As usual we were in Gandhinagar (for the Ahmedabad) regional round as participants. Apart from atleast 70-80 TCS teams (because the quiz was held in TCS premise) there must be other 25-30 teams that were in contention.
The prelims had 20 questions as usual with inbuilt tie-breaker. The questions were slightly tougher than the usual and cut-off for the teams that qualified was 14 and above.
Here are the questions from prelims.
1. This word comes from Latin term which means "One who loves" and now this word is used for some one who is a non-professional and doesn't monetary benefit by participating in the activity.
Answer: Amateur
2. Identify the logo: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
3. Bringing the rainbow is a book written by Mr. R K Somany, he started which sanitaryware company?
Answer: Hindware
4. This building constructed in 1898 had hosted several freedom fighters, maharajas and other important personalities. It was also the first to introduce innovations like electricity and phone in the country. Name the building.
Answer: Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai.
5. This hill station in Satara district in Maharashtra has is famous for it table top like geography and is famous because of some of the movie shot their like Tare Zameen Par.
Answer: Panchgani
6. A question about logo of Panini brand of stationery (never heard of it and didnt even find it on Google!)
7. Identify the logo of aviation giant.
Answer: Boeing
8. Which famous Indian is author of this book?
Answer:Ram Charan
9. What did he invent? He is Momofoku Ando
Answer: Instant noodles, Cup Noodles
10. Jamshed Bhabha started which institution to promote art and culture?
Answer: NCPA
11. This country didnt make it to ICC worldcup but their airlines promoted itself by urging travelers to use them for flying to worldcup.
Answer: Kenya Airlines
12. Logo of clothing brand started with initial "EK" who started it?
Answer: Ekta Kapoor
13. Shri Narandas Desai started this business more than 100 years ago by importing his first batch of team from South Africa, Which company?
Answer: Wagh Bakri tea
14. George Townsend started this business that initially manufactured sewing needles, but then changed to manufacturing motorcycles, the company is today very successful in India. Name the company/brand.
Answer: Royal Enfield.
15. This product was made by Block Drug company and claimed to help with tooth sensitivity, what is the name of the brand?
Answer: Sensodyne
16. This is a French word that means Morning however in entertainment industry this means the afternoon show, which word?
Answer: Matinee show
17. Which American banker advised Thomas Edison to be more aggressive in business and acquire competitor Westinghouse?
Answer: J P Morgan
18. This IT company was started by Dun & Bradstreet and Satyam 25 years ago and has a big presence in Pune and Chennai today. Name the company
Answer: Cognizant
19. An act was passed in parliament in 1963 to establish this important financial institution that is better know these days through its abbreviated name.
Answer: UTI
20. Who is the famous Indian co-author of this book?
Answer: Raghuram Rajan
The teams that qualified were the following.
- Nielsen India Pvt. Ltd (Me and my partner Ashutosh Dixit)
- Triton Consulting
- Pharmazone
- Hanning Motors
- Genesis A1
- Ambalal Enterprise
The format this year was pretty similar to last year's corporate round with all questions on buzzer with default value of 100 points and option to have 150 points for each question. Total 26 questions were asked.
Given that we were one of the team that qualified I was not able to capture all questions, but here are the few questions that I was able to capture.
1. This was a currency issued by a bank in Mumbai, this is beginning of which famous bank?
Answer: HSBC
2. Which brand was created in Spain in 60s eventually owned by Sara Lee and P&G and is asscoiated with Cars.
Answer: Ambi Pur
3. Volkswagen Beattle is considered to be a copy of a product made by this company because of impeding world war Hitler asked the VW owners to go ahead with this and settle the case later. In 1960s the company settles by paying company X an amount of 3000000 Deutsche marks. What is X?
Answer: Tatra
4. This is a jewelry brand by Tanishq which is named after a famous Indian princess, Identify the brand.
Answer: Ahalya
5. A question on identify the financing term that relates to the image.
Answer: Mezzanine financing.
6. Identify the famous print ad from 1980 and the brand.
Answer: National Panasonic.
7. There were few question where the answers were Coco Chanel, Script.com & Gillette, there was also connect showing images of Brian Acton, Jan Koum, and a video clip. The connect was Whatsapp
8. Which broking firm did he start?
Answer: Angel Broking
9. There was an abstract connect on failed airlines with image of Maran brothers, Natwest series video.
10. A connect on Sotheby auctions.
11. Which company offers 5000$ for employees who wants to quit?
Answer: Amazon.
12. Which American businessman entered politics after world war 1 and had 161 patents? His biggest wish was to come to India and meet Gandhi
Answer: Henry Ford.
13. Which product was launched with the line "Without darkness what will be purpose of light? Without villains what will the gods do?"
Answer:
We were leading the quiz halfway through, with Hanning motors trailing us just by few points. It went down the wire and Triton and Pharmazone covered a lot of ground in second half, though playing recklessly costed us the game, holding their nerves helped Hanning Motors from Vadodara to win the quiz.
