Famous rivalries are often judged by how old they are and how fierce they usually get. Think of cricket’s Ashes or maybe even the Cold War.
Among celebrated institutions, it would be difficult to match the rivalry between St Stephen’s and Hindu – two of the oldest colleges in Delhi University, separated by a road but bound by a love-hate – they love to hate each other – relationship that goes back more than a century.
Of course, most Stephanians don’t acknowledge any rivalry. Their insouciant indifference to the ‘college across the road’ is the stuff of campus legend. For those who get cricket analogies, Stephanians would argue that it’s not the Ashes really, but more the Trans-Tasman Trophy. Hindu students would counter that this is exactly the kind of misplaced worldview that has bedeviled St Stephen’s for over a century; and is what leads them to label Stephanians as ‘pseudo’ or ‘elitist’.
Whatever the merits of the arguments, generations of students can recall bitter battles on cricket fields, basketball courts and debate halls, accompanied by lusty cheering and ribald comments.
Well, the rivalry is now ascending to the next level. The Times of India presents The Titan’s Cup, a debate organized by the Joint Events Committee where distinguished alumni from the two colleges who have made a mark in various walks of life – politics, bureaucracy, cinema and media, among others – will match wits.
The St Stephen’s alumni team will comprise Kabir Bedi, Shashi Tharoor, Mani Shankar Aiyar and Vikram Chandra. The Hindu team will be represented by Subramanian Swami, Hardeep Puri, Tuk Tuk Ghosh Kumar and Deepak Verma.
The debate, scheduled for December 21, will be moderated by one of the biggest names in corporate India, Naina Lal Kidwai. The topic is a cracker too. It states ‘this House believes that democratic politics is impacting Brand India’. In the vein of recent comments on the subject by former Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad (who said India has ‘too much democracy’ for its own good), the Hindu alumni will argue for the motion; and look to trump their opponents.
Perhaps similarity breeds contempt. Both colleges in fact share many similar traditions, which range from the notable (several student bodies, high academic standards, eminent alumni) to the lurid. The lurid strain – where common ground may actually be found – has seen many a Hinduite pray to a ‘virgin’ tree and ritually urinate on St Stephen’s’ redbrick walls. Stephanians celebrate with wild abandon, have their own versions of tomato fights and may often be found singing their campus ditty, ‘The Blacksmith’s Song’. Popularly attributed to Khushwant Singh, it is mostly unprintable.
From such contradictions are old rivalries born, and the Titan’s Cup will now see some renewed.
