Cottons to Host 27th BL Modi Memorial Inter-School English Elocution Competition

Bishop Cotton School, Shimla, will host the 27th edition of the prestigious B. L. Modi Memorial Inter-School English Elocution Competition on August 7 and 8, 2026. The annual literary event, which has become a significant fixture on the city’s academic calendar, will bring together students from leading schools across Shimla and neighbouring areas to celebrate the art of public speaking and English literature.

The competition will be inaugurated in the presence of Oshin Sharma, Joint Director, AYUSH, Government of Himachal Pradesh, who will attend as the Chief Guest. Prof. Mahavir Singh, Vice-Chancellor of Himachal Pradesh University, will also grace the occasion as Guest of Honour.

For nearly three decades, the B. L. Modi Memorial Inter-School English Elocution Competition has provided a platform for young speakers to develop confidence, refine their communication skills and showcase their literary abilities. The event seeks to encourage excellence in spoken English while fostering interaction and healthy competition among students from different educational institutions.

In the run-up to the competition, students have been engaged in intensive preparations, rehearsing poetry, prose, drama and declamation with enthusiasm and dedication. Drawing inspiration from celebrated writers such as Robert Frost, Charles Dickens and William Shakespeare, participants have been working on voice modulation, expression, diction and stage presence, transforming the competition into a celebration of literature and the spoken word. Beyond the contest itself, the event aims to inspire creativity, critical thinking and self-confidence among young learners.

The competition is organised in memory of Mr. B. L. Modi, who served Bishop Cotton School from October 1966 until July 1982 as Head of the Mathematics Department and Housemaster of Ibbetson House. Widely respected for his discipline, punctuality and exceptional teaching, Mr. Modi left an enduring impression on generations of students and colleagues. Following his untimely demise in 1982, the school instituted the annual competition to honour his legacy and his unwavering commitment to education.

This year’s competition will feature five categories catering to different age groups. Students of Classes IV and V will compete in the Junior Poetry Division, while Classes VI and VII will participate in the Intermediate Poetry Division. Class VIII students will present prose recitations, Classes IX and X will compete in the Drama Division, and senior students of Classes XI and XII will contest the Open Declamation category. As in previous years, awards for Best Speaker and Most Promising Speaker will be presented in each division.

Schools participating in this year’s competition include Auckland House School for Boys, Auckland House School, Shimla, Chapslee School, Shimla, Convent of Jesus and Mary, DAV School, Lakkar Bazaar, Loreto Convent School, Tara Hall, Sacred Heart Convent, Dhalli, Shimla Public School, Khalini, Delhi Public School, Mehli, DAV School, New Shimla, St. Thomas School, ECI Chalet Day School and the host institution, Bishop Cotton School, Shimla.

With some of Shimla’s finest young speakers set to take the stage, the two-day competition promises an inspiring display of eloquence, literary appreciation and intellectual exchange. Continuing a tradition that spans 27 years, the B. L. Modi Memorial Inter-School English Elocution Competition remains one of the region’s most respected platforms for nurturing confident communicators and celebrating excellence in English oratory.

Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla