Interviewees: | Aaryan Goyal, Abhigyan Tripathi, Anmol Mahajan, Kanika Bansal, Satvik Mishra and Wamic Wasim (Winners of the Ox Price Media Moot, 2022) |
Interviewer: | Xenia Dhar (Junior Editor, RGNUL Cosmos) |
Introduction: On 10th June 2022, history was created when a moot team consisting of Aaryan Goyal, Abhigyan Tripathi, Anmol Mahajan, Kanika Bansal, Satvik Mishra and Wamic Wasim became the first-ever team from RGNUL to win the prestigious 15th ed. Monroe E. Price Media Law Moot Court Competition, 2022. Organized by Oxford University, the Monroe E. Price Media Moot is one of the world’s leading moots on international human rights law. This interview is an attempt to give our readers a glimpse into the journey of these incredible individuals and all the trials and tribulations that they faced on the road to success.
Meet The Team:
Anmol Mahajan is a fifth-year student at RGNUL. He was an oralist for the winning team in the 15th ed. Monroe E. Price Moot Court Competition. Additionally, Anmol was also awarded the best speaker award in both the World Rounds & the South Asia Rounds of the moot court competition.
Wamic Wasim is a fourth-year student at RGNUL. He was an oralist for the winning team in the 15th ed. Monroe E. Price Moot Court Competition.
Abhigyan Tripathi is a fifth-year student at RGNUL. He was a researcher for the winning team.
Satvik Mishra is a fifth-year student at RGNUL. He was a researcher for the winning team.
Aaryan Goyal is a fourth-year student at RGNUL. He was a researcher for the winning team.
Kanika Bansal is a fourth-year student at RGNUL. She was a researcher for the winning team.
Q.1) First and foremost, congratulations on winning the international rounds of the 15th ed. Monroe E. Price Media Law Moot Court Competition, 2022. What was your initial reaction when you realized that you had won the international rounds?
Aaryan: (laughs) The initial reaction was to take out the wine and celebrate.
Abhigyan: When the results were announced, all the team members except for me were in Delhi and when they received the news, they were quite happy. They video-called me and my immediate reaction was that of pure euphoria because it has been my dream since the first year and it came true on a fine Sunday evening so it was amazing, to say the least.
Anmol: Eight months of hard work, actually coming to fruition, both in the South Asia rounds as well as the World rounds was a very fulfilling experience, and to top it all off, we were up against some very competitive teams. In fact, one of the teams was from the college that had won the Price Media Moot for four years straight. So yes, it was a very fulfilling experience for all of us.
Satvik: Initially, we were caught up by surprise when we received the news. To give a clearer picture, I was in a different room than the other four people and when I came to them and we saw the results together, for the first five-ten seconds we were not able to believe that we had done it until it finally started sinking in. So yes, it felt great.
Wamic: (looks at his teammates) So like everybody else, my reaction was also that of total disbelief. For a team in which even the team members did not know each other before the beginning of the moot, starting from that and winning the world rounds, was one hell of an experience. None of us could have even fathomed that we were going to do it until it finally happened. I remember I was on camera when the results were announced and I could not control my emotions. I just celebrated then and there. That moment will be very special for me for the rest of my life.
Kanika: It takes time to sink in. All of us shouted in surprise the very moment RGNUL’s name was announced.
Q.2) Considering the tremendous amount of hard work everybody in the team put in, were the results anticipated? How assured were you of the win?
Anmol: The idea behind putting together this team was, of course, to put forth a very confident and bullish attack against every opponent that we faced. We were at times nervous about the outcome; however, we were never on our backfoot throughout the entire duration of this moot. We were assured of our win at every stage and being confident was one of the key features which enabled us to actually win the prize.
Wamic: We started step-by-step; took one round at a time and tried to give our best during each round. There were some rounds that were particularly tough but when we won those rounds in the end, it was very fulfilling. I think that the hard work that was put in somewhat exhibited itself throughout the competition and it really yielded the results that we expected.
Kanika: Considering that it was a very prestigious moot court competition, it wasn’t always anticipated since you don’t know how the other teams will be, and what kind of research they have done. Obviously, we always had confidence in our speakers but we always took it one round at a time so I didn’t anticipate that we’d win the world rounds but I always wished for it.
Q.3) Your team competed with the best teams from different universities across the world and emerged victorious. Any important lessons learnt from the present moot that you’d like to share with our readers?
Aaryan: I would say “never underestimate your opponent” even if they are younger than you. For example, the team that we competed against in the South Asia finals, as well as in the world rounds finals, was NALSAR’s team from the second year and they performed really well considering that it was their first moot. On the other hand, never stop believing in yourself even if you are the underdog team. For example, Singapore Management University (SMU) was against us in the semi-final rounds and teams from SMU have a record of winning this competition. However, this did not demotivate us or make us believe any less in our abilities and the trust that we had in ourselves helped us to win.
Satvik: (ponders for a moment before speaking) I believe that the biggest lesson learnt was to stay calm no matter who the opponent was. For example, as Aaryan pointed out, we had SMU in our semi-finals and they’ve had a winning history with the competition so indeed we were scared. But we knew that we were well prepared too. This would be my biggest takeaway from the competition.
Abhigyan: The biggest lesson learnt was believing in the communication we have; the manner in which we analyzed each and every argument that was posed to us in the memorial; making sure that we discussed every step that we were going to take, be it the oral rounds, be it the submission. At every step, there was great communication between all of us. There was a certain level of clarity and understanding amongst us while we took any step whatsoever. I think that really helped us. When there is clarity among the members working on a particular project, there will be good results. I think we proved that and I am really proud of what we have achieved.
Q.4) We all know that the mooting culture in RGNUL has improved tremendously over the past few years. What do you think is going to be the trajectory of the same over the coming years?
Anmol: It is really hard to predict the trajectory of mooting culture in our college since each year brings a new batch that has its own strengths and weaknesses. A batch may or may not be very good at mooting. In my opinion, winning should be the first objective and the final goal in each and everybody’s mind while participating in a moot court competition because after all, it is a competition at the end of the day. Learning may come as a by-product. So, if that is kept in mind, the mooting culture in RGNUL is good enough to manage at its own pace and strength.
Satvik: (points towards Anmol) I have a similar yet different approach from Anmol. I had never won a moot court competition before this. I personally believe that when we go around a moot court competition, the primary objective has to be winning, however, one must remember that there are certain factors that can’t be controlled. However, when you go to an international moot court competition, the standards of judging and the standard of the judges are completely different. So, I do agree with Anmol that when participating in a moot court competition of a big stature such as the Price Media moot court competition, the primary goal should be winning. As far as the mooting culture in RGNUL is concerned, we’ve had some people who have taken the trajectory to a higher level and I believe that in the upcoming years also there will be an increasing projection only. I agree with Anmol on the point that different batches, and different people in different batches have certain qualities. While some are very good at mooting; some are very good at researching. So, I personally believe that it will be an increasing trajectory only.
Kanika: We have gotten the legacy from our seniors and they have helped us a lot during all these competitions. That said, you never know how a batch is. You don’t know about their weaknesses and strengths, as Anmol mentioned, I believe in the batches to come. The legacy that has been established will always help them, however, how they go through with things is entirely on them.
Q.5) It is interesting to note that a moot court competition as prestigious as the Price Moot was held completely in an online format. Are online platforms viable for mooting? What problems did you face during the entire virtual mooting experience? What are the pros and cons of such a set-up?
Wamic: Well, first and foremost, the only con that comes to my mind is that we could not be at Oxford during the entirety of this moot court competition. We would have loved to lift the trophy at the University of Oxford. The pros of appearing virtually are that you can get used to mooting in terms of the virtual format, i.e. you can practice again and again on camera. Physical mooting is also quite taxing, whereas, on the contrary, you can do virtual mooting in the comfort of your room which is one pro of the virtual setup. However, physical mooting has its own charm. Going to a foreign location and lifting the trophy there while you are appearing before the judges sitting there is a different experience altogether and nothing could beat that.
Aaryan: Our batch (Batch of 2024) has only done online moots, so we can’t really compare with offline moots, but, I have heard that offline moots are a better experience overall. However, there is one advantage to online moots, the whole team gets to be together formally. For example, the six of us were closely integrated during the arguments and everything else as well. However, I still believe that offline moots can give you more exposure and real-life experience in that regard.
Abhigyan: It has been said on a number of occasions that going for a moot court competition, meeting new people etc., is always going to be lacking from a virtual setup. But then again there is just that extra bit that you know you can do as far as a virtual setup is concerned. Being in communication more freely while the moot is happening, is always helpful. So, there are both pros and cons, and in the end, it is a matter of perspective whether you are comfortable sitting and arguing in front of a camera or not.
Q.6) It is no secret that preparing for a moot is a tough job and might become very stressful at times. What kept you going during preparation? What did you do to cope with the stress?
Wamic: (chuckles) Well, I don’t think we ever had any stress during the preparation because this particular moot was stretched to a span of eight months. The only stressful time was when deadlines were approaching and during the submission of the memorials. During the course of the preparation, we used to have a lot of meetings and that helped too. In this regard, it is also essential to mention the role of our coach, Mr. Shourya Dhoundiyal, who was our pillar of strength during the competition and kept us going at every point. He is the kind of person who knows exactly what to say in any given situation. He knew what to say to keep us humble when we were too confident after winning every round. At the same time, when we were low, for example, when we were against SMU which has a legacy of winning the Price Media Moot, he reassured us and really kept us going. He deserves every bit of this victory as much as we do.
Aaryan: It is very stressful to do a moot with a large team that you are so closely associated with and in this regard, you have to trust the process. Additionally, our coach’s support was extremely important for us. He wasn’t just our leader, but also our friend in this process who kept us going throughout, and hence the stress did not get the best of us at any point in the competition.
Kanika: Mr. Shourya Dhoundiyal always helped us throughout the journey and when it comes to stress management, the answer is our coach and that is how we won the moot.
Q.7) With this we proceed towards the end of the interview. Keeping in mind the experience that you have gained through the years, what advice would you give to the budding mooters out there?
Anmol: The only advice from my end would be to believe in yourself. This is something that is more important than any other skill that you might possess. If you have the skill to speak in a good manner but you do not believe in yourself during an important phase of the preparation, then that skill becomes worthless. To begin with, you need to have a clear mindset; you need to believe in yourself and you need to take a bullish team to an international moot court competition. However, it is also important to not get over-confident because that may become detrimental to the team. Be it during the memo preparation, be it during the oral arguments, it is very important to have a clear strategic plan with which you want to move forward.
Satvik: I have a few pieces of advice. Firstly, you should have a team that you can connect with. However, it is important to remember that this connection grows gradually. For example, initially, there were three of us from the same year, later we got Aaryan, Wamic and Kanika and the process of getting to know each other was gradual. With time we also knew how a particular person’s arguments would be. So, knowing your teammates is one of the most important things to keep in mind while taking part in a moot court competition. Secondly, I believe in being humble throughout. For example, we knew that we had the most impenetrable arguments, but yet again we also knew that something surprising could come our way from the other team. So, being humble and judging your competition right is one of the most important things. Thirdly, as Wamic said, is to give due credit to our coach because there have been disagreements between the team. There have been times when my arguments and some other team members' arguments were different and the coach has been the one person who acted like glue for the team and found the middle ground.
Abhigyan: (pauses before responding) It all boils down to how much you want it. Obviously, at some point in time, things are going to be tough and during those times, it becomes a question of how much you are willing to go the extra mile for it. We, as a team, were a bit behind schedule as far as the preparation was concerned, but we had a vision and most importantly we had that cohesiveness amongst us which helped us in building bulletproof arguments. I think that helped. Additionally, being in touch constantly and going over each other’s work and comparing notes really helped us in weeding out any weaknesses in our arguments.
Aaryan: My first advice would be, obviously, to believe in oneself. Nobody in their first year would ever think that they would somewhere down the line win the Price Media Moot, but after winning the moot you realize that you could have always done it with hard work and a good team. My second advice would be, to be careful while making a team and to communicate and connect with them more than anything else. As a result of this connection, you will enjoy mooting and do a great job at it.
Wamic: So first of all, as my teammates mentioned, having faith in yourself is very essential. Faith is of the utmost importance when you are presenting your case in front of the judges. Only if you have faith in your arguments can you present to the best of your ability, but one should always remember that faith is proportional to the hard work that you put in. On the contrary, having too much faith is also not advised because that would be tantamount to over-confidence. Having an adequate amount of faith is important, which, at the end of the day, is a major deciding factor when it comes to winning and losing. Also, as Aaryan mentioned, back in the first year, we couldn’t have imagined that we could have won the Price Media Moot. As for me, I remember that I couldn’t even speak well in my first year and it is only faith that has helped me come this far. Secondly, as mentioned in Mr. Fali S Nariman’s book, “Before Memory Fades”, more than reading and researching an issue, it is important to think about the problem that it poses. Most of our arguments which were novel in nature, and which were not even thought of by the other teams were those in which we put a lot of thought, into terms of the fact sheet and the available literature. Hence, more than just reading about it, one should think more and apply their own mind.
Kanika: Moot court competitions, especially international moot court competitions are spread over a large period of time and this moot court competition also took eight months. So the only advice is don’t give up. There are times when you think that you need a break. Just take that break, come back and get back to work. Just don’t give up and you will be able to do it.
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