The North Point team with the trophy. Picture by Suman Tamang

Darjeeling, July 19: Students from the hills put their brains to the test today at Quizfest-2004, the annual quizzing extravaganza here.

Around 30 teams from Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong and Sikkim battled for the trophy, which was lifted by St Jospeh’s School (North Point), Darjeeling,

Rockvale Academy and Sapthashree Gyanpeeth, both from Kalimpong, however, put on a spirited performance in the senior level for the Darjeeling North Point School Alumni Association Trophy, with Rockvale triumphing over the other teams. Sapthashree pipped St Joseph’s School (North Point) to second place. The other finalists in the senior division were Mount Hermon, Loreto Convent and St Paul’s School, all from Darjeeling.

The home team, St Joseph’s School, gave cheer leaders enough reason to sing and dance through the night by winning the prestigious Chandulal Agarwal Memorial Trophy in the junior level. The combined performance helped it bag the overall trophy.

St Paul’s and St Joseph’s School (North Point) from Darjeeling entered the finals of the junior level and fought it out with St Augustine’s School, Rockvale Academy, St Joseph’s Convent, Kalimpong, and St Anthony’s School, Kurseong.

In a closely contested final, North Point beat St Paul’s Darjeeling for the first spot to keep the junior trophy for the third consecutive year.

St Jospeh’s Convent, Kalimpong, came a close second.

Sandeep Gattani, of Vidya Vikas Academy, which failed to reach the finals cursed their luck. “We got the tougher questions and luck was not with us, but we hope to do well next time,” he said

Pranab Mukherjee, the quizmaster, kept the boisterous crowd busy with questions that ranged from naming the 110th descendant of Lord Rama to the man who killed one fourth of the world population.

Md Tasbir Ahmed was declared the best quizzard in the junior division, Zabir Rehman was judged the best in the senior level.

The programme was organised by Darjeeling North Point School Alumni Association in association with The Telegraph.