Date:02/05/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/05/02/stories/2004050203450600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

The Hindu Business Line Quiz finalists

By K.V.S. Madhav

Anil Raghavan and Ramdas of the FACT-TCS team (left) talking to Sanjay Shamkuwar and C. Chandrasekhar of the Bhilai Steel Plant team of The Hindu Business Line quiz on Friday. They entered the all-India finals slated for May 7. - Photo: Arunangsu Roy Chowdhury

HYDERABAD, MAY 1. The consultant duo from FACT and TCS, Ramdas and Anil Raghavan, along with the senior managerial duo from Bhilai Steel Plant, Sanjay Shamkuwar and C. Chandrasekhar, won the Hyderabad leg of The Hindu Business Line Quiz here on Friday and entered the all-India finals slated for May 7 in Chennai. The former were finalists of the last year's edition as well.

Both teams put behind a slow start and emerged victorious in a keenly contested two-hour long battle of wits in the six-team line up for the regional finals. The team from Osmania University College of Commerce and Business Management stood third.

To put in the words of the quizmaster, Suresh Kumar, Hyderabad lived up to its "great quizzing history", with as many as 40 teams, including a few from the City's oldest quizzing group, K Circle, vying for the top honours. It wasn't Hyderabadis alone. There were contestants all the way from Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Chattisgarh, Bangalore and Mumbai, including one team, which stood sixth in the Bangalore leg of the quiz last week, making another bid to reach the national finals.

It was a roller-coaster ride through the world of business, and through the decades as well, as the contestants were quizzed on topics ranging from the oldest stock exchange in the world to wacky ad campaigns and new age management mantras. Some stumped them and some were sitters. Sample these. Which brand carried the slogan `Do not carry a cold in your pocket?' A few pass overs, a clue that the ad was beamed in the 20s and a pregnant pause later came the answer from Surnar, the team that finished fifth, Cleanex tissues.

Which bank has Goddess Lakshmi on its logo? What is cutting a melon? What does wall paper the meeting mean? Which beverage brand would you associate C.L. Brigg with? Complete the 30s slogan of Volkswagen, ... is only skin deep?

The Bhilai Steel Plant team sprang a surprise and made mincemeat of what was inarguably a tough question - Ugly is only skin deep! Dena Bank has Goddess Lakshmi as its logo, cutting a melon is companies doling out much larger dividends to shareholders than expected, wall paper the meeting is the chairperson planting his cronies in the meeting and C.L. Brigg founded the brand Seven Up!