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.

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.

Rainbow Quiz - Identify the personality - Week 61

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 promising Indian sportsman, "X" has made a mark in a sport that very few Indians have ( or can afford) taken up.

clue # 1 : "X" was born in a sports family. His father was one of the most famous Indian athletes and his mother was the former captain of the Indian volleyball team.

clue # 2 : "X" used to be his father's caddy when playing golf and that is how got interested in the sport.He also wanted to play a game that he could keep playing till the age of 60 or 70. No sport except golf allows one such luxury.

clue # 3 : "X" attended Abilene Christian University in the USA and graduated in Golf. He won the NCAA Division II individual golf championship in 1993.

clue # 4 : In April 2006, he won the Volvo China Open, becoming the second Indian player to win on the European Tour .

clue # 5 : In 2007, he became the first Indian golfer to participate in the Masters Tournament at Augusta.

clue # 6 : He was named Indian Sportsman of the Year in 2006, a prize that mostly goes to Cricketers.

clue # 7 : "X" received India's fourth highest civil honour, the Padma Shri in 2007.

Rainbow Quiz - Identify the personality - Week 59

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 a contemporary actor who has created a name for himself with his niche acting style and the ability to play a variety of roles with ease. Amazing actor.

clue # 1 : "X's" first job was running his family's potato Chips business in Mumbai. His turned his hobby of photography into a career and became a professional photographer.

clue # 2 : During his photo shoot with Shiamak Davar he tried to put some funny acts to relax the choreographer and Shiamak was so amused seeing X’s talent that he persuaded him to do theatre.

clue # 3 : He entered the theatre scene with a cameo in Alyque Padamsee's play "Roshni". He also portrayed Mahatma Gandhi in the Feroz Abbas Khan play Mahatma vs. Gandhi.

clue # 4 : "X's" success in theatre also got him some big TV commercials like the ‘Krack-Jack’, ‘Fanta’, ‘Bata’ and ‘Tata fone’ to name a few.

clue # 5 : He made his Bollywood film debut in Josh but later became famous in the cult film series "Y" where he played two different characters in the original and the sequel.

clue # 6 : In a short span of time,he has created a name for himself playing a variety of roles with ease. His roles have ranged from father, friend, uncle, doctor, abusive neighbour, courtroom judge, corrupt businessman, eccentric murderer and police officer.

clue # 7 : He follows Zoroastrianism and hails from the Parsi community.

Name X & Y ?

Rainbow Quiz - Identify the personality - Week 57

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 contribution to Indian music is immeasurable and his legacy still lives on.....

clue # 1 : "X" was born in a Hindu family in a village near Gwalior.His name as a child was Ramtanu.

clue # 2 : The boy learned music from Swami Haridas and came to serve as court musician to King Ramachandra of Reva.

clue # 3 : Later King Ramchandra gave Ramprasad as a gift to "Y" ( An Emperor) and he became famous as one of the treasured jewels of the court.

clue # 4 : As a musician, X is said to have no equal having worked miracles through his singing, such as bringing the rains with Raga Megh Malhar and starting fires with Raga Deepak.

clue # 5 : He composed several ragas that have been cornerstones in the repertoire ever since, such as Miyan ka Bhairav (today simply known as Bhairav) Darbari Kanada, Miyan ki Todi, Miyan ki Malhar,Miyan ki Mand.

clue # 6 : X's blood descendants held sway for hundreds of years as a most formidable force – the Senia gharana – on the North Indian music scene.

clue # 7 : "X" is buried in Gwalior, near his mentor Hazrat Ghaus. Near his tomb is a tamarind tree, said to be as old as the tomb itself. The legend goes that students of music who chew the leaves of the tree in faith will be blessed with miraculous musical gifts.

Easy one. Who is X? Name Y .

Rainbow Quiz - Identify the personality - Week 55

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 so synonymous with that sport and one of the great sporting heroes of India.

clue # 1 : "X" was born to a Rajput family in Uttar Pradesh. After an early education he joined the Indian Army in 1922.

clue # 2 : While in Army, he became very passionate about Hockey. He exhibited excellent dribbling skills and knack for scoring goals.In 1928, "X" was selected to represent the Indian hockey team in the Summer Olympics .

clue # 3 : He was instrumental in India winning gold medals at consecutive Olympics in 1928,1932,1936.

clue # 4 : His performance at the 1936 Berlin Olympics was so impressive that Adolf Hitler supposedly offered to make "X" a Field Marshal in the German army, but the latter refused.

clue # 5 : On the field he was named the "Wizard of Hockey" for he exerted complete control on the ball. It appeared that the ball used to stick to his hockey stick while playing. So great was the magic of "X" that the Tokyo officials broke his hockey stick once to search for a magnet inside.

clue # 6 : "X" however died penniless and uncared for in a hospital, receiving a meagre pension. Towards his last days, he was very saddened by the plight of Indian Hockey.

clue # 7 : The Government of India honoured him by conferring him the Padma Bhushan . 29 August, his birthday is celebrated as the National Sports Day in India. The President gives away sport-related awards such as the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award and Dronacharya Award on this day at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Who is X?

Rainbow Quiz - Identify the personality - Week 52

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.

Rainbow quiz completes a year. This quiz is dedicated to one of the luminaries of Indian science.

clue# 1 : "X" was born in Patliputra (modern Patna) in Bihar. However, many are of the view (particularly in recent times) that he was born in Kerala and lived in Magadha at the time of the Gupta rulers.

clue # 2 : "X" is the author of several treatises on mathematics and astronomy, some of which are lost. His major work, a compendium of mathematics and astronomy that still survives is extensively referred to in the Indian mathematical literature.

clue # 3 : His most important contribution to mathematics is his solution of the indeterminate equation ax - by = c.

clue # 4 : Several disciples flocked to "X" and later became famous mathematicians themselves, like Bhaskara, Sankaranarayana, Suryadeva and Nilkantha.

clue # 5 : Among his many towering achievements, he correctly determined the axial rotation of the earth. He inferred that planetary orbits were elliptical, and provided a valid explanation of solar and lunar eclipses. His theory of the relativity of motion predated Einstein’s by 1400 years. And his studies in algebra and trigonometry, which laid the foundations for calculus, influenced European mathematicians 1,000 years later, when his texts were translated into European languages from the 8th century Arabic translations of the Sanskrit originals.

clue # 6 : His Calendric calculations have been in continuous use in India for the practical purposes of fixing the Panchanga or Hindu calendar.

clue # 7 : He humbly states about his achievements, " I delved deep in the astronomical theories, true and false, and rescued the precious sunken jewel of knowledge, by means of the best of my intellect and by the grace of God."

Rainbow Quiz - Identify the personality - Week 50

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.

This is a commemorative 50th week of Rainbow Quiz ! I will say very less about him here lest I give away the answer ! I am a huge fan of this eccentric genius. One of the most brilliant and effortless singers.Not a day goes by when I don't hear his voice .

clue # 1 : "X" was born as Abhas Kumar Ganguli, in a Bengali family.He was the youngest of four siblings.

clue # 2 : His brother became a famous Bollywood star. "X" used to visit him in Mumbai and started his cinema career as a chorus singer at Bombay Talkies. He did not have a formal training in music and initially used to imitate his idol - K.L.Saigal.

clue # 3 : Music director Khemchand Prakash gave him a chance to sing the song for the film Ziddi in the late 40's. Strangely he never made a great impact as a singer in the next two decades.

clue # 4 : He was not interested in acting, but was too afraid to rebel against his brother, who wanted him to be an actor like himself.After some initial flops as an actor, "X" achieved success as a comic hero in movies.

clue # 5 : Sachin Dev Burman , the famous music director, recognized the versatile singer hidden inside "X" and started grooming him. SDB's film Aradhana proved to be a turning point for "X" and there was no looking back after that . "X" became the voice of the nation and sang for all leading heroes and music directors in the 70's and 80's.

clue # 6 : He led an eccentric personal life. He was married four times to some of the most beautiful women. "X" is said to have been paranoid about not being paid.He also put a "Beware of X" sign at the door of his Warden Road flat.

clue # 7 : His versatility and contribution to Indian films is immeasurable. He was a playback singer,comic actor, lyricist, composer, producer, director, and scriptwriter.

Easy one. Who is X?

Rainbow Quiz - Identify the personality - Week 48

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.

I love the Theosophical society campus in Chennai. The place always reminds me of X. X's name is synonymous with Indian arts. An amazing women.

clue # 1 : "X" was born in a upper-class brahmin family in the beginning of the 20th century.

clue # 2 : Her first interest in dancing was the western ballet. However,she turned to Indian dance when the ballerina Anna Pavlova advised her to look at the "native arts" of India for inspiration.

clue # 3 : "X" was introduced to Bharata natyam and she almost single-handedly saved Bharata natyam from oblivion. It was buried under the disfavoured devadasi system during the early 20th century.

clue # 4 : A very progressive woman of her times, she shocked the world after her controversial marriage to a Britisher when she was just 16.

clue # 5 : Drawn into the Theosophical Movement, "X" travelled all over the world as an ambassador of Indian culture. In 1936, she started Kalakshetra as a cultural academy for preservation of traditional values in Indian art, especially in the field of dance and music.

clue # 6 : After independence, she was nominated to the Rajya Sabha. As a Member of the Rajya Sabha, she was largely responsible for the legislation for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and for setting up of the Animal Welfare Board . She was a strict vegetarian and did much work to promote vegetarianism in the country.

clue # 7 : In 1977, Morarji Desai offered to nominate her for the post of President of India, which she politely declined.

Who is X?

Rainbow Quiz - Identify the personality - Week 46

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 true visionary , he made immense contribution to Indian science, education and arts.

clue # 1 : "X"was born in the city of Ahmedabad . His family was a rich business family that was also actively involved in the freedom struggle.

clue # 2 : His mother established a private school on the lines of the Montessori method. After having his initial education there, "X" moved to England and joined the Cambridge University.

clue # 3 : Before Independence, "X" returned to India and joined the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore and began research in cosmic rays under the guidance of Sir C. V. Raman, a Nobel Prize winner.He later returned to Cambridge after the war and was awarded a PhD .

clue # 4 : "X" married a celebrated classical dancer of India in a simple wedding ceremony held in Chennai.Most of his family was unable to attend the wedding due to the Quit India movement.

clue # 5 : "X" founded the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad. He was only 28 at that time. The establishment of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) was also one of his greatest achievements.

clue # 6 : He was also instrumental in the creation of the IIMs (Most notably IIM-A).He also setup CEPT (Center for Environmental Planning and Technology). and BMA (Blind Men Association) , which helps visually challenged people with necessary skills and support.

clue # 7 : :"X", often hailed as the father of the Indian space program, died at an young age of 52 . During his last days, he was under a great amount of stress due to excessive traveling and a huge work-load which adversely affected his health.

Who is X?

Rainbow Quiz - Identify the personality - Week 44

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.

One of my favorite artistes , "X" has excelled in both Carnatic and film music.Can a voice be sweeter than this ?

clue # 1 : "X" was born in a musical family. Her father and mother were both noted musicians.When Deshbandu Chitharanjan Das died in 1925, her mother came out with a beautiful song by way of tribute to his national spirit and patriotism.

clue # 2 : X's school education was in Madras, in a convent, where she was all set to pursue a medical career until the great musician G. N.Balasubramaniam (GNB) came into her life.He became her guru.

clue # 3 : In 1940, her mother gave a resplendent musical recital in Simla. "X",then only 12 years old,made her debut by accompanying her mother. Two years later she gave a solo recital in Bangalore.

clue # 4 : "X" was known more for her cerebral style, rather than her emotional style. She could effortlessly render several difficult Ragas and switch between ragas with ease.

clue # 5 : "X" made the Purandaradasa kritis quite popular in Carnatic Music."X" also trained several students (including her own daughter) and many of them are front-ranking musicians today.

clue # 6 : Like her peers , of the famous female trinity, she excelled in film music also - particularly under the baton of G. Ramanathan.

clue # 7 : She received the "Padma Bhushan" from the Indian Government and was also the youngest woman recipient of Sangita Kalanidhi. At the peak of her popularity, she died at the age of 63.

Who is X?

Rainbow Quiz - Identify the personality - Week 42

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.

clue # 1 : "X" was born in 1901 in Chennai although his ancestors belonged to Nellore District.

clue # 2 : He studied in Madras till he attained the age of 20. Later, he studied Sanitary Engineering in Bombay.

clue # 3 : He joined the Great Indian Peninsular Railway and worked for about four years there. After the death of his wife when he was only 25, he lost interest in the material world and resigned from his job. He divided property between his brothers and mother and joined Sabarmati Ashram as a follower of Mahatma Gandhi.

clue # 4 : "X" took part in the Salt Satyagraha and the Quit India movement and was imprisoned several times.

clue # 5 : Observing X's commitment, Mahatma Gandhi once remarked "We can achieve independence within a year if there were another ten people as committed and dedicated as X".

clue # 6 : After Indian independence, in an effort to unify the Telugu people, and preserve the unique culture of Andhra from Dravidian and largely tamil identity, he went on a lengthy fast demanding formation of a separate state.After 56 days of fasting, "X" died and laid down his life trying to achieve his objective.

clue # 7 : He is the only person in post-independence India who actually fasted to death (for a public cause) as all others either gave up or were arrested and force fed or hospitalised.

Who is X?

Rainbow Quiz - Identify the personality - Week 38

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.

He was instrumental in triggering the interest in the game of the Chess in India.

clue # 1 : "X" was born in Burma.He learnt the chess notations from his parents and his elder sister when he was hardly eight.

clue # 2 : "X" had his schooling in Madras ( Tamil Nadu, India) and developed a deep interest in the game of Chess while at school.

clue # 3 : "X" pioneered the game of chess in India and played a pivotal role in making India an emerging force in world chess. He was the first Indian to earn the title of International Master.

clue # 4 : "X" won the state of Tamil Nadu Championship an amazing 11 times and the India National Championship 9 times .

clue # 5 : "X" has also served as the Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Chess Association as well as the All India Chess federation.

clue # 6 : In recognition of his performance, "X" was conferred the Arjuna Award, the first chess player to be so honoured.

clue # 7 : He also edits "Chess Mate”, a quarterly magazine and contributes regularly to The Hindu and The Sportstar.

Rainbow Quiz - Identify the personality - Week 36

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.

He made the budgets sound so simple. A man of utmost integrity and towering intellect.

clue # 1 : "X" in Bombay to middle-class Parsi parents.His family name derives from the profession of his forefathers who had been manufacturers of palanquins.

clue # 2 : "X" was educated at St. Xavier's College in Bombay. He was a dedicated scholar and excelled even though he was hampered by a bad stammer ( Ironical for someone who excelled with his oratorical skills later in life).

clue # 3 : Since most courses were closed when he approached the colleges, he enrolled at Government Law College, Bombay, where he discovered that he had a gift for unravelling the intricacies of jurisprudence.

clue # 4 : "X" was first Class in both First LL.B. and Second LL.B. (bagging almost all possible prizes and medals), and first in every individual paper in the Advocate (O.S.) examination. On one of his answer papers in LL.B. the examiner wrote, "Frankly, this candidate knows much more than I do."

clue # 5 : "X" was offered a seat on the Supreme Court Bench, more than once -- probably the youngest to receive the offer, the first to be chosen straight from the Bar.He was offered the office of the Attorney General of India, again more than once and probably the youngest to get the offer.

clue # 6 : His annual Budget speech initially drew an audience of about four hundred which gradually swelled to about one hundred thousand. Nothing less than Bombay's largest cricket ground, the Brabourne Stadium, could hold the number.

clue # 7 : The public hailed him as "the Keeper of the Nation's Conscience" and Prime Minister Morarji Desai described him as "the country's finest intellectual". Rajaji called him "God's gift to India".

"X" received honorary doctorates from Princeton University, Rutgers University, Lawrence University, University of Wisconsin, Annamalai University, Ambedkar Law University and the University of Mumbai. He was also awarded the Padma Vibhushan.

Who is X?

Rainbow Quiz - Identify the personality - Week 34

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.

An extremely versatile musician.

clue # 1 : "X" is a child prodigy and started performing vocal concerts at the age of five. Apart from vocal music , for which he is famous, he is also an expert instrumentalist. He can play the violin, viola, kanjira, veena and mridangam.

clue # 2 : Nearly 400 Carnatic musical compositions are credited to him. He invented several new ragas and a new tala (rhythm) system is also credited to him.

clue # 3: "X" was one of the first vocalists to collaborate with Hindustani classical musicians like Bhimsen Joshi, Hariprasad Chaurasia and Kishori Amonkar to perform jugalbandis in concert.

clue # 4 : "X" has composed in all the 72 melakarta ragas (base ragas) of Carnatic music.

clue # 5 : "X" traces his lineage to the musical trinity and belongs to the fifth generation of Thyagaraja’s direct disciples.

clue # 6 : "X" has had no formal education. In fact, he says he has not been to school for more than three months. However, he has received at least seven honorary doctorates including Ph D, D Sc and D Litt.

clue # 7 : Apart from classical music, "X" is also a winner of national awards in the best playback singing and the best music direction category.

who is X?

Rainbow Quiz - Identify the personality - Week 31

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 truly a visionary who believes that poverty can be eliminated by social action, public policy and technology. He leads by example with his research foundation.

clue # 1 : "X" was in Kumbakonam, TN (India) as the second of four sons. His father died when he was just 11.

clue # 2 : "X" was strongly influenced by Mahatma Gandhi’s belief in ahimsa to achieve Purna swaraj and swadeshi (self-reliance), on both a personal and national level. This led him to choose a career in agriculture.

clue # 3 : He earned his Ph.D degree from Cambridge and then accepted a post-doctoral research associateship in the US. Despite his strong personal and professional satisfaction with the research work in the US, he declined the offer of a full time faculty position there, because his purpose of getting an excellent foreign education was to equip himself for serving the cause of India.

clue # 4 : "X" played a crucial role in the food revolution and is known for his leadership and success in introducing and further developing high yielding varieties of wheat in India.

clue # 5 : "X" is often referred to as the "Father of the Green Revolution" in India.He is widely respected for his effective advocacy of sustainable development, especially using environmentally sustainable agriculture, sustainable food security and the preservation of biodiversity.

clue # 6 : His wife is also an active social worker. His wife is especially interested in the empowerment of women in rural areas and education of underprivileged rural children. They set-up the first ever primary school for Irula children in Pichavaram (TN).

clue # 7 : "X" has received several national and international awards . He was one of three from India included in TIME Magazine's 1999 list of the "20 most influential Asian people of the 20th century", the other two being Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore.

Who is X?

Rainbow Quiz - Identify the personality - Week 25

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 was a star in the Indian scientific world whose interests ranged from radio, microwave,biophysics,science fiction to Yoga.

clue # 1 : "X" was born in Bengal in the 19th century.He received his education first in India and later went to England to study medicine at the University of London.

clue # 2 : He later moved to Cambridge to take up a scholarship to study Natural Science at Christ's College, Cambridge.One of his lecturers at Cambridge was Professor Rayleigh, who clearly had a profound influence on his later work.

clue # 3 : After his studies, "X" returned to India and was a professor of physics at the Presidency College in Calcutta.Many of his students at the Presidency College were destined to become famous in their own right - for example "Y" (who coincidentally shares the same surname with X), later to become well known for the "Y"-Einstein statistics.

clue # 4: In late 19th century, "X" converted a small enclosure adjoining a bathroom in the Presidency College into a laboratory. He carried out experiments involving refraction, diffraction and polarization. He developed the use of galena crystals for making receivers, both for short wavelength radio waves and for white and ultraviolet light. Sir Neville Mott, Nobel Laureate in 1977 for his own contributions to solid-state electronics, remarked that "X was at least 60 years ahead of his time" .

clue # 5 : "X" is now widely credited with the invention of the first wireless detection device (much before Marconi) and the discovery of millimeter length electromagnetic waves.

clue # 6 : His next contribution to science was in plant physiology. His research in plant stimuli were pioneering, he showed with the help of his newly invented crescograph that plants responded to various stimuli as if they had nervous systems like that of animals.

clue # 7 : "X" was the first Indian to get a US Patent in 1904. However he was against the concept of patenting and rarely used his inventions for commercial profits on moral grounds.

Who is X ? ( and also Y?)