The competition was one of the stiffest , if not the stiffest , in the world at that time , but more so .
Any plan to cross the seas and travel to Europe was bound to meet with the strongest opposition from the Indian society .
The competition was one of the stiffest , if not the stiffest , in the world at that time , but more so because any plan to cross the seas and travel to Europe was bound to meet with the strongest opposition from the Indian society .