Date:16/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/16/stories/2008111660440300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Hunting for answers using maps

Staff Reporter

First round of 18th annual quiz of GeoMap Society held at NTR Gardens

PHOTO: P.V. SIVAKUMAR

Mind game: Schoolchildren participating in the ‘Geo-Map Quiz’ at the NTR Gardens in Hyderabad on Saturday. —

HYDERABAD: Can you think of a quiz competition that includes an on-the-spot survey of a children’s park? The schoolchildren were given the question sheets and digital maps of NTR Gardens; and asked to hunt answers, exploring the park using the map.

That was the first round of the 18th annual quiz of GeoMap Society (GEMS), a city-based society for Geography enthusiasts, here on Saturday.

K.S. Jawahar Reddy, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) commended the efforts of the society in disseminating geographical knowledge.

“Our objective is to spread the fundamental understanding of maps and their usage in daily life,” said G.S. Kumar, society president.

He said map applications played a vital role in development planning with focus on urban areas. So far 60,000-odd students have become part of this programme, according to the society.

5,000 participate

About 5,000 students from 70 schools took part and 600 of them reached the finals, categorised as juniors (Class VI and VII) and seniors (Class VIII to X).

Grouped in three-member teams, they were tested in four-round final. Mr. Reddy gave away awards for prize-winning teams.

In the juniors category, Akash, Gourav and Nikhil of Howard Public School, Himayathnagar, Sai Pavan, Rajiv Krishna and Srikar and Kashyap, Hemanth and Prakhyat, both from HPS, Begumpet bagged the first, second and third prizes.

As for the seniors, K. Sasitha, P. Harshita and S.A. Kruti Mohan of St. Anthony’s High School, Sai Sujith Reddy, Aditya Srivastava and V. Pavan of Brilliant Grammar High School, KPHB Colony and Lokesh Kumar, Sai Swarup and Muralidhar of Brilliant Grammar High School, Dilsukhnagar bagged the first, second and third prizes respectively.

Others who spoke on the occasion included D.P. Rao, former Director, National Remote Sensing Agency.