Our New GuestQuiZMaster:
Sandeep Badoni
1. Sitaram Yechury and Somanath Chatterjee have a common rare distinction in parliamentary history. What I am talking about.
2. Which Indian National Congress President A (Himself , a Hindu )had a unique honour (in Indian family )to have two real brothers as Muslims and was considered as compromise candidate between Jawahar Lal Nehru (left) and Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel (right) for Prime minister along with B who had written “History of Indian National Congress”(initial volumes) . B opposed C in election of president of Indian National Congress. C declared Mahatma Gandhi as Father of Nation in a radio broadcast at a place called D. D ‘s place name is derived from E( India’s national animal up to 1972).F was a chief minister of Indian state and wrote “F:An unfinished Autobiography”. How A and F are connected to each other. Also, important point is A and B are two people holding a common condition in history of elections to President of Indian National Congress. This condition is also required. Solve A B C D E and F.
3. An Indian Army officer Z in propaganda cell wrote an assessment to Commander in chief Auchinleck that departing US army store officials are selling weapons to communal parties which can create serious disturbances in Eastern India. Z was a key negotiator on behalf of Punjab government to persuade Sheikh Abdullah to accede to Pakistan. But tribal invasion destroyed his plans. In 1951, this ex army officer was sentenced to jail in a failed conspiracy to overthrow Pakistan’s government which is named after the town X where the plot was hatched. Now Z is known for something unrelated field I e poetry and is considered one of the notable omissions for Literature Noble Prize because of his pronounced leftist leanings. (Along with Nazim Hikmat of Turkey).Identify Z and X.
4. Bhagwan Ahir, Ramapati Chamar and Abdullah Julaha were sentenced to be hanged to death for something so grotesque that they are never mentioned in any history book. Some years ago; Mayawati, Chief Minister of UP asked central government to give them status of Martyrs. What they did –I want exact point but half points if you tell me where they did it. (Place is more famous, I concede). Please do excuse my use of casteist surnames but this was all I could get in my research.
5. On 22-23 December 1949, an incident A occurred in a town B of then United Provinces which caused serious communal trouble in later years. C as home minister of India asked D home / police minister of United Provinces to immediately change to previous status. D refused to take action on grounds of law and order problems and created one of the longest running disputes of Independent India. D was the first minister to be inducted in ministry even after defeat in recent elections. C and D had so big a running dispute that later E, Press officer attached to D wrote book and articles repeatedly accusing C of being communal and anti minorities. In this he took inspiration from F, a ministerial colleague of C, who wrote a book G which was denounced by Lord Mountbatten as he thought it dishonourable to defame C after his death. F was mocked by Jinnah as “politician without roots”, “a show boy” and “Has never won elections and never will”. Later F won elections in independent India twice. E used to write a column syndicated in more than 80 newspapers which is also title of his earlier published bestselling book H.Identify A to H.
6. A, one of India’s foremost leaders in pre independence India in his youth was disciple of revolutionary Madan Lal Dhingra and was involved in a conspiracy to bomb British viceroy of India. But because of his family’s good linkages to British dating back to 1857, he was let off and later became Prime minister of one of British provinces and given rank of honorary colonel. He founded a political dynasty along with his elder brother who was prime minister of an important princely state. Because of his political stature, he was refused a burial in his ancestral village and was buried in a mughal monument B which he had helped in renovating. B was considered at that time, largest of its kind in world until Oil sheikhs built larger building of this type. Please identify A and B.
7. Amir Abdur Rehman of Afghanistan in 1900 did what was a revolution for rulers of sub continent. Later he was followed by many politicians but his effort was pioneering to say the least and still a reference point for students of Indian public life.
8. What is common claim to fame for diverse people like W H Johnson, Ardagh, Claude Mc Cartney and Fredric Iselin?(No need to recount their individual contributions)
9. For which famous explorer A, it is said that he retired as colonel (Lt Colonel to be precise) in an illustrious family of five generals (father, 2 uncles and 2 brothers) but he will be remembered to posterity as truly honourable man. He led his victorious troops against army and opened this region B to the world which he regret later after spiritual awakening which he attributed to visit of B. Later he wrote a monumental work on a princely state C which is even now a reference work. He was named guardian of D, future ruler of C (in a will of father of D). D‘s indecision as ruler of princely state caused his land possessions and bank accounts to be seized by a provincial government E. His famed jewellery possessions were in a bank vault, later donated to Defence of India fund and had to die in exile at Bombay. A later became head of Royal Geographic Society. His fellow explorer X who also worked in same princely state C in lesser position could not get knighthood which was won by his father and 2 brothers. One of his brothers was W, who is famous for a geographical landmark Y named after him and a sports contest Z started by him at shimla which later shifted to Delhi. Identify A, B, C, D, W, X, Y,Z.(I have no problem if X full name is not answered but only his illustrious surname)
10. Which Indian military formation with modern name A was historically formed in 1303 to save a deity B against marauders from Delhi. This formation in my humble opinion is Indian army ‘s oldest regiment but was never considered as such as it belonged to a princely state C.If somebody can tell its original name D in 1949 before absorption in Indian army, he will get double points.(Original Name is derived from the state it belonged to). Modern name is enough for people like me.
11. A, famous singer in bollywood died because of drinking and liver problems. This led to his maternal uncle’s injunction to three sons not to go anywhere near a film as it is occupation of bad people. The elder son became a hero in Punjabi film and popularized a phrase B which got identified with a later Hindi film hero C who was considered amongst one of ten most handsome males in world by “Life “. The other two brothers D and E became famous actors doing villainous/ character roles. E wrote his autobiography “Act of Life” in which he regrets his association with RSS and his inability to join army due to postal delay. E was counted in one of the five best actors in Indian cinema by Shyam Benegal.Identify A, B, C, D and E.
12. I am talking about a father son duo that both became Cabinet ministers at centre and died in office. (A rare legacy indeed).
13. This question is dedicated to our national pastime i.e. Leg pulling. It is widely reported that Indian crabs are exported in open containers as Indian crabs do not allow other crabs to move above them and thus escape from containers. The finest example was in 1950, when Indian representative A voted against India‘s candidate X in election of Head of International Labour Organization in favour of Iranian candidate. Indian candidate X won the election and is known to world as complaining against a fellow cabinet minister Y and Z, a state governor of engineering this on dubious grounds. Nehru took side of Y and there were rumours that X will be dropped from cabinet but it never happened. Incidentally, he was dropped after death of Nehru. X also accused Z of being a spy of Indian political intelligence and leaking crucial congress resolutions to British Government before independence. (This is unfortunately proven true by de classification of British archives in 1970s). Identify X, Y and Z only.(double points in case of identifying A)
14. India’s only Jewish ruler in modern times was A, who admonished Nizam of Hyderabad of acting independent and reminded him of obligations towards paramount power which was later used by Patel to convince Mountbatten that Nizam cannot be allowed to be independent ruler. Later became last foreign secretary of Great Britain belonging to a particular Party B. He was earlier Lord Chief Justice which led Mahatma Gandhi to “expect justice” from him.
15. Plan 280 was formed by Wilcox Committee. Nehru said 150 to 175 are enough. J N Chaudhury proposed Plan 200 to be implemented after 1948.Finance minister said implementation of plan 280 till normal conditions return. What were these plans related to?
16. Governor General of India after 1858 was Viceroy of King Emperor in British India and X in relation to Princely states. Identify X.
17. When in 1949, a chief minister of Indian state A wanted regiment for his own state; Commander in chief ordered a company belonging to and recruited from this state A in a military formation B. State A was always discriminated in recruitment because of theory of martial races which in directly caused the largest massacre in sub continent across the border in 1971.Identify A and B.
18. A high powered committee known as JVP committee pronounced against linguistic states immediately after independence to preserve national unity.Incidentally, this decision was reversed in case of Andhra and later by State Reorganization Commission headed by Justice Fazal Ali with K M Panniker and H. H was one of few non congress members elected in constituent assembly and a defense expert of repute. Identify J, V, and P and H
19. Gujarat has a district Dangs which had four princely states. What the uniqueness of these princely states is in regards to Indian constitution and reason thereof?
20. A tribute to Gandhi ji and his associates. A was described by Gandhiji who will drink even cup of poison on my orders even after knowing it is poison. B was described as his spiritual successor who received first Ramon Magsaysay Prize in 1958. C was described as “removing my aversion to pets “. C so much loved pets that he took permission from British officers to have cats in jail which was followed by other associates. D was described by Gandhiji as “Prince amongst Patriots”. C’s elder brother E had an honourable first for an Indian in history of central legislative assembly and willed his entire property to D who was a political rival of C.C who was in jail at that time did not attend funeral of E because he thought that we should never try to get concessions from British for private reasons. F gave title “Mahatma “to Gandhiji. D considered Gandhiji and F as only true original thinkers and “Corner stone of any future political set up in this country”. Identify A to F.
What is common to Devdas, Don, Sholay? - Blockbuster Classics which lived in our memories and got re-created with modern flair and extravaganza....Critics debate whether the original was good or the re-make is better. While one does not get definitive answers for such questions, but everyone does agree to one thing - the plot remains fresh as ever.
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