November 26, 2017

Biz Quizzard 713

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the period November 20 - 25. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Coca-Cola is launching the first variant of Thums Up in 40 years. What has it been branded as?

2. Which watch maker has launched a new product in collaboration with Indian start-up Blink?

3. Which Italian bakery and confectionary group has launched its first television commercial in India for its delectable Moonfils?

4. Radio Mirchi has crossed which subscriber milestone on YouTube?

5. Which celebrity has collaborated with Tata Sky for a solo Beauty Channel titled FTheCouch?

6. Which instant adhesive brand has launched a new television ad campaign titled ‘Khushiyon ke chand pal'?

7. Alcis Sports, an Indian brand, has roped in which cricketer a brand ambassador?

8. Which celebrity has picked up a small minority stake in fashion-tech startup StyleCracker for an undisclosed amount?

9. Which business group last week announced the acquisition of OCM Woolen Mills?

10. Which company last week opened its new manufacturing plant with an investment of $230 million in the world’s car capital Detroit, which got its first automotive production facility in 25 years?

11. Avenues India, the subsidiary company of Infibeam Incorporation Limited, last week launched an inter-operable digital bill payments platform. What has it been branded as?

12. Marico last week entered which new segment under the Saffola brand?

13. YouTuber Lilly Singh is endorsing which shampoo brand?

14. Which actress has been signed on as the brand ambassador for Bajaj Corp’s NOMARKS skincare range?

15. Which company, in collaboration with fashion designer Masaba Gupta, has launched a new line of watches?

16. Which online home interior provider has acquired Capricoast(dot)com, an online home interiors marketplace, for Rs 90 crore?

17. Which business services provider has acquired majority stake in Tata Business Support Services (TBSS) for Rs 153 crore?

18. Which company last week became the first Asian company to be valued over $500 billion?

19. Which sports personality has become Edify Education’s brand ambassador?

20. IKEA last week launched its first experiential centre in India, in Hyderabad. What is it called?

21. Rajneesh Bhasin has quit as the India MD of which MNC?

22. Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO) and which company are joining hands to launch vegan yogurt in India?

23. Aashish Kamat has quit as the India head of which MNC bank?

24. Which company has picked up a majority stake in CreditMate, a Mumbai-based startup that facilitates two-wheeler loans for customers with no formal credit history?

25. Hyderabad-based serial entrepreneur Dr G Srinubabu last week said he has acquired 100% stake in which Canada-based health informatics and healthcare services player?

26. Which real estate portal has launched its first television commercial?

27. Titan has shut down which brand of stores, owing to non-performance?

28. Which Ahmedabad-based company has launched organic crayons, claimed to be the first of its kind by an Indian manufacturer?

29. Meg Whitman will step down as CEO of which company, ending a 6-year tenure that included overseeing one of the biggest corporate breakups in history?

30. Havmor Ice Cream Ltd (HIL) will sell the business to which MNC for Rs 1,020 crore?

31. Which Germany-based camera maker last week announced its foray into the Indian market, opening its first store in Delhi?

32. Which entertainment conglomerate has launched a corporate brand film titled ‘Open New Worlds’ to commemorate completion of 10 years in India?

33. Which company has formed a joint venture with Mickey Mehta's 360 degree wellness temple?

34. Which business magazine has undergone a brand revamp with a new logo, masthead and a new business catchphrase - 'Rebrain or Rot’?

35. Which private equity group has acquired Malaysia-based diagnostics and medical supplies distributor Chemopharm for an undisclosed sum?

36. Which company has launched a new digital banking platform ‘YONO’ (‘You Only Need One’)?

37. Which consumer electrical and electronics player last week launched what it claims is the country’s first smart inverter range, in Hyderabad?

38. Which company is set to launch an electric version of Tata Nano under “Neo” brand?

39. Which dairy brand has launched the campaign ‘Mann Phisal-Phisal Jae’ for desi ghee?

40. Ending this edition on a nice note. Which business family last week pledged 10 per cent of their wealth, around Rs 7,000 crore, for philanthropic activities?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 713 as the subject. Answers will be mailed to those who attempt the current edition within the given time.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

November 19, 2017

Biz Quizzard 712

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the period November 13 - 18. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Which state last week won the Geographical Indication (GI) for rosogolla, ending close to three years of bitter battle?

2. Which food and beverages startup has entered the market with its patented processed sugarcane beverage?

3. Vodafone India and Idea Cellular have agreed to sell about 20,000 towers they directly own to a local arm of which MNC for $1.2 billion (Rs 7,850 crore) in cash?

4. Ranjit Shahani is stepping down as India managing director of which pharmaceutical MNC after 15 years at the helm?

5. BYJU’S, the education company and K-12 app, has unveiled its new ad-campaign featuring which celebrity?

6. S Lakshminarayanan, a retired IAS officer and chairman of Shriram Transport Finance, last week became the non-executive chairman of which company?

7. Which company’s farm equipment division has tied up with Belgium’s Dewulf Group to manufacture and market potato-planting equipment in India?

8. Online food ordering and delivery platform Swiggy last week announced the launch of ready-to-occupy kitchens. What has the initiative been branded as?

9. Which hyperlocal logistic firm has acquired the Towny app, which is into food delivery and other services, in a cash-and-stock deal?

10. Which company is making a Rs 1,000-crore acquisition of wind power assets of the KC Thapar Group?

11. Which company last week launched what it claimed as first ever mattress made from denim in India?

12. Which company has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Pragmatix Services, a data analytics company founded by banking professionals, for Rs 56 crore?

13. Which Indian designer-wear brand has launched its first television commercial, featuring actress Nimrat Kaur?

14. Which diamond trade body has launched its operations in India?

15. Which American restaurant chain is making its India debut in Hyderabad?

16. SSG Capital, a special situations fund, has bought a 34.4% stake in which company’s overseas unit Holidaybreak at an enterprise value of $800 million (Rs 5,225 crore)?

17. Raymond last week expanded its FMCG business by introducing which product category under the Park Avenue brand in the domestic and export markets?

18. Which luggage brand has launched a television commercial, featuring Hrithik Roshan, to commemorate 50 golden years in India?

19. Which company has recently launched a three-film digital campaign titled #HowSafeAreYou?

20. Which family has topped Forbes’ list of Asia’s richest families?

21. Which Bengaluru-based drug maker has agreed to sell its domestic branded formulations business to Ahmadabad-based Eris Lifesciences for Rs 500 crore?

22. Which company has picked up a 50% stake in information technology-enabled services provider Vara United in a deal that values the Kolkata company at about Rs 306 crore ($46 million)?

23. Which low-cost carrier from the Middle East last week flew into India with daily non-stop flights to Hyderabad?

24. Which location is the ‘most expensive retail location’ in India and has acquired 24th position in global rankings, according to a report released by Cushman & Wakefield?

25. The Indian unit of Google crossed which sales milestone in fiscal 2017?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 712 as the subject. Answers will be mailed to those who attempt the current edition within the given time.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

November 12, 2017

Biz Quizzard 711

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the period November 06 - 11. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Which company has established India’s largest Coke Dry Quenching (CDQ) facility at its state-of-the-art steel plant at Kalinganagar Industrial Complex in Jajpur district of Odisha?

2. Which global private equity fund will purchase Chennai-based healthcare solutions provider Visionary Revenue Cycle Management (VRCM) for $65 million (Rs 420 crore)?

3. Which company has completed the sale of two of its subsidiaries in Russia - Sunty and Teatrade - for 375 million roubles (about Rs 41 crore)?

4. Which MNC recently launched its limited-edition Gigi Club C Melted Metal sneakers at Amazon India Fashion Week Spring Summer'18?

5. Which lubricants brand has roped in actor Ranveer Singh as the face of its range of engine oils?

6. Which private equity firm will acquire the Kenstar home appliances brand and business from the Videocon Group’s Dhoot family?

7. Which financial services company has launched the campaign #DearMoney?

8. Which company inked a deal with Veecon Media and Television for the sale of its direct-to-home (DTH) business?

9. India-born, Indonesian billionaire Sri Prakash Lohia plans to buy which company's phosphatic fertiliser business for Rs 375 crore?

10. Which state has given nod to India’s first IT employees union?

11. Which US-based visual effects and immersive experiences company last week unveiled its fifth global studio and first India facility at Hyderabad's IT district?

12. Which company last week unveiled four varieties of wine, named ‘Kadu’, to be initially sold in Karnataka?

13. Which actor has made a strategic investment in ‘food on move’ company, IchakDana LLP, a food & beverages franchise management company?

14. Which MNC has elevated Abhishek Maheshwari to the position of country head for India?

15. Which sportswear brand has created a three-and-a-half-minute-long music video titled 'Suede Gully?

16. Which company has launched ‘ORIGINS’, a brand of industrial clusters located across India?

17. Which US-based omnichannel solutions provider last week unveiled its largest research and development centre outside the US at Hyderabad's HiTec City area?

18. Which company has acquired analog design business of Bengaluru-based AnalogSemi (Analog Semiconductors)?

19. This should be easy. Which chocolate brand has launched its new campaign that asks the pertinent question, “Who are you when you are hungry?”?

20. India will soon have its first Cartoon Network-branded theme park. Which city?

21. Mu Sigma's former CEO Ambiga Subramanian and ex-head of operations Goutham Ekollu have cofounded a social-networking application. What has it been branded as?

22. Which automotive component manufacturer has signed a joint venture (JV) agreement with Zorg Industries of Hong Kong to manufacture, supply and sell parking assistance systems in India?

23. Which American digital payments company launched domestic operations in India last week?

24. Datsun India achieved which cumulative production milestone at its Chennai plant last week?

25. Which company last week launched 125cc automatic scooter Grazia with a focus on the urban markets?

26. ITM Group of Institutions last week roped in which sports personality as its brand ambassador?

27. Virat Kohli has launched his athleisure brand in collaboration with German sports lifestyle brand Puma. Name it?

28. Flipkart is launching a local-made smartphone under the Billion label. What has it been branded as?

29. Which MNC has launched its data driven solution Vantara in India?

30. Who will become the first woman president of NASSCOM next year?

31. Which Bengaluru-based health and fitness start-up has signed up cricketer KL Rahul as the brand ambassador for CULT, its chain of premium fitness centres?

32. Vasanth Kumar has been appointed MD of which retailer, starting April 1, 2018?

33. Which chocolate brand has recently rolled out a new rendition of its jingle by singer Armaan Malik and YouTube sensation Shirley Setia?

34. Which food company has roped in South Indian actor Vijay Sethupathi as its brand ambassador?

35. Which real estate firm has signed actress Lara Dutta and her tennis icon husband Mahesh Bhupati as brand ambassadors?

36. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has launched a common logo for which category with the tagline ‘Jaivik Bharat’?

37. Which French luxury furniture brand has launched its first store in India, in Mumbai?

38. Chimay and Delirium, premium beer brands from which country, will be imported, distributed and marketed in India by New Delhi-based Hema Connoisseur Collections?

39. Phanindra Sama, who co-founded online ticket booking service RedBus, has been appointed Chief Innovation Officer (CIO) of which state?

40. Which company has become the only Indian company to join the Telecom Infra Project, a worldwide initiative founded by global carriers, technology and infrastructure providers and Facebook?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 711 as the subject. Answers will be mailed to those who attempt the current edition within the given time.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

November 5, 2017

Biz Quizzard 710

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the period October 30 - November 04. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Which edible oil brand has roped in Akshay Kumar as brand ambassador?

2. Janalakshmi Financial Services has roped in which celebrity as brand ambassador?

3. Which brand has entered the Guinness World Records for creating the record for the `World's Longest Head Massage Chain'?

4. Honda City has crossed which cumulative sales milestone in India?

5. This should be easy. Which brand has launched its new campaign titled 'Sawaal Kijiye Apne Namak Se'?

6. Edelweiss Group, financial services conglomerate, has signed on which actor as the voice of the customer for its latest SME Business Loans campaign?

7. Which Japanese electronic brand is re-entering India in an alliance with Reliance Retail?

8. Zaggle, a payments and group dining company, has appointed which cricketer as brand ambassador?

9. Which well known brand has revamped its brand positioning using the new tagline, "The Future is exciting. Ready?”?

10. Which pharma company has roped in Amitabh Bachchan as its brand ambassador?

11. Which US based software and services company has acquired online travel portal Via(dot)com for $75 million?

12. Amazon India's Android mobile application has reached which downloads milestone on Google Play Store?

13. Uber has partnered with which IT services company to launch uberAssist and uberAccess rider options for those who are disabled or elderly people?

14. Which business group has agreed to buy the Indian microfinance business of South Africa's FirstRand Bank?

15. Which e-commerce platform developer last week announced the launch of ‘shopmytools’, an exclusive digital platform for suppliers, dealers and end-users of machine tools?

16. Tata Global Beverages has ventured into the Rs. 2,500-crore café business with the pilot launch of its first tea café in Bengaluru. What has it been branded as?

17. Which company has elevated T V Narendran as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director globally?

18. National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) last week said RuPay Discover Global Card has crossed which user base milestone since its launch in 2014?

19. Which country has topped the latest World Bank’s index on the ease of doing business?

20. Which is India’s most valuable brand, as per the 2017 Best Indian Brands Report released by brand consultancy firm Interbrand India?

21. Which global manufacturer of home elevators, wheelchair lifts and stair lifts has tied up with Chennai-based Elite Elevators to launch high-end elevators in India?

22. Which life insurance company has announced the appointment of Vikas Seth as Chief Executive Officer?

23. Walmart Stores has opened a fulfilment centre, or ‘dark store’, in India, one of its first globally. Near which city?

24. Which Bangkok-headquartered merchant banking and asset management firm plans to acquire 51% stake in Ruchi Soya Industries?

25. ITC last week came out with a new brand, marking its foray into the fresh fruits and vegetables segment. Name it?

26. Which MNC will buy the specialty tea brand Tazo from Starbucks in a deal valued at $384 million?

27. Xiaomi has roped in which celebrity as the product endorser for its new Redmi Y series in India?

28. Myntra last week launched a new handloom brand. Name it?

29. Which financial marketplace has launched a new campaign, urging viewers to go #paperless?

30. Who has been chosen to become the next head of the US central bank?

31. Which smartphone maker’s global sales director David Chang will now lead the India operations for the brand?

32. Which private equity fund has bought out the small business loan portfolio of the nonbanking financial company of Karvy Group for $200 million?

33. Which Indian CEO has been ranked 32 on the latest list of the world's 100 most powerful women compiled by Forbes?

34. For the first time, individuals can buy insurance cover against cyber crime in India. Which insurance company has launched the Cyber Safe policy?

35. Which business personality is partnering with Rotem Rosen and Jerry Rotonda to set up a real estate firm called MRR Development, which will focus on real estate projects in Manhattan?

36. Which LED lights manufacturer last week announced the launch of its product range under the brand - Svarochi Smart Lights - in Hyderabad?

37. Which nation has become the first in the world to have a government minister dedicated to Artificial Intelligence (AI)?

38. Which fashion brand has forayed into fitness wear and launched a new brand, Rock.It, for workout and sports attire?

39. Which comic brand has launched a special line of merchandise in association with Planet Superheros and Eco Corner for its 37th anniversary?

40. Which pharma company is acquiring the domestic business of Unichem Pharma for Rs 3,600 crore?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 710 as the subject. Answers will be mailed to those who attempt the current edition within the given time.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli