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| Bidyut Bailung (left) and Amrit Pritam Chetia with the trophy. Picture by Eastern Projections |
July 14: Usual Suspects, a team comprising Amrit Pritam Chetia and Bidyut Bailung from Assam Engineering College, has earned a package trip to Thailand.
The team won the second NEDFi-sponsored Brain Jam 2008, a quizzing extravaganza, at ITA Pragjyoti cultural complex in Machkhowa on Sunday evening.
The winning team scored 105 points. Cyno Bacteria, with 55 points, was the first runner-up and Capsec was the second runner-up with 50 points.
The preliminary rounds of quizzing started at 4pm with over 200 teams, having participants of various age groups, in the race. The best part in the second edition of Brain Jam was the combination of team members — father-son, father-daughter and husband-wife. They all were keen to participate in the quiz.
The organisers feel the first prize, a free trip to Thailand, attracted the crowds.
The age of the participants ranged from young and enthusiastic 10-year-olds to 73-year-olds.
Six teams, including last year’s winner, Amnesia, were selected for the final round.
The audience was not left out either. Ace quizmaster Barry ’Brien often threw questions to the audience, who got prizes ranging from mobile handsets to gift hampers.
“It was great fun to quiz with Brien. He knows how to keep the crowd busy and does not give them a chance to get bored,” said Amrit Baruah, a student of B. Borooah College.
Apart from quizzing, the crowd also witnessed a performance by renowned flautist Deepak Sharma and his group, Band of Brothers.
Wrestler Mahadeb Deka, flautist Deepak Sharma, the first Olympian from the Northeast (badminton), Dipankar Bhattacharjee, and vintage car and bicycle collector Picklu Deka were felicitated.
Health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the general manager of NEDFi, S.K. Baruah, were present at the prize distribution ceremony.