The team from Sharada Vidyalaya - represented by Prajna N Hebbar (Class 10) and Samarth M Bhat (Class 9), won the first place in the ‘Prajavani Quiz Championship 2016’ held at Canara Girls’ High School at Dongarakery here on Wednesday.
They will now take part in the semifinals scheduled to be held in Bengaluru on January 16.
The team from Lourdes Central School --- S L Parthan and Anvith M Kulal --- both students of Class 10, won the second place while the team from Sri Vyasa Maharshi Vidyapeetha in Mulki represented by Akasharaja P Bhat and Niranjan Kamath (both Class 10 students) secured the third place.
The quiz, organised in association with the Allen Career Institute, was a grand success as a total of 175 teams with 350 students from 60 schools of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Chikkamagaluru districts had taken part in the competitions. Quiz Master Vinay Mudaliar conducted the quiz.
To begin with, the quiz master asked 20 questions - a mixture of audio-visual, identifying the logos and identifying the personalities. The very first question was to name a city which was named after a deity (Goddess Mangaladevi was shown on screen). Out of the 175 teams, six teams which scored highest marks were selected for the next round.
The schools that entered the next round were Sharada Vidyalaya, Lourdes Central School, Canara CBSE High School, Sri Vyasa Maharshi Vidyapeetha, Mulki, Rotary English Medium School, Moodbidri, Rosa Mystica English Medium School, Kinni Kambala.
In fact, Sharada Vidyalaya students had won first place in the last year’s Prajavani Quiz Championship in Mangaluru and had won second place in the final round. Prajna of Sharada Vidyalaya is taking part in the quiz competition for the second time.
Prajna and Samarth said: “We had won second place in the final round of Prajavani Quiz Championship last year. This year, we have prepared ourselves for winning championship at the final round. We are confident of winning.”
5 rounds
There were five rounds to select the winners in Mangaluru. They included ‘passing round’ (60 marks), visual round (60 marks), clue round (45 marks), clue connect (lateral thinking) (45 marks) and the pyramid round (100 marks).
While some questions were easy, others were hard nuts to crack. When the quiz master asked the prominence of a place by showing a photograph and the occasion for the release of coin of Rs 1,000 denomination, the students were perplexed. Even after giving a clue that the spot has been located in Nagpur, nobody could answer the question (Ans: Zero milestone in India).
Another question the contestants found it difficult to answer was to identify the logo of FTII (Film and Television Institute of India). However, a school teacher (audience) answered the question.
However, some difficult questions were answered by the contestants quickly, such as identifying the personalities (when their photographs were shown) such as Jim Corbett, Ruth Handler (creator of Barbie doll) and Master Manjunath (Malgudi Days fame).
On the other hand, a few students answered the difficult questions instantly. Some questions made them think for a while before answering.
When quiz master Vinay asked the speciality of a plant by showing its picture, the students were wonderstruck. However, one of the team members managed to crack the answer - Maggi - after giving a clue that the plant is grown in Germany and Mexico and the product became a big controversy in India last year.
Inaugural programme
Earlier inaugurating the quiz championship, St Aloysius Evening College Principal Manohar Serrao said quiz programmes would help in showcasing the talents of young minds.
Distributing prizes to the winners, Superintendent of Police Dr S D Sharanappa called upon the students to have a vision in life. Congratulating the winners, he lauded the efforts of the organisers and called upon all the students to perform better next time as the present quiz is only one among many opportunities that await in future.
Canara Girls High School Head Teacher Shailaja Kumari, Allen Career Institute National Head Neeraj Poddar, Deccan Herald-Prajavani Circulation Division Senior Manager Jagannath Jois, Assistant Manager Prakash Nayak, Prajavani Bureau Chief Balakrishna Puthige and Deccan Herald Bureau Chief Ronald Anil Fernandes were among those present on the occasion.
Participants speak
Srilatha, a teacher, said the participation in quiz competition would help students to develop competitive spirit. The experience also would help them to gain knowledge.
Second prize-winning students Anvith M Kulal and Parthan S L said the participation in the quiz contest gave them a new experience. “We felt bad that we lost by only five points. We will participate in quiz competitions in the future as well.”
Third prize-winning students Aksharaj P Bhat and Niranjan Kamath said that they were reading newspapers regularly for the last one week as a preparation to take part in the quiz. “After participating in this quiz competition, we wish to participate in a few more competitions,” they said.
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