The document discusses various topics related to Indian history, geography, politics and culture. It contains questions about the Sanskrit name for the syllable "Om", the chemical process of applying mehndi, the goddess associated with Nanda Devi mountain, founding members of various state banks in India, the Indian naval submarine INS Arihant and more. The questions test knowledge about important people, events, places and concepts from India.

1. PRELIMS
15th August 2015

2. The Sanskrit name for this syllable is Pranava,
from a root nu “to shout, sound, praise”, verbal
pra-nu- being attested as “to make a humming
or droning sound” in the Brahmanas, and taking
the specific meaning of "to utter the syllable“ in
the Chandogya Upanishad and the Shrauta Sutras.
TheMandukya Upanishad is entirely devoted to
the explanation of the syllable. Which syllable are
we talking about?
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4. In an acidic solution, the
“lawsone” molecule can
react via a process called
Michael addition with
keratin to create a stain.
This stain is used by Indian
and also other Asian
nations’ girls for decorating
themselves. What do we
know this process as?
Hint: Lawsone molecule is
also known as Henatonic
acid.
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• Henna
(Mehandi)

6. She is a manifestation of goddess Parvati, is
revered as the Blessed Mountain Mother goddess,
who resides in one of the Holiest Mountains of the
Himalayan chain. The name literally means 'the
bliss-giving goddess‘.
Who /which place in India is named after her?
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• NANDA
DEVI

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9. Connect : Founders of various State Banks
• M. Visvesvaraya – State Bank of Mysore
• Mir Osman Ali Khan, Nizam of Hyderabdad – State
Bank of Hyderabad
• Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala – State Bank
of Patiala
• Maharaja Tukoji Rao Holkar II – State Bank of
Indore
• C. P. Ramaswamy Iyer – State Bank of Travancore
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10. It marked the completion of TRIAD (to be capable
of nuclear assault from land, sea and air) for India
helping it altogether justify its doctrine of no first
use of nuclear weaponry.
Its name means ‘Slayer of Enemies’.
What am I talking about?
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11. • INS Arihant
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12. X graduated from IIT Bombay in 1978, joined
Mumbai-based Patni Computer Systems.
Later X left this company in 1981 and joined
a newly formed Indian Company Y. X served
as CEO of Y till 2007.
X was the co-founder of NASSCOM.
ID X and Y.
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13. X - Nandan
Nilekani
Y - Infosys
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14. Which indian pair had the highest run 1st wicket
partnership but was beaten by Greame Smith and
Neil Mc Kenzie in 2008 ?
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15. Vinoo Mankad
&
Pankaj Roy
In the year 1954.
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16. Identify the member of parliament who brought up
the Benett Coleman issue ( and the Haridas
Mundhra scandal) in parliament and fought for the
regulation of the Insurance sector & the formation
of LIC. Ironically, both his sons were involved in
some of the biggest financial scandals in India.
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17. Feroze Gandhi
Rajiv Gandhi – Bofors Scam
Sanjay Gandhi – Maruti Scandal
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18. Who is the author of these books ?
The Great Indian Novel
Riot
Show Business
The five dollar smile and other stories
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19. • Shashi Taroor
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20. Id the valiant lady
on the stamp and
what is her claim
to fame.
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21. Neerja Bhanot
• Neerja Bhanot was a flight attendant for Pan
Am, based in Mumbai, India, who was
murdered while saving passengers from
terrorists on board the hijacked Pan Am
Flight 73 on 5 September 1986.
Posthumously, she became the youngest
recipient of India's highest peacetime military
award for bravery, the Ashok Chakra
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22. According to Hindu historians, the Muslim
emperor Babur came down from Ferghana in
1527 and overcame the Hindu King of
Chittodgad, Rana Sangrama Singh at Sikri,
using cannons and artillery. After this victory,
Babar dominated the subjugated Hindu
population. His general, Mir Baqi, was in charge
of the region. What historic reason is Mir Baqi
famous for?
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23. BABRI MASJID (MOSQUE)
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24. Identify the famous place.
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25. Jallian Wala Bagh
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26. _____ is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by people in
India and Pakistan, chiefly in the Jammu region of
Jammu and Kashmir. It is now written in Devanāgarī
in India. Intellectuals in the court of Maharaja Ranbir
Singh of Jammu and Kashmir, described _____ as a
distorted form of the word ‘Dwigart,’ which means
“two troughs,” a possible reference to the Mansar
and Sruinsar Lakes. On 22 December 2003, _____ was
recognized as one of the national languages of India
Name the language
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27. Dogri
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28. It was first grown in India during the 15th century in
Cambay and Malwa. It was an important article of
trade with China and other Eastern countries and the
State had monopoly over it. However, during the
later years of the Moghul Empire, the State lost its
hold on the monopoly. In 1757, the monopoly of its
cultivation passed into the hands of the East India
Company. In 1773, Lord Warren Hastings brought
the entire trade under the control of the
Government. The Government has retained its
monopoly since then. What am I talking about?
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29. Opium
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30. The famous musician Ustad Allauddin Khan created the “Maihar
Band” by teaching music to a group of orphans.
Among the many instruments played by the band was the band
also played the “nal tarang”, invented by the Ustad himself.
What was this instrument reportedly created from?
(photo on next slide)
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32. • Gun barrels
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33. “The ____ Classical Library of India”
has been established by an Indian family in association with
Harvard University Press
Aim: create English translations of classic Indian texts along with
the original language text
Family name?
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34. • “Murty”
• The idea was mooted and funded by Rohan
Murty, son of Narayana Murty.
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35. A daredevil pilot:
• helped airlift Indian soldiers into Kashmir during the
1947 war
• flew out Indonesian leaders in 1948 during their
independence battles
• Also a politician at Centre and State
• has a political party name named after him
• Who?
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36. • Biju Patnaik
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37. This auction happened during National Week,
1930.
Despite its obviously poor quality, something
was sold to a Dr. Kanuga for a handsome sum
of Rs. 1600/-
What was sold?
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38. • The salt manufactured by M.K.Gandhi at
Dandi
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39. India has 21 of these.
9 of them are a little different
These 9 are:
Bilaspur, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Allahabad,
Cuttack, Guwahati, Jodhpur, Nainital, Jabalpur
What?
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40. • High Courts of India; these 9 are not in a state
capital
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41. He spent about 8 days in 1984
• doing some multi-spectral photography of
North India
• in the practice of yoga
• doing some material science experiments
Who?
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42. • Rakesh Sharma during his space mission
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43. • Outside the Gandhi-Nehru family, only two
Prime Ministers have airports named after
them. ID both

44. • Charan Singh (Lucknow)
• Lal Bahadur Shastri (Varanasi)

45. • In this region, alcohol consumption is
banned except the island of Bangaram.
Which region?

46. • Lakshwadeep

47. • The cantonment town of Mhow in Madhya
Pradesh was renamed for being the
birthplace of a person. The person’s father,
a Subedar major in the Mahar regiment
was stationed there in 1891. Who?

48. • Dr. B.R. Ambedkar

49. • If New Caledonia Barrier Reef located in
South Pacific is the largest in the world,
what is the second largest? Also what is
being referred to?

50. • Chilika lake in Odisha
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51. • Identify the lyricist of the song “Kya Khoya
kya Paaya” which was sung by Jagjit Singh
and featured Shahrukh Khan.

52. • Atal Bihari Vajpaye
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53. • X is a town and a nagar panchayat in Lucknow
district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is
situated 14 km north ofLucknow. More widely
known for its kebabs, Zardozi work and Dasheri
mangoes, X is also the centre of once flourishing
Urdu poetry, literature and
the Qadiriya Qalandari Sufi Order.
• ID X which has a connect to the freedom struggle.

54. • Kakori
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55. THANK YOU
All the participants who took out some precious time from their busy schedule
Conducted By
Abhishek – Archita – Mohit – Sanjeet – Utsav