Which historical figure from 1400s, also the patron saint of France, was executed for the following charges:
• Claiming to follow God’s direct commands
• Prophesying the future
• Wearing men’s clothing
Tag: India
[227]
In 1981, Jane X a popular British actress was sitting next to Hermès CEO Jean-Louis Dumas on a flight, when he noticed her overflowing straw bag.
“You should have one with pockets” Dumas told X. “The day Hermès makes one with pockets, I will have that” X replied.
Inspired by this conversion, Dumas launched a new bag named after the actress, and rest was history.
Identify X.
[226]
In 2021, this band announced a 12-point plan to cut their carbon footprint of touring by 50%.
This included crating dance floor that generates electricity when fans jump up and down, to having cut down on air travel.
Over the last 3 years, they have achieved 59% reduction in direct CO2e emissions, planted 7 million trees & reused 86% LED wristbands at their concerts.
Can you identify the band?
[225]
The following is a temple in Palakkad, Kerala know for a divine visit by Goddess Hemambika or Emoor Bhagavathy. However, according to the forklore, the Goddess appeared only partially, leading to the statue at the temple.
How is the temple related to the world of politics in India?
[224]
According to Greek mythology, the Labyrinth imprisoning the Minotaur at Crete was created by master craftsman Daedalus.
However, Daedalus was part of another story, where his son used a device made by the craftsman & became a cautionary tale.
Can you identify who was Daedalus’ son and what is known for?
[223]
The following is a five bedrooms and six bathrooms, Georgian-style property, built in 1921. The house was sold in 2012 for $1.5M & has recently come back on the market for $5.25M.
The house has been the set of a blockbuster movie released in 1990, where it was heavily covered.
Where would you have seen this house?
[222]
The Elo system is a method for calculating the relative skill levels of players in zero-sum games.
Over the years, it has been used for multiple games, and even for matchmaking for Tinder, the dating app.
The question is, which game was the Elo system originally created for?
[221]
Connect the autobiographies with their correct authors.
| Losing My Virginity | Ron Jeremy |
| Bossypants | Maya Angelou |
| Last Words | Tina Fey |
| The Hardest (Working) Man in Showbiz | Richard Branson |
| I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings | George Carlin |
[220]
While the origins of the festival are unknown, it was celebrated in early 1600s by Shivaji Maharaj in Pune.
Centuries later it was revived by Lokmanya Tilak in 1892 as a means to circumvent the colonial British government ban on Hindu gatherings. It was here that the festival became a more public celebration, rather than private affair.
Can you identify the festival?
[219]
Talgoda or Taal or Ice Apple is a fruit from the palm family and is found in South Asia in the summer months.
The fruit consists of a pulpy center which is filled with a liquid. This is thought to be the inspiration behind a sweet from Eastern part of India.
Can you identify the sweet?
[218]
Monty Norman composed a song “Bad Sign, Good Sign”, for a musical adaptation of V. S. Naipaul’s novel A House for Mr Biswas, set in the Indian community in Trinidad.
This song went on to become an inspiration for which globally recognizable piece of music associated with adventure?
[217]
X Fine Spinning Associates was an American textile company, founded in 1889.
Y Manufacturing Company was a producer of cotton textiles founded in 1888.
In 1955, both the companies merged together to create XY.
As of 2024, the company XY’s market capitalization has been north of $800B and has been among the most valued companies in the US.
Identify the company XY.
[216]
X is a “software” co-founded by Monty Widenius & named after his daughter My Widenius.
The software’s mascot is called “Sakila” a feminine name in the SiSwati language from Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), Africa.
Can you identify this software?
[215]
X is a game in 1985 by Alexey Pajitnov, a Soviet software engineer. The word X is created from a combination of “Greek for four” and the engineer’s favorite sport.
Due to the circumstances of the Cold War, the game changed hands multiple times and even became part of the Nintendo vs Atari console wars, where it was called the “The Soviet Mind Game”.
Can you identify the game?
[214]
X was the 6th Surveyor General of India (1830-1843) & was part of the 70 year ‘Great Trigonometric Survey’ to map out of the entire Indian subcontinent. He was known for his pioneering work & detail orientation.
Such was his reputation that when his successor Andrew Scott Waugh found a remarkable (now globally known) landmark in the region, he said it had to be named after X.
Can you identify X or the landmark named after him?
[213]
MVPL was founded by Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV in 1937. It became a public sector company when India gained independence in 1947.
The company is the sole manufacturer of an iconic product in India & has a fairly cyclical business. The company also exports the product to countries like Thailand, Singapore, Nigeria, Malaysia and South Africa.
Can you identify the product made by the company?
[212]
About 50% of this fruit’s production comes from India, which is also seen from its scientific name Mangifera indica. It was especially famous with the Mughal emperors, Akbar commissioned an orchid of 1,00,000 trees called Lakhi Bagh near Darbhanga, Bihar.
Today companies like Reliance, Essar are some of the largest exporter of it.
Can you identify this fruit?
[211]
In 1970s, Chinni Krishnan saw an opportunity to disrupt the FMCG market in India by introducing smaller pack items targeted towards economically weaker section of the society.
In 1980s, his son C.K. Ranganathan carried the legacy forward by launching a product named after his father. The product disrupted the market, and is something which has become quite common these days.
Can you identify the product that was launched? Or what was unique about it?
[210]
Also known as Taṣawwuf, X is a religious sect associated with mysticism. The name X which is widely known, is thought to be derived from “one who wears wool”. The basic tenet of the sect is to find the truth of divine love and knowledge through direct personal experience of God.
Can you identify X?
[209]
X is a type of deciduous tree native to Madagascar, Africa & Australia. The tree is also referred to as ‘upside down tree’, due to a local myth, or ‘Tree of Life’ due to many uses of its bark & fruit.
It is also one of the longest living trees on Earth, with an estimated age of 2000-3000 years.
Can you identify this iconic tree?
