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VOL. XXIII NO. 23, March 16-31, 2014
Quizzin' with Ram'nan

(Current Affairs questions are from the period February 16th to 28th. Questions 11 to 20 ­pertain to Chennai and Tamil Nadu.)

1. What is so special about zircon crystal found in sandstone in the Jack Hills region of Western Australia recently?

2. On February 19th, Brian Acton and Jan Koum made global headlines thanks to Facebook. Explain.

3. In which State capital was the country’s longest free Wi-Fi zone, stretching nearly 20 km, unveiled recently?

4. On February 20th, which language attained the sixth “classical language’’ status in the country?

5. Name the Government of India’s recently launched new online information guide for social sectors and software tools to develop Internet-based content in local languages.

6. On February 26th, who ­became the first chief of a defence force to resign in independent ­India?

7. The oldest parliamentarian of India, aged 94, announced on February 21st his decision to call it a day. He joined politics and became a member of the first Lok Sabha in 1952. Name this Mani­puri.

8. In the world of medicine, what is the newly discovered ‘Dua’s Layer’ named after its discoverer, Professor Harminder Singh Dua?

9. Which Union Minister has written the lyrics for the music album Raunaq that has music by A.R. Rahman and singers like Lata Mangeshkar and Shreya Ghosal?

10. Name the space telescope that has just discovered 715 planets beyond our solar system.

* * *

11. In 1668, who was the first to be designated Governor of Madras?

12. What grand edifice on the Marina was built in the gardens of Chepauk Palace, occupying what had been the Nawab's Artillery?

13. Alphabetically arranged (in English), which constituencies would be the first and the last of the present 39 Lok Sabha constituencies in Tamil Nadu?

14. Where in Chennai can you find the original registers detailing the marriage of Robert Clive and ­Eli­hu Yale and the baptism of the children of the founder of modern Calcutta, Job Charnock?

15. Where did the Corporation of Madras meet before it moved to Ripon Building in 1913?

16. In which city temple would you see the unique ‘Aadhi Amdha­prabhu’ idol? Also name the two deities that make up the idol.

17. In which educational institution in Madras can you see a statue of Saint Louis-Marie Grig­nion de Montfort on a pedestal?

18. Which institution, synonymous with Chennai and popularly known by a four-lettered abbreviation, was founded by V.R. Singaravelar and Ambat Siva­rama Menon with V.S. Srinivasa Sastri becoming its first president?

19. What is the signature drink for which people flock to the Kalathy Store in Mylapore?

20. Fill in the blank in this statement made by Governor Mount­stuart Elphin­stone Grant-Duff about one of his own initiatives: “From old Sicilian recollections I gave in 1884 to our new creation the name of ______”.? 

Click here to view answers for the quiz

1. The 4.4-billion-year-old crystal has been confirmed as the oldest fragment of Earth's crust; 2. Their popular creation WhatsApp was bought by the online giant for a staggering $19 billion; 3. Patna; 4. Odia; 5. Vikaspedia; 6. Indian Navy chief Admiral Devendra Kumar Joshi; 7. Manipur's Rishang Keishing; 8. At 15 microns thick, it is a new layer in the eye located at the back of the cornea between the corneal stroma and Descemet's membrane; 9. Kapil Sibal; 10. Kepler.

***

11. George Foxcroft; 12. Senate House; 13. Arakkonam and Virudhunagar; 14. St. Mary's Church in the Fort and the Fort Museum; 15. Errabalu Chetty Street; 16. Madhya Kailash. The idol is an amalgam of Anjaneya and Lord Ganesha; 17. Santhome Higher Secondary School; 18. TUCS; 19. Rose milk; 20. Marina.

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OUR ADDRESSES

In this issue

People's Marina
Madras Landmarks
Work on Elevated Expressway again
Now shop at Prison Bazaar
Learning from Trains
Anglo Indians bond in Southern India
Our Own MIT
History Written in gold
No Chitale stamp-Each different

Our Regulars

Short 'N' Snappy
Readers Write
Quizzin' With Ram'nan
Madras Eye

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