1. Where did Jawaharlal Nehru make his famous ‘Tryst With Destiny’ speech?
2. This book has two sections — the older section was taken from the Greek edition. Together with the newer section, this book is the most purchased book in the world. It was also the first book to be published on the modern printing press of Gutenberg. Name the book.
3. Prompted by the publication of secret documents by WikiLeaks as well as the Edward Snowden affair, Russia’s Federal Guard Service is looking to spend 486,000 roubles — around £10,000 — on what device invented in 1873 to safeguard Kremlin communications and protect President Putin?
4. This person was honoured as the asthana-vidwan of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams and has been immortalised with a larger-than-life bronze statue at Poornakumbham circle in Tirupati. Who are we talking about?
5. William Stukeley, a pioneering archaeologist, is famous for his biography of ‘X’ titled Memoirs of Sir X’s Life. A Conversation with X in Kensington. It is the basis for a famous story concerning X. Here is an extract: “... We went into the garden and drank tea under the shade of some ______ trees, only he and myself. Amidst other discourse, he told me, he was just in the same situation, as when formerly, the notion of gravitation came into his mind. ‘Why should that _____ always descend perpendicularly to the ground?’” Fill in the blanks.
6. For many years this 4½-inch symbol of friendship and rivalry, was kept by the 8th Earl of Darnley at his home at Cobham Hall as a memento of the day he met his future wife Florence Rose Morphy. After his death in 1927 it was presented to his club. It is insured for a seven figure sum by Zurich Financial and travelled business class accompanied by three club members on a tour of Australian museums in 2006. What is it?
7. Who said this on first being told of his company’s tag line for advertising, “I think it’s utterly mad, but if you think it will work, go ahead.”
8. This French city is the centre of the European aerospace industry. It shares a nickname with an Indian city because of the distinctive appearance of the bricks used to construct most of its buildings, especially in gentle sunlight. (a) Name the French city (b) What is the shared nickname?
9. Which county is situated in the centre of Africa? Hint: It is named appropriately!
10. This Mughal emperor conquered Kashmir in 1587 AD. During his rule the Hindus enjoyed security and were allotted high government posts. It was he who, pleased with their intelligence, gave them a particular surname. Which emperor? (b) What surname?
11. What is the name of George R R Martin’s official fan club? Hint: Its name is taken from one of the groups in the Game of Thrones series of books. The visual might help but the answer is not in it.
12. In 2013, scientists described a six-foot-lizard that roamed South East Asia around 36–40 million years ago. It was given the scientific name Barbaturex _________. The first name means ‘bearded king’, a reference to the ridges on its back and its enormous size. The second name refers to a person who, rather appropriately, went by the nickname ‘The Lizard King’. Who?
13. Joakim ____ currently plays for the Chicago Bulls in the National Basketball Association (NBA). His grandfather Zacharie, is a former Cameroonian footballer who won the Coupe de France in 1961 while playing for Sedan. Who is his famous father, who also won a prestigious French tournament in 1983?
14. Which Carnatic music violinist recently brought out the fusion album Malabar to Morocco?
15. The origin of this word, describing a certain tradition, is traced (by the OED) to the Spanish word hombredad, meaning manliness, modified after the Sicilian word for man. The basic principle behind this concept is that it is not “manly” to seek the aid of legally constituted authorities in order to settle personal grievances. What is the word?
answers
1. Central Hall of Parliament
2. The Bible
3. Typewriters
4. MS Subbulakshmi
5. Apple (X is Isaac Newton)
6. The Ashes Urn (or Trophy)
7. Dr Verghese Kurien (founder of Amul reacting to the “Utterly Butterly Delicious” tag line of Amul.
8. Toulouse. It shares the nickname Pink City (Ville Rosse) with Jaipur
9. Central African Republic
10. Emperor Akbar / Kashmiri Pandits
11. Brotherhood Without Banners
12. Jim Morrison
13. Yannick Noah
14. Viji Krishnan
15. Omerta (the Italian Mafia’s code of silence)