Quizzing in India
Encyclopedia
Quizzing in India is quite popular, and has developed its own, unique flavour. Quizzing in India is different from American and British quizzing in that it is diverse, with different genres catering to different geographical regions, age groups, interests, etc.
Neil O'Brien was an early pioneer of quizzing in India. O'Brien conducted the first well-organized, formal quiz in 1967 at Christ the King Church Parish Hall in Calcutta (now Kolkata
). O'Brien, who had recently returned from England and had been exposed to the Pub quiz
culture there, brought quizzing first to the Anglo-Indian
community before it became popular among a wider audience. O'Brien remained active in quizzing, later hosting popular quiz show broadcasts, including the "North Star Quiz." On April 12, 1972, Bournvita Quiz Contest
become the first quiz show to be broadcast on television; it was among the most popular programmes in the region. Hamid Sayani
, followed by his brother Ameen
, were the show's first quizmasters. The first quiz show to become nationally popular was "Quiz Time," which began broadcasting in the late eighties. Quizmaster Siddhartha Basu
, frequently hailed as the "grandfather of the quiz game in India, is credited with making quizzing a household world. Basu later went on to host other shows, including "India Quiz." In 2000, the Kaun Banega Crorepati
quiz, modeled after Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
, reignited nationwide interest in quizzing, becoming one of the most popular quiz shows of all time.
Neil O'Brien was an early pioneer of quizzing in India. O'Brien conducted the first well-organized, formal quiz in 1967 at Christ the King Church Parish Hall in Calcutta (now Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
). O'Brien, who had recently returned from England and had been exposed to the Pub quiz
Pub quiz
A pub quiz is a quiz held in a public house. These events are also called Quiz Nights or Trivia Nights and may be held in other settings. Pub quizzes are still extremely popular and may attract people to a pub who are not found there on other days. The pub quiz is a modern example of a pub game...
culture there, brought quizzing first to the Anglo-Indian
Anglo-Indian
Anglo-Indians are people who have mixed Indian and British ancestry, or people of British descent born or living in India, now mainly historical in the latter sense. British residents in India used the term "Eurasians" for people of mixed European and Indian descent...
community before it became popular among a wider audience. O'Brien remained active in quizzing, later hosting popular quiz show broadcasts, including the "North Star Quiz." On April 12, 1972, Bournvita Quiz Contest
Bournvita Quiz Contest
The Cadbury Bournvita Quiz Contest is an Indian quiz contest that began on April 12, 1972. Sponsored by Cadbury India, it is one of India's most famous quiz contests. Originally held live in cities across the country, it later became a radio show and then, in June 1992, a television show on Zee TV...
become the first quiz show to be broadcast on television; it was among the most popular programmes in the region. Hamid Sayani
Hamid Sayani
Hamid Sayani was a popular announcer with the Hindi Service of Radio Ceylon. He was the brother of Ameen Sayani who presented Binaca Geetmala....
, followed by his brother Ameen
Ameen Sayani
Ameen Sayani is a popular radio announcer from India. He achieved fame and popularity all across South Asia when he presented his Binaca Geetmala program of hits over the airwaves of Radio Ceylon. He is one of the most imitated announcers even today....
, were the show's first quizmasters. The first quiz show to become nationally popular was "Quiz Time," which began broadcasting in the late eighties. Quizmaster Siddhartha Basu
Siddhartha Basu
Siddhartha Basu is an Indian television producer-director and quiz show host, most known as producer-director of shows like, Kaun Banega Crorepati , and Dus Ka Dum . He is Chairman and Managing Director of Big Synergy Media Ltd., established in 1989 as Synergy Media Ltd., which produces these shows...
, frequently hailed as the "grandfather of the quiz game in India, is credited with making quizzing a household world. Basu later went on to host other shows, including "India Quiz." In 2000, the Kaun Banega Crorepati
Kaun Banega Crorepati
Kaun Banega Crorepati is an Indian reality/game show based on the UK game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? which offers a maximum cash prize of £1 million. The show first aired in 2000 and was hosted by Amitabh Bachchan. This was the first appearance of Bachchan on Indian television...
quiz, modeled after Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is a television game show which offers large cash prizes for correctly answering a series of multiple-choice questions of increasing difficulty. The format is owned and licensed by Sony Pictures Television International. The maximum cash prize is one million pounds...
, reignited nationwide interest in quizzing, becoming one of the most popular quiz shows of all time.
External links
- When Curiousity Pays article from The HinduThe HinduThe Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...
- Quzzing Your Way To Glory article from The HinduThe HinduThe Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...