Rules

Rules

1. There will be 20 questions in the prelims.
2. Questions 4,8,12,16,20 will be starred questions worth 2 points each.
3. All other questions are worth 1 point each.
4. All blanks are indicative.
5. Top 6 teams will qualify for the finals.
6. In case of a tie, the number of starred questions answered will be taken into consideration.
7. Only 1 team from a school will enter the finals.

Question 1

M. P. Prasad, a 32 year-old goldsmith, is featured in the Booker Prize-shortlisted novel “When We Cease to Understand the World”, which describes the life of scientists who worked to revolutionize science and its related fields. It explores the themes of sacrifice, madness, violence, and destruction. What is he known for documenting the taste of, which many scientists lost their lives trying to record?

Answer

Cyanide

Question 2

During the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Indian fans of the Argentina national football team expressed their support unusually by widely sharing images of a particular personal document on social media. This was inspired by the document’s colour scheme, which bore a striking resemblance to Argentina’s national football jersey.

What was this document?

Answer

Question 3

This element is used in dyes to detect counterfeit Euro notes. It emits a glow when held under UV light, making the note difficult to counterfeit. Which element is aptly used in the Euro?

Answer

Europium

Question 4*

In an open letter addressed to a Maharajah, Gandhi said:

People call me 'The Mahatma' and I don't think I deserve it. But in my view, you have in reality become a 'Mahatma' by your proclamation at this young age, breaking the age-old custom and throwing open the doors of the Temples to our brothers and sisters whom the hateful tradition considered as untouchables.

He goes to on say that he hopes that all other Hindu Princes will follow this noble example.

Who is the Maharajah and which princely state did he rule?

Answer

Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma and Travancore

Question 5

When Bill Clinton visited India in 2000, he was unable to do something that he desperately wanted to do. He followed the advice of White House advisors, who, fearing embarrassing pictures, persuaded him not to do it.

Clinton lamented later, "I have always wanted to do it."

When he returned in April 2001, however, he did this and declared, "I enjoyed it, it was great. I wanted to do it last year but it had all sorts of overtones attatched to it ......" What did Clinton want to do?

Answer

Riding an elephant

Question 6

And so the teacher turned him out,
But still he lingered near,
And waited patiently about
Till ___did appear.
And then he ran to her, and laid
His head upon her arm,
As if he said ‘I’m not afraid,
You’ll keep me from all harm.’

This is the second stanza of a famous
nursery rhyme featuring an Ovis aries.
ID this poem.

Answer

Mary had a little lamb

Question 7

When Europeans first encountered turkeys in America, they incorrectly identified the birds as a type of guinea-fowl. Guinea-fowl were also known as turkey fowl because they were imported to Central Europe through Turkey. The name turkey fowl, shortened to just the name of the country, stuck as the name of the North-American bird.

In Turkey, the turkey isn't called that, but instead has a name which refers to India.

What is it called in Turkey?

Answer

Hindi

Question 8*

X is one of the commonly used English words that are Indian in origin. According to the Oxford Dictionary, X is 'a huge, powerful, and overwhelming force'. X comes from a Sanskrit word which means 'Lord of the World'. Identify X, which is also the name of a Marvel comic character.

Answer

Juggernaut

Question 9

X is a Georgian animated series created by Alexey Gerasimov. The series is about a war between two races of creatures, both of them somewhat humanoid, having commonplace objects as body parts. The first video of the series was released in February 2023, and the music is a remix of two songs, by Timbaland and Biser King.

What series is this, which has an IMDb rating of 4.8?

Answer

Skibidi Toilet

Question 10

X explores the many unanswered questions in contemporary physics and cosmology in a humorous yet scientifically sound manner. The book explores unanswered concerns regarding dark matter, dark energy, quantum gravity, extra dimensions, and the actual nature of space-time.

It was written by physicist Daniel Whiteson and cartoonist Jorge Cham. It highlights the boundaries of human understanding and the value of curiosity-driven research in furthering fundamental physics by explaining why existing models such as the Standard Model and General Relativity fall short through captivating comparisons and illustrations.

Identify X

Answer

We have no idea.

Question 11

X is a word you have definitely heard today. It is a fairly common word, originating from the name of a famous ancient poem. The poem entailed the ten-year wanderings of the king of Ithaca, seeking home after the fall of Troy to the Greeks. The name of the poem is derived from the name of the protagonist, as ancient poems often are.

What is X?

Answer

Odyssey

Question 12*

The signature sound effect of a famous character in a film series was made by tweaking the audio of scuba gear. This character is world famous, inspiring things from the scientific names of millipedes, begonias and crabs to Iraqi paramilitary armour.


Which famous character is this, whose most famous line describes his relationship with the protagonist of the film series?

AUDIO

Answer

Darth Vader

Question 13

Although the current symbol is most well-known, this party represented the agrarian economy of post-independence India through their symbol. A cow, a calf and two bullocks appeared in the previous symbols used by this party, although their third one is the most well-known. Which party?

Answer

Indian National Congress

Question 14

In the 1960s, India became the first country in the world to create a government department solely dedicated to 'X', which was considered essential for national development. Today, 'X' remains a critical sector, symbolizing self-reliance and progress.

ID X, a field often referred to as the 'backbone' of developing economies.

Answer

Space Research

Question 15

A multi-million dollar company, called ESSENTIAL, was acquired by 'X' in 2021. ESSENTIAL was popular for its unique pieces of hardware and a different approach to its design of smart gadgets. The company 'X' recently addressed why they had taken over ESSENTIAL despite it being closed since February 12, 2020. The company 'X', despite being completely different from ESSENTIAL, stuck to most of its principles, making 'X' stand out in the community.

ID 'X'.

Answer

Answer

Nothing

Question 16*

In computer programming jargon, X is a software flaw or error that seems to disappear or alter its behavior when one attempts to study it. The term is a pun on the name of a famous scientist.

Similarly, Y is an error that displays a catastrophic behaviour. It is named after a famous mishap that marked the end of a certain means of transport.

Give X and Y.

Answer

X - Heisenbug (from Heisenberg)
Y- Hindenburg Error

Question 17

In 2025, MIT and Harvard developed a nasal spray vaccine for “X”, symbolized by a purple ribbon. The vaccine uses CRISPR-Cas9, a groundbreaking gene-editing tool, to target abnormal brain proteins. While praised for its success in trials conducted in a leading biotech nation, critics raised concerns over CRISPR’s origins in controversial genetic modification research.

ID the disease “X”

Answer

Answer

Alzheimer's

Question 18

It is produced through the controlled combustion of a specific chemical mixture designed to generate a thick, pale plume. The key ingredients typically include potassium chlorate - which acts as an oxidizer; lactose - fuels the reaction and contributes to the density of the output and pine resin - which enhances both the volume and whiteness of the output.

When ignited in a sealed combustion chamber, this mixture burns in a slow, steady manner, releasing a highly visible white cloud that rises into the air. The process is precisely timed and carried out to ensure the output is clear, lasts long enough to be easily seen, and effectively communicates its intended message

PUT FUNDA

Answer

White smoke prepared to announced newly elected pope

Question 19

The _______ is an Australian creature known for its calls, sometimes resembling those of humans. This creature shares its name with a sports company, whose certain product was used in an event that recently ended an 18 year old drought.

ID the creature / company.

Answer

Kookaburra

Question 20*

The following video was of a project based on Acoustic Data Transmission, in which two AI agents switch from speaking in English to a machine-optimized language. Created by Anton Pidkuiko and Boris Starkov, the project won the global top prize in the ElevenLabs Worldwide Hackathon.

In the demo, the AI agents—initially appearing to engage in a normal human conversation—detect each other as AI and then begin communicating through high-frequency sound waves using a protocol powered by the open-source ggwave library.

ID the name of the communication system.

Answer

GibberLink

Question 21

The opening lines of the song “Circle of Life” from
'The Lion King' are sung in which language?

Answer

Zulu

Question 22

In 1995, Maurizio, a Scion and head of a noted Italian business house was assassinated by a hit man hired by his former wife Patrizia Reggiani. The story was adapted by Ridley Scott into an Oscar nominated movie in 2021.

Which business house did Maurizio lead?

Answer

Gucci