Women’s stories often fade out of textbooks and public memory. They slip past the talk of success and power. Women show up, sure, though usually near the margins. Virginia Woolf put it rightly, “For most of history, Anonymous was a woman.”
Quizzing has not been immune to this. The format, popular across colleges and clubs in Tamil Nadu, has for years drawn mostly male participants, relied largely on male question-setters, and centred the men it chooses to celebrate. The Purple Riband Quiz, hosted by the Quiz Foundation of India, was built to bridge that gap. The second edition will be held on March 8 on Women’s Day. Here, women will take centre stage, as participants, as quizmasters, and as the subjects of the questions themselves.
Dr Navin Jayakumar, a founding member of the Quiz Foundation of India, started the quiz the previous year as a deliberate experiment. “The idea was to have a quiz about women, and conducted by women. But we weren’t sure how many women would turn up if I did a quiz like this. We’ve never tried it,” he said. When the count settled, nearly seventy women had filled the room. This year, he decided to go further. “I said, this year, let’s take that risk. Let’s roll that dice and say this quiz is for women and only for women. So it’s a completely all-women event.”
For anyone anxious about preparation, he advises, “If you’re aware of current events and affairs, that is more than enough. This is not an exam. This is a fun event. The important thing is to come and enjoy yourselves. If you want to read about famous women, that’s a very good place to start.”
The four quizmasters hosting the event span what Navin describes as four generations of the quiz world. Saranya Jayakumar, at around 86 years old, is among the oldest active quizmasters in India. She is also Navin’s mother. At the other end, Vanshi Mudilyar from Mumbai conducted her first open quiz only about six months ago, making her one of India’s youngest quiz hosts. Jayashree Mohanka is in her sixties, and Nirupama V is in her forties. “We have literally four generations of quiz hosts. So you can expect a wide range of topics to be covered, which will appeal to everyone,” Navin shares.
In 2026, as India marks 60 years of open quizzing, the foundation is staking a claim for women within that history. The Purple Riband Quiz extends beyond the quiz rounds themselves. Participation supports the women of The Banyan. The team hopes to conduct the quiz every year. “There’s no going back from this,” Navin says.
QFI Purple Riband Quiz 2026
When: Sunday, March 8, 3 pm
Open to women of any age. Teams of two. Individual participants will be paired at the venue. Men may attend as patrons.
For further information contact quizfoundation@gmail.com
Register at www.quizfoundation.com