QOFG 6 - The Madras Connexn

Hello World,

Apologies for the long hiatus...

Pls find answers to the last post below:

1. A saga was started in the year 1842 in Mount Road, Madras by a Portuguese piano tuner by name Misquith. Originally known as M/s Misquith & co., the store metamorphosed into the largest and oldest in South India when it broke the western adjunct and started retailing Indian and far eastern goods. What is the present name of this establishment ?

Musee Musicals

2. Who does the lyrics of this song refer to, outside of the context of the movie in which it appears. Explain.

or download direct : Qn2audio

The song gives an indirect eulogy reference to Ilaiyaraja, his mother's name is Chinnathayammal

3. He was Mani Ratnam's first choice for the lead role in his 'Bombay' who on his refusal settled for Arvind Swamy. However he played a major role in the movie behind the screens. Economic Times has ranked his company, No. 2 in the country in the field. He also runs a film school. Who is this multifaceted guy ?

Rajeev Menon

4. He is Sampooran Singh Kalra, more popularly known by his pseudonym. Identify.

Gulzar

5. Who acted, performed and composed music for this Cannes entry movie ?

Ustad Zakir Hussain

6. Identify the music composer of this song which is still a hot listener's choice on radio and light music concerts ?


or download direct : Qn6Audio

R K Shekar

7. Born in London and came to prominence in early 2004 through file-sharing of 'Galang' and 'Sunshowers' on the Internet. Time magazine placed this person in the TIME 100 list of 'World's most influential people' for having 'global influence across many genres'. Who ?

MIA (Mathangi Arulprakasam)

8. Identify this fruit. Normally orange or red, but could be dark purple and also black in some species.

Rose hips (the fruit of rose flower)

9. Identify the speaker and what is he talking about ?

or download direct : Qn9Audio

Danny Boyle talking about his movie Trainspotting

10. It was created by Henry Luce and Briton Hadden in 1923 making it the first of its kind in the US of A. They first considered naming it 'Facts' but settled for this name. Whatizit ?

TIME magazine

The obvious grand connect is AR Rahman

ARR born to music composer RK Shekar, initially worked for Musee Musicals and then for Ilaiyaraja as keyboardist. He also accompanied Ustad Zakir Hussain on his world tour. Rajeev Menon brought him to the world of ad jingles, he made his film score debut with Roja (Rose). Danny Boyle got him to compose for SM which got him 2 oscars, one of which he shared with Gulzar and a nomination with MIA and in 2009, Time magazine placed him in their list of 'World's 100 most influential people'.

Scores: (Check leader board for consolidated tally)

1. Radhika - 28 (Congrats !)

2. Sripriya - 28 (Congrats !)

3. Karthik U - 27 (Good show !)

4. Ashok Gharpure - 26

5. Ajith Kumar JSV - 26

6. Mayura G - 24

7. Raja - 20

8. Paul Teresa - 7

9. Suresh Ramasubramaniam - 5

Ciao,

Kartheegeyan S

QOFG 5 - Ind(ia)ependence Quiz

Hello World,

Answers to the Ind(ia)ependence Quiz, a quiz on India and her Independence movement.

The number of responses were far and few...hardly patriotic to note...and nobody maxed.

1. What / who does this painting illustrate and who is the painter ?

The illustration of Bharat matha by Abanindranath Tagore, nephew of RNT.

2. Who sang the song Vande Mataram on the first (Independence) session of the Indian Constituent assembly on the early hours of 15 August 1947 ?

Sucheta Kripalani who went on to become India's first woman Chief minister.

3. Identify the flag.

The flag of the British East India Company, though it went through many changes, this was the first.

4. This legend was born around 1725 in the Hindu Vellalapillai caste in Tamilnadu. From modest beginnings he joined the troops of Arcot and later became the commandant of the East India company forces. He proved an able administrator when he was entrusted with the responsibility of administering Madurai after the decline of the nayaks in the region, during which period he converted to Islam. He eventually turned against the Nawab and the British after a feud erupting between the two and organised a revolt against them. His revolt against the British predates the 1857 uprising and ranks as one of the true armed reprisals against the British with a mobilised and organised army. Eventually his aides were bribed to have him caught and he was hanged in 1764 in Madurai. How is this forgotten legend (and remembered for other reasons) popularly known as?

Muhammed Yusuf Khan, originally and popularly known as Marudhanayagam (Pillai). He is hardly remembered except for Kamal Hassan's unfulfilled biopic on him.

5. Identify this cover / story of Amar Chitra Katha ?

Anand Math (ACK version of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's novel on the Sanyasi Rebellion of the 1700s)

6. She was born in Switzerland. She later married an Indian, took the nationality of India and became a Hindu and came to be known as ________ Bai. Thanks to her artistic skills and indepth knowledge of the mythology of India, the Vedas and the Sanskrit language she was entrusted with this responsibility. Identify the person and what is the responsibility?

Savitri Khanolkar and the designing of the Param Vir Chakra

7. Identify the singer.



or download direct http://sites.google.com/site/kartheegeyansstore/home/qofg--5

MS Rajeswari in the movie Naam Iruvar.

8. Considered the revolution’s best general. A day after his hanging, the London Times mentioned in its report of this popular hero’s hanging that a great scramble was made by officers and others to get a lock of his hair. Identify.

Tantya Tope

9. Lal Bahadur Shastri coined the slogan Jai Jawan; Jai Kisan indicating the importance of security and self sustenance of food for the country. Who added what to the slogan to underline the importance of something else to the nation's progress as late as 1998 ?

Atal Behari Vajpayee added Jai Vighyan (Hail Science !) to the slogan after the Pokhran tests of 1998.

10. Identify all pics and connect:



Nobody cracked this...though not very tough... the pics in clockwise order from top left indicate Mrignayani (a painting of a lady - mrignayani means 'doe-eyed'); Talai Cauvery (the origin of River Cauvery; Phoolkari embroidery; Trimourti cave rock-cut at the Elephanta caves; the ruins of Poompuhar in Tamilnadu; the Lepakshi nandi statue in Andhra Pradesh; and the two logos in the middle are that of TV channels Kairali and Gurjari. The connect is simple as that of the names of Handicraft emporia of different states of India - Mrignayani - Madhya Pradesh; Cauvery - Karnataka; Phoolkari - Punjab; Trimourti - Maharashtra; Poompuhar - Tamil Nadu; Lepakshi - Andhra Pradesh; Kairali - Kerala and Gurjari - Gujarat.

Scores:

1. Ajith Kumar JSV - 18 ( Good Show ! )
2. Rad Krish - 17 ( Congrats ! )
3. Sripriya - 17 ( Congrats ! )
4. Raja - 16
5. Ashok Gharpure - 16
6. Karthik U - 14
7. Mayura G - 13
8. Radhika - 12
9. Shekar Singh Sengar - 10

Pls check leaderboard for consolidated scores and await the next quiz.

Ciao,
S Kartheegeyan

QOFG 4 - Personality Connexn Quiz

Hello World,

Time for the answers and scores of the QOFG-4 - Personality Connexn Quiz...Fairly good response...and three people maxed...kudos...

1. He is acclaimed as the final emir of the Egyptian islamic jihad. More often referred to as ‘lieutenant’ and the ‘real brains’ behind the dreaded outfit. He was one of the many scores arrested after the Anwar Sadat assassination and tortured in prison. The attack on the Egyptian embassy of Pakistan was hailed as his first major act to prominence. He is famous/notorious for his fatwa against jews and crusaders and infamous even among his sympathisers for his statement that women’s job is limited to bearing children for the fighters corresponding to an anomaly on the participation of the opposite sex in organisation like Sajida al-rishawi. Who is this most wanted ?

Ayman Al Zawahiri

2. At the age of 13, she attended an all-boy technical school in preparation for her dreams of becoming an engineer. Her initial candid success was when her wards of less than nine year old retarded children applied and succeeded in the state examinations scoring above-average scores which was claimed as a ‘miracle’. She was exiled by Benito Mussolini as she declined to yield her principles in converting kids to soldiers. Her visit to India in the late thirties was more than fruitful as she extensively trained her methodology enabling the still present prevalence of the model in India. Who is this Legend ?

Maria Montessori

3. He was the fourth Prime Minister of his country and the first from modest origins. He held the post for 22 years from 1981 till 2003 when he retired voluntarily, making him one of Asia's longest-serving political leaders. Identify this controversial yet powerful leader.



Mahathir bin Mohammad

4. Born in 1848, he grew up to be one of the six giants of the game of the _______ century. A serious bout of pneumonia disturbed his schooling and he was mostly home educated. Despite this he claimed that he could have gone to either Oxford or Cambridge as offers were aplenty from both. He excelled in his sporting skill 'as if he were fighting a small war'. Who is this legend and fill in the blank.

W. G. Grace, one of the six giants of the Wisden Century.

5. In 1994 this person achieved the unique feat for a creative guy to have his works charting No. 1 in television, book sales and films at the same time. Who is this chartbuster and what are the three works ?



Michael Crichton with his 1994 chart-toppers - ER (tv series), Jurassic Park (movie) and Disclosure (book).

6. He invented the electric telegraph which predates the Morse telegraph by an year. He also discovered that every element has its own emission spectrum. He invented a short range telephone, a precursor to Graham Bell’s telephone. He also invented an electric clock and a method of extracting oil from coal. Identify this prolific inventor.

David Alter

7. His father arranged for him to be born in the British embassy in France, as at the time, the French law stated that all children born on French soil could be conscripted for military service. His troubled and private childhood contributed to his writing skills and his first work which was almost autobiographical. His major works were Of human bondage, The moon and six pence and The razor’s edge. Identify this gifted writer.

Somerset Maugham

8. Norris McWhirter, the later publisher and editor of the Guinness Book of World Records teased the gathering with the longdrawn announcement of this feat as:

"Ladies and gentlemen, here is the result of event 9, 1st, No. 41, _____ _______, Amateur Athletic Association and formerly of Exeter and Merton Colleges, Oxford, with a time which is a new meeting and track record, and which - subject to ratification - will be a new English Native, British National, All-Comers, European, British Empire and World Record. The time was 3...". Fill in the blank and what is the feat ?

Roger Bannister achieving the first sub - 4 minute Mile Run

9. This was a photograph when he was 22. however a later photograph before his death at the age of 39 was immensely popular across the world. Who is this ?



Ernesto Che Guevara

10. His first name is Aron. He is born to a Lithuanian father and Jewish mother. He got his nickname from an Arabian fantasy character. His nephew played the game for his emigrated country which he himself played, led a team and currently administers. Name the administrator and his nephew.

Aron Ali Bacher and Adam Bacher

11. She became the first Indian to win this in the year 1966. She was preceded by Lesley Langley and succeeded by Madeline Hartog Bell. Identify the person and what did she win ?

Reita Faria - Powell, the Miss World, 1966

12. He played as a goalkeeper for an amateur football team. An astute cricketer, he played between 1899 and 1907, in ten first-class matches for the Marylebone cricket club. He also bowled occasionally and took only one first class wicket. Was also a golfer and elected captain of the Crowborough golf club in the year 1910. This Jack of many sports was a master in a field where he is renowned for his famous creation. Who ?

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

And the Grand Connect is that all the luminaries above are Medical Professionals (Doctors) who were more famous in other fields.

Scores:

Karthik U - 30 ( Good Show ! )
Anand Chaganty - 30 ( Good Show ! )
Ajith Kumar JSV - 30 ( Good Show ! )
Puneet Raj - 27.5
Raja - 27
Ashok Gharpure - 26
Animesh Kashinath - 25
RadKrish - 25
Radhika - 24
Govind Paliath - 24
Ratnakar Sadasya - 23
Razzaq Siddhiqui - 21
Kaustuba Venugopal - 19
Shashank Abhishek - 19
Sripriya - 18
Mayura G - 14
Ashwin Sudhir - 12.5
Nirad - 12
Sandeep Kumar - 10
Amrutanshu Mishra - 10
Beckam Dravid - 4


Thanks a lot for the response and feedback.. Please check leaderboard for consolidated top positions and standby for the Independence weekend quiz...

Ciao,

Kartheegeyan S