Landmark Quiz 2010, Mumbai

The second edition of Landmark Quiz(mumbai) was conducted at St Andrew’s Audi, Bandra. As always it was a good experience, came across many interesting question and got to know about new facts. Since all of my Mumbai friends were busy with other high priority commitments, my plan was just to witness the quiz as a spectator. But at the venue, organizers didn’t allow me inside as the first priority was for participants and mentioned that spectators will be allowed if there are any free seats left before start of the quiz. Therefore, I decided to form a team on-the-spot to avoid taking any chances and end up missing the quiz. At the registration desk I met a group of two, Puneet Jain(alum of IIMC) and Akash Tiwari(alum of NITIE) who were hunting for a third partner. Without any second thoughts I joined them to form a team.

A few observations

• The quiz was conducted by renowned quizmaster Dr. Navin Jaykumar and there were quite a lot well research questions.
• In prelims many questions were many bouncers and yorkers. The quizmaster regretted about it in the end, promised for easier question next year and requested general junta to turn up in more numbers.
• It was very generous gesture from the quizmaster to give credits to Karnataka Quizzing Authority(KQA) and Quiz Foundation of Chennai for their contribution, which is usually not done in live quizzes.
• Unlike last year there were not major goof-ups in the conduction but still there’s scope for improvement.
• The announcement of finalist can be done in more dramatic way by mentioning the scores.
• Major amusing thing about this edition of the quiz was funny team names. There were quite a lot creative team names based on currents affairs. A few such names
• Haseena Ka Paseena ( my darling’s sweat equity)
• Lalit Modi+Sharad Pawar = Lalita Pawar
• Modi’s Operandi
• Avatars of ‘Navi’ Mumbai.

Some interesting questions which I managed to note down. Have not mentioned the answers so that it turns out to be an interesting read :)

Questions From Prelims

• What were the words suggested by the following to open a telephonic conversation (a)  Edison (b) Graham Bell
• Which Indian politician has the distinction of being CM of two states ?
• For which annual event in late August/early September, the top floors of ‘Empire State Building’ in New York is illuminated with golden yellow color.
• It’s ‘Bharat Mata’ for India and ‘Britannia’ for Britain. Which lady is the personification of United States ?
• In Japanese it is called Bento Box, in India it is referred by which British Raj term.
• In 1990, Hubble Space Telescope was launched into orbit by which space shuttle ?
• Sansi International Airport at Amristar is named after a which historical figure ?
• In 1985, who became governor of RBI after a brief stint of Amitav Ghosh ?

Questions From Finals

• From which monument the dome of Taj Mahal Palace hotel was inspired ?
• Why did Barack Obama used 22 pens to sign $938 billion Healthcare bill ?
• For what act of Filipino chieftain Lapu-Lapu is regarded as national hero ?
• An excerpt from Indian express dated Fed 22 2010 - “A batsman ‘without a jersey number’ played a ball towards a fielder with jersey number “09”. Another player with jersey number “9” collected the throw from “09” and removed bails to runout Sachin Tendulkar”. Who are these three players and what’s so significant about their jersey numbers.
• ‘Dandi March’ was not the first march of M.K Gandhi. The first one was in South Africa based on two issues. One was ban on Indian travellers moving from one province to another. What was the second issue ?
• There two monuments next to Taj Mahal. One is a mosque and other one replica of the mosque and is a empty shell. What’s the official name of the second structure.
• Which female Tennis star recently singed a eight year contract with Nike ?
• Which industry uses largest amount of silver as obsolete?
• In current affairs what do you mean by the term E-15 ?
• In 10th century, Muslim mathematician Ibn-al-hai-tham invented Pinhole camera ? How did he make discovery and what’s the etymological behind this ?
• Which modern day corporation was a supplier for construction of ‘Hall of Mirrors’ at Versailles Castle.
• Spanish politician Gaspar Llamazeres has criticized US for which act  and has publicly mentioned he no longer feel like travelling to US.
• In 1946, United Nations passed the first resolution for formation of which organization ?
• What kind of hair-style is called bar-code ?
• Named after a god, which Island near Sicily, thru its name has contributed a word to most European languages ?
• Which latest IT term, has been derived from a notation used in diagram to represent a thing used in past ?
• What is Fridge googly ?

Post by others about the event

• IIT Bombay Quiz blog