Rainbow Quiz - Identify the personality - Week 66

Here is the next weekly "Rainbow" quiz , where I would be giving 7 clues (Hence the name Rainbow) about a personality. Try to discover the person in the least number of clues . You can either leave the answer as a comment / email me . Feedback/ suggestions welcome. Googling is not preferred but then its just for fun and so go ahead if you need to.


A legend in his lifetime, he is an inspiration for most of today's Tennis superstars. It was a surreal feeling when I visited his " Arena" in Melbourne a few years ago.

clue # 1 : "X" was a young boy when he left school to pursue a career in tennis. His first coach was Charlie Hollis.

clue # 2 : "X" became US Junior Champion in 1956 and Australian Junior Champion in 1957. He had his breakthrough on the world stage in 1959, when he reached all three finals at Wimbledon, winning the mixed doubles title.

clue # 3 : His first major singles title was the Australian Championships in 1960, where he defeated Australian Neale Fraser in a five-set final. He then captured his first Wimbledon singles crown in 1961.

clue # 4 : In 1962, "X" became only the second male player after Don Budge to win all four Grand Slam singles titles in the same year. He completed a Grand Slam again in 1969.

clue # 5 : Although of a slightly short stature and medium build , "X" developed a technically complete serve-and-volley game, with aggressive groundstrokes to back it up.He could adapt his style to all surfaces and to all conditions. "X" had a great record in five-set-matches, often turning things around with subtle changes of tactics or by simply hitting his way out of danger.

clue # 6 : He was the World No. 1 player for up to 7 consecutive years in the 60's."X" has been rated as the greatest male player of all time by several experts and polls.

clue # 7: In 2000, the centre court at Melbourne Park, which today hosts the Australian Open, was named the "X" Arena in his honour.

Easy one. Who is X?

101 Best Web Freebies

The amount of free stuff on the internet is amazing. Are you confused about the ones to choose ? BusinessWeek profiles some of the best web freebies. There are the usual suspects like Skype, AVG but there a host of sites/tools that you might have never heard. Check it out.

Landmark Quiz - Bangalore Edition

Here are some interesting questions from the Landmark Quiz - Bangalore edition that was held this month. Most of them are eminently "work-able" . Give it a shot ... ( I will post the answers in a few days)

1. Which event was dairy farmer Max Yusgur referring when he said that "You have proven to the world that Half a million kids can get together for fun and music and have nothing but fun & music."?

2. Vasudev and Jahangir were two names which this actor rejected. What name did he eventually choose as his screen name ?

3. Tagore received a message on his 80th Birthday: FOUR SCORE NOT ENOUGH, MAY YOU FINISH FIVE". Who sent it?

4. Which Indian State capital's name literally means the "land that does not flood"?

5. Which classic closes with the lines: 'It is a far far better thing than I do, than I have ever done, this a far far better rest that I have got to then, …..

6. I was chairperson of a State Water pollution Control Board in 1980s, served as Director, National Federation of urban Cooperative Banks and credit societies. I was elected four times to Lok Sabha, Elected as MLA from Adilabad Constituency. Who am I?

7. Which country has the World's largest number of tigers as per 2005-06 ?

8. For spreading and using of what was the web site TrackGandhi.com established?

9. In 1916, give the name of the eminent lawyer who defended Bal Gangadhar Tilak?

10. What comprises 5,800 hymns, 14,000 pages but always placed on a cushion?

Rainbow Quiz - Identify the personality - Week 65

Here is the next weekly "Rainbow" quiz , where I would be giving 7 clues (Hence the name Rainbow) about a personality. Try to discover the person in the least number of clues . You can either leave the answer as a comment / email me . Feedback/ suggestions welcome. Googling is not preferred but then its just for fun and so go ahead if you need to.

His music is sublime and he is synonymous with the instrument that he plays. What dulcet music ! The first time I listened to him, I was so inspired that I wanted to learn playing this instrument.

clue # 1 : " X" was born in Jammu, India in a musical family. His father was a renowned vocalist.

clue # 2 : After some years as a student of the tabla and as a vocalist, he discovered the instrument "Y" or shata-tantri veena ( as it was known earlier) and became interested by its possibilities.

clue # 3 : He modified the "Y", a Kashmiri folk instrument, to make it more suitable for classical technique, increasing the range of the instrument to three full octaves. He also created a new technique of playing with which he could sustain notes and maintain sound continuity.

clue # 4 : He is credited with single-handedly making "Y" a popular classical instrument and has performed many concerts with renowned musicians all over the world.

clue # 5 : While he never compromises on the purity of music, "X"'s open minded approach has resulted in some of the most popular, innovative experimental albums like Call of the Valley, Feelings, Mountains, etc. In fact he is among those rare musicians who have been able to create successfully in the world of film music as well.

clue # 6 : He partnered with well-known flautist Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia to form a group for composing Hindi film music. They have scored music for some unforgettable films such as Silsila, Chandni, Lamhe, Darr.


clue # 7 : In 2001, "X" received 'Padma Vibushan', the second highest award given to a citizen of India.He has also received a honorary doctorate of letters from Jammu University.

Sachin Bhowmick on Hrishida

Sachin Bhowmick, one of the most prolific and talented writers in Bollywood, reminisces fondly about Hrishida. Sachin should know better having been a close confidante of Hrishda who wrote close to 10 films for him.

Poking fun at Competition - Some cool ads

If Coke and Pepsi mastered this trend of poking fun at each other, the others aren't far behind..

1. Here is Mac Vs MS Vista

2. FedEx Vs UPS

3. DHL Vs FedEx, UPS

so which one takes the cake ?

Rainbow Quiz - Identify the personality - Week 64

Here is the next weekly "Rainbow" quiz , where I would be giving 7 clues (Hence the name Rainbow) about a personality. Try to discover the person in the least number of clues . You can either leave the answer as a comment / email me . Feedback/ suggestions welcome. Googling is not preferred but then its just for fun and so go ahead if you need to.

X's magnum opus "Y" was one of the most amazing films that I have ever watched. It made me a think a lot about movie making as an art and about the world.

clue # 1 : "X" was born in Somerset, England, and as a boy enjoyed stargazing and reading old American science-fiction magazines.

clue # 2 : During the Second World War, he served in the Royal Air Force as a radar specialist and was involved in the early warning radar defence system which contributed to the RAF's success during the Battle of Britain. After the war, he earned a first-class degree in mathematics and physics at King's College London.

clue # 3 : In 1948, he wrote "The Sentinel" for a BBC competition. Though the story was rejected, it changed the course of "X"'s career. It formed the basis of his famous novel " Y".

clue # 4 : He relocated to Sri Lanka in 1956 and has been living there ever since. "X" holds citizenship of both the UK and Sri Lanka.

clue # 5 : His magnum opus novel " Y" was made into a film by Stanley Kubrick. One of the most memorable characters in the movie is the "HAL" .

clue # 6 : He was knighted in 2000. In 2005, Sri Lanka awarded "X" its highest civilian award, the Sri Lankabhimanya (The Pride of Sri Lanka) , for his contributions to science and technology and his commitment to his adopted country.

clue # 7 : " X" attempted to write a unique six word story as part of a Wired Magazine article . ("God said, 'Cancel Program GENESIS.' The universe ceased to exist.)" - It turned out to be 10 words in the end !

Indian Classical music - Comparative concert

I was privileged to attend a music concert by Rama Sundar , a trained singer in Hindustani and Carnatic classical music, which focussed on the comparative styles, raagas and talas of both the forms of music.

The format of the concert was to sing a short "Bandish" in Hindustani Classical and follow it up with a Kriti in the equivalent carnatic raaga with Lecture demonstration of the subtle differences in the music systems and taala formats. Here is a list of Raagas that were sung :

1. Hindustani : Raga Rageshree , Carnatic : Raaga Bhageshree

2. Hindustani : Raga Hansdhwani, Carnatic : Raaga Hamsadhwani ( Kriti : Vathapi Ganapathim)

3. Hindustani : Raga Kalavati , Carnatic : Raaga Vallachi

4. Hindustani : Raga Madhukauns, Carnatic : Raaga Sumanesaranjani

5. Hndustani : Raga Marwa , Carnatic : Raaga Hamsaanandi ( Kriti : Srinivasa)

6. Raaga Desh

It was an extremely enjoyable experience to hear the unalloyed sweetness of both the music systems and there was no debate in the end as to which system ( Hindustani or Carnatic) was the winner. Music was the winner !

Happy Diwali !

Wish you a very happy Diwali ! May the festival of lights usher peace and prosperity to all.

Rainbow Quiz - Identify the personality - Week 63

Here is the next weekly "Rainbow" quiz , where I would be giving 7 clues (Hence the name Rainbow) about a personality. Try to discover the person in the least number of clues . You can either leave the answer as a comment / email me . Feedback/ suggestions welcome. Googling is not preferred but then its just for fun and so go ahead if you need to.

X is yet another Gandhian who has made a powerful difference to the lives of thousands of Indian women.

clue # 1 : "X" was born in Ahmedabad, India. The second of three daughters, she grew up in a well-to-do family deeply interested and active in social causes.Her father was a lawyer and mother an active participant in women's movement.

clue # 2 : Following graduating as a lawyer, she joined the legal department of the Textile Labour Association (TLA) in Ahmedabad.

clue # 3 : She went to Israel where she studied at the Afro-Asian Institute of Labor and Cooperatives in Tel Aviv for three months, receiving the International Diploma of Labor and Cooperatives .

clue # 4 : With the co-operation of Arvind Buch, the then president of TLA, "X" undertook to organize the self-employed women into a union under the auspices of the Women's Wing of the TLA. Then in 1972, the Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA) was established.

clue # 5 : SEWA seeks to provide financial security for its members, while at the same time campaigning for social change based on Gandhian principles. SEWA is comprised of the unorganized sector of India's economy and its goal is to for full- employment and self- reliance for women.

clue # 6 : She was granted an honorary Doctorate degree in Humane Letters by Harvard University in 2001. She was awarded the civilian honour of Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India. She was also awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership and the Right Livelihood Award .

clue # 7 : In 2007, Nelson Mandela, Graça Machel, and Desmond Tutu convened a group of world leaders to contribute their wisdom, independent leadership and integrity to tackle some of the world's toughest problems. Nelson Mandela announced the formation of this new group, The Elders. "X" is one of the founding members of this group.

Concert by Alepey Venkatesan - At SIFAS (Singapore) , 2nd November

On Friday 2nd November evening at 7.30pm, Mr Alepey Venkatesan will be giving a Carnatic Vocal Concert at SIFAS Auditorium accompanied by Ganesh Kumar on the violin and Sundaresan on the mridangam.