Siddhartha Basu is the unchallenged quiz guru. He was solely responsible for the popularity of quiz and not just among the younger lot. Noted commentator Narottam Puri's quiz show on Doordarshan had a huge following too. For Vijayan Bala, who taught English in various schools, it was a fascination that began with his school-days in then Calcutta. It was thus natural for him to put together his teaching experience and passion for sports into a book form.
Published by Roli Books, “The Complete Indian Sports Quiz Book”, is a delightful collection of questions that test your knowledge in various sports disciplines, ranging from athletics to kabaddi to wrestling and tennis. There is an interesting section on cricket where the author tests you with Sachin Tendulkar's Test record as captain and one on Anil Kumble where he poses a tough one: Against whom did Anil Kumble score his only Test century. Bala, who also commentated on the game, was attracted to sports from younger days. “I have watched top class football and hockey in Calcutta from the age of eight and Test cricket from the age of ten.” Interest in sports led to sessions of quiz. “Most of the matter I knew or had in the form of collections. I also met players and officials. Hence the book on quiz –– the Indian side,” he says.
Bala, however, errs in the table tennis section when he claims that India won four medals instead of five (men's doubles, women's team, men's singles, women's doubles and men's team). The book, as Bala informs, serves as an, “encyclopaedia. It also has revision test papers.”
