Vedanand Hargobin has always been interested in politics.

He often sat down with his late father, Chaitram Hargobin, to watch the news and discuss current affairs at their Penal home.

Now years later, the 20-year-old is the UWI, St Augustine, Guild of Students vice president and has won best debater at the 2024 Youth Parliament.

Although he wishes his dad was still here to congratulate him on his achievements, he believes he has made him proud.

Hargobin attended the Tulsa Trace Hindu Primary School and then Naparima College, San Fernando.

At the secondary level, he studied a combination of business and science. And he now studies computer science at UWI.

He told Newsday he remains a devout Hindu as he was raised in a “very religious household.

“My dad was a pundit (Pundit Ram) and I grew up around temples."

He also learnt to play classical Indian music.

"I started with the tabla around age nine and the harmonium and vocal training. Then when I was in secondary school, I was very much involved in the Indian cultural club…And I’m still very much involved in that with the Hindu Society at UWI.”

He said he is also a pundit in training, hoping to follow in his father’s footsteps.

He said his family was always “really close,” which mainly included him, his mother Vindy Maharaj-Hargobin, father, brother and two grandmothers.

Sadly, his father died in 2020 owing to an allergic reaction to being stung by a wasp.

Hargobin recalled the “difficult time” coming to terms with the loss.

“I was 17 and to lose my dad at such a young age was not something I expected

“Both my parents lost their fathers at a very young age as well so it was very scary when I was even approaching that age and I was hoping nothing bad happened, and it did,” he said followed by a brief silence.

He recalled his father always showing an interest in young people who became involved in politics.

“He was always very passionate about our politics and he was always someone to say, ‘Let’s give this new or young person a try.’

“We’d sit down and watch the TV and watch the news and see what’s happening in the country.”

And he added, “If I’m being honest, politics was something that always fascinated me. Not specifically political parties but just how politics works – government systems, democracy…”

He recalled a school project that required him to find a famous quote, and he chose Mahatma Gandhi’s, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

Hargobin said, “That has resonated with me ever since.”

He said he was excited when he learnt he was chosen to be part of the Youth Parliament.

The debate was held on November 25 at the Red House and was about four-and-a-half hours long. The judges were opposition senator Jayanti Lutchmedial-Ramdial, Toco/Sangre Grande MP Roger Monroe and Joanna Kazana, UN Resident Coordinator for TT.

This year’s topic was the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the classroom.

He was the MP for St Augustine and was on the opposition bench.

He began his presentation by saying, “We need