Ljubljana Legends: Poorna Foundation’s Triumph on the Global Stage

From July 11th to July 16th, the World Scholar's Cup team hosted the Ljubljana Global Round for scholars who had qualified through their regional round in Ljubljana, Slovenia. With over 130 teams competing in events such as the Scholar's Challenge, Collaborative Writing, Team Debate, and Scholar's Bowl, the stakes were high and the excitement was higher. Poorna Foundation sent 3 teams to Ljubljana, and we are proud to announce their resounding success at the Global Round!

Since January 2025, Poorna Foundation has provided comprehensive academic training to participating teams, refining their skills in debate, collaborative writing, and scholar’s challenge. Following the regional rounds, the foundation intensified its support through specialized, high-level sessions tailored to maximize team performance on the global stage.

Every Poorna Foundation student participating in the event qualified for the prestigious Tournament of Champions to be held at Yale University. Across three teams, students earned a collection of top-tier honors, including championship team trophies, individual scholar distinctions, and high placements in subject-specific challenges.

Team 418, consisting of Riya Patel, Antara Manish, and Avantika Manish, emerged as the Champion Junior Team of the Global Round. In addition to winning the overall team title, the group secured the Champion Team Debate and Team Writing trophies, placed second in the Scholar’s Bowl, and finished fourth in Team Challenge. 

Riya Patel earned the Overall Champion Scholar Trophy and placed within the top ten in five academic subject areas.

Antara Manish was awarded the Champion Debater Trophy and ranked seventh overall. 

Avantika Manish earned silver as an overall scholar and secured top placements in writing and debate.

Team 417, made up of Siddharth Singh, Shreya Pant, and Arya Nair, finished ninth in the Overall Junior Team ranking and also placed ninth in the Scholar’s Bowl and tenth in the Team Challenge. The team won gold medals in Team Debate and Team Writing. 

Siddharth Singh placed twelfth in the Science and Technology challenge and earned gold in writing and debate. 

Shreya Pant was recognized as the 16th Overall Scholar and placed in the top thirty in four academic categories, including seventh in Art and Music. 

Arya Nair placed 24th overall and earned gold medals in debate, writing, and collaborative writing, with additional top thirty finishes in subject-specific challenges.

Team 416, composed of Ria Seth, Siana Sarolia, and Madilyn Snyder, was awarded the Gold Medal for Overall Junior Team. The team also won Gold in both Team Debate and Team Writing, and earned Silver in the Scholar’s Bowl and Team Challenge.  

Ria Seth won six gold medals, including first-place finishes in collaborative writing and debate. 

Siana Sarolia placed as the 32nd Overall Scholar and ranked in the top thirty across five academic subjects. 

Madilyn Snyder earned gold in both debate and collaborative writing and placed sixth in the Science and Technology challenge.

With 13 trophies and nearly 100 medals, the success of these teams reflects Poorna Foundation’s rigorous academic programming and mentorship model. Throughout the year, students engaged in weekly sessions designed to deepen subject mastery and strengthen communication and writing skills. Post-regional training included personalized performance analysis, skill refinement, and advanced preparation in all competitive areas.

These results highlight Poorna Foundation’s mission to provide equitable access to high-level academic enrichment and to cultivate future leaders through education. The foundation congratulates all scholars for their remarkable success on the global stage, and we wish them the best of luck as their dedication and growth takes them onward to the Tournament of Champions at Yale University.