate featured a bilingual format and drew participation from over 40 institutions across the country, the statement said.

The contest spanned multiple rounds, culminating in the crowning of national champions and serving as a tribute to Jaitley’s enduring legacy of dialogue, vision and service, it said. PTI MHS AS AS