Biz Quizzard 565

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week January 19 - 24. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Which company is the lone Indian entity among the world's 50 most valued lenders in 2014, according to a list compiled by Relbanks?

2. Which company has invested US $30.65 million (around Rs 189 crore) to buy Coldstream Laboratories Inc., in an all-cash deal?

3. Which company has launched the 1st Electric Vehicle pilot project, under the aegis of the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP)?

4. Naresh Gupta is quitting as the India MD of which MNC?

5. Which company is reportedly developing a new car, codenamed the ‘Pelican’, to take on Maruti Alto?

6. Which online travel agency has signed on the model and actress Yami Gautam to promote Turkey in Punjab?

7. Thomas Cook (India)'s subsidiary IKYA Group, an HR solutions company, has been renamed. What is the new name?

8. Which IT company has announced the acquisition of US-based Discoverture Solutions for $15 million?

9. Which company has emerged as most profitable firm in India for the quarter, posting a net profit of Rs 5,328 crore for the quarter ended December, overtaking champion Reliance Industries Ltd?

10. Canada-based Taranjeet Singh has been appointed the India business head of which MNC?

11. Which brand has been awarded the `Asia's Most Promising Brand' award for 2013-14 under the automotive category by World Consulting and Research Corporation?

12. The total installed capacity of solar power in the country crossed which milestone mark during the 3rd quarter, according to Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)?

13. Which Bengaluru-based company is claiming to have started India’s first long-distance, shared taxi service?

14. Which online private label has launched a rather sensational campaign ‘#Unfollow’, featuring stand-up comedian Radhika Vaz?

15. Which Hong Kong-based company has bought Britain’s Eversholt Rail for an enterprise value of £ 2.5 billion ($ 3.8 billion)?

16. Which country has emerged as the most trusted country in the world, in terms of faith reposed on its institutions, according to a survey by public relations firm Edelman?

17. Which stationery brand is being advertised with the positioning ‘Likho apna kal"?

18. Which e-retailer in India has joined hands with online education pioneer TCYonline to offer a wide spread of test preparation tools?

19. Which online marketplace has partnered with cable distribution firm Den Networks to launch a TV home shopping channel?

20. Which MNC will buy Bengaluru-based mobile marketing and analytics platform ZipDial?

21. Britannia has roped in Deepika Padukone to endorse which brand?

22. This is easy. Which smartphone brand has launched its new campaign ‘Colours Can Come Alive’?

23. Which insurance company has launched its new campaign ‘Khud Ko Kar Buland’?

24. Which global investment arm is acquiring Mumbai-based venture lender SVB India Finance, an arm of Nasdaq-listed SVB Financial Group, for $46.4 million (about Rs 280 crore)?

25. Which Amsterdam-headquartered technology firm last week made a foray into the domestic wearable market with the launch of a range of GPS-enabled sport watches?

26. Textiles and apparels major Arvind is readying to foray into which new segment?

27. Bengaluru has been ranked fifth on a list of cities globally that received the highest venture capital funding in 2014. Which city has topped the list?

28. Housing Development Finance Corporation Ltd (HDFC) last week hit which milestone mark in market capitalization?

29. Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (Zeel) is all set to launch its new Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC). What has it been christened as?

30. Which MNC has agreed to sell its German unit Senvion SE to Centerbridge Partners LP for 1 billion euros (72 billion rupees) in an all-cash deal?

31. Which MNC has acquired US-Israeli CloudOn, a developer of tools to simplify creating and editing documents on mobile devices?

32. Which is the most livable city in the country, according to Location Ratings for expatriate living conditions published by ECA International?

33. Sunil Sood will be the new CEO of the Indian operations of which telecom MNC?

34. Which company has acquired a controlling stake in Australia-based Fravin Pty Ltd. along with its three subsidiaries?

35. Which consumer products company has forayed into the air-conditioner segment?

36. Which company will soon install India’s first automated vault?

37. Which mall operator and Everstone Capital-owned Pan India Food Solutions have formed a 51:49 partnership to operate multi-brand food courts?

38. Which dairy company has unveiled its new brand identity with a new logo and brand expression "Ideas for a new day"?

39. Which MNC has acquired Semetric, a company that analyzes data about music online?

40. Luxury car maker Bentley has unveiled the name of its all-new luxury SUV, which is set to be revealed to the world later this year. What has it been branded as?

41. Which insurance company has launched a campaign titled ‘Daddy aur Zooey’?

42. Which brand has launched a new campaign ‘Bindaas Daant, toh Bindaas Aap’?

43. Which NYSE-listed infotainment company has agreed to acquire Symphony Teleca, a software services company with majority staffers in India, for at least $780 million?

44. Which beverage brand will launch its new campaign ‘Rishton Mein Garmahat Laye’ on Republic Day?

45. Which MNC will sell the Rockport shoe business to a company formed jointly by competitor New Balance Athletic Shoe Inc?

46. Dr Malini Parthasarathy has been appointed as the first woman editor of which well known newspaper?

47. Which business group recently established a football club ‘Bharat FC’?

48. ITC has decided to close down a unit in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh. This is its last unit manufacturing which product?

49. Which MNC has launched a digital video titled 'There will be haters', featuring football players Gareth Bale, Luis Suarez, James Rodriguez and Karim Benzema?

50. Which business group is launching an initiative titled “Mission Garima” (Mission Dignity) to improve the lives of manual conservancy workers in Mumbai?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 565 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

Biz Quizzard 564

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week January 12 - 17. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Which district has become the first district in the country to be linked to the National Optic Fibre Network (NOFN), which will ensure broadband connection to rural areas of the district?

2. Which company and US-based SunEdison will establish a joint venture for building the largest vertically integrated solar photovoltaic manufacturing facility in India?

3. Which microfinance lender has bagged an Rs 600 crore investment, clinching the single largest funding deal in India's microfinance sector?

4. Which US pharmaceutical company has agreed to buy NPS Pharmaceuticals Inc for $5.2 billion in its biggest acquisition yet?

5. Who has been conferred “Governor of the Year” award by the British journal Central Banking?

6. Which DTH operator has launched India’s first 4K set top box?

7. Which company has acquired Seattle-based food portal Urbanspoon in a $60-million (Rs `370 crore) all cash deal?

8. Which bank has launched a savings bank account, Jifi Saver, which can be managed via social networking websites such as Twitter & Facebook?

9. Which iconic luxury footwear brand from UK is entering into India as a result of an exclusive distribution tie-up with Heel & Buckle?

10. Which brand has launched a global campaign ‘Use Your And’ to inspire women and girls to stand up against one-dimensional labels and encourage them to unleash the innate potential inside them?

11. Which retail chain has reportedly roped in Sonam Kapoor as brand ambassador?

12. Which portal has launched two new television commercials – ‘Sushil Bachcha’ and ‘Pati Parmeshwar Not’?

13. Which state last week lifted its 17 year old ban on alcohol?

14. Tarun Rai is the new South Asia CEO of which advertising agency?

15. SsangYong Motor Co, the South Korean automaker owned by Mahindra & Mahindra, last week launched a compact SUV. What has it been branded as?

16. Which brand has launched its new campaign ‘Yeh Game Hi Hai... Taste Ka’, ahead of ICC Cricket World Cup 2015?

17. Which MNC last week introduced its flight search tool for Indian Internet users?

18. Which brand has recently launched a new website called fitfoodie.in for food lovers?

19. Which life insurance company has launched its latest campaign "Befikar, Umar Bhar"?

20. Which company last week launched its ready-to-drink juices under the brand B Natural in the South?

21. Which premium Spanish apparel brand has entered India?

22. Which media entity has appointed AP Parigi as its group chief executive?

23. Which MNC will stop selling holidays to customers in India and several other countries as it exits its tour operating business?

24. Which company last week announced the creation of a $250 million (Rs. 1,550 crore) ‘Innovate in India Fund’?

25. Which business group has made a foray into the real estate space, deciding to build a residential-cum-commercial property in Haldia?

26. Which FMCG major has hired Ashish Joshi, a senior executive at Colgate Palmolive, as chief operating officer (COO) for its Southeast Asia business?

27. Nissan India has decided to phase out which luxury brand in India?

28. Which housing finance company has appointed Harshil Mehta as CEO?

29. Which restaurant chain has launched a new campaign titled ‘One is Good, Two is Better’?

30. Preeti Reddy has been named the new president of which global market research agency?

31. PepsiCo has signed up actor Anushka Sharma to endorse which brand?

32. Which business personality is set to enter the education sector with U Education, an online portal focusing on higher education?

33. Which company last week launched what it claimed as the country’s first Anti Lift Tractors?

34. BlackBerry last week launched its newest creation in India. What has it been branded as?

35. The railways last week launched a train on the Rewari-Rohtak section of northern zone. Why did this make news?

36. Which restaurant chain has launched its new campaign ‘Feed your Fire’?

37. Which company has entered into a strategic partnership with Whitmore, a global producer of lubrication-centric reliability products, to market the latter's products in the Indian market?

38. Which MNC last week launched its limited edition sports car R8 LMX, priced at Rs 2.97 crore (ex-showroom Delhi)?

39. Anupam Shrivastava has been appointed as the new CMD of which public sector entity?

40. The number of Indian tourists visiting the US will cross which milestone mark in 2015 for the first time, according to ‘Brand USA’, a public-private tourism organization?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 564 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

Biz Quizzard 563

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week January 05 - 10. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Who has been crowned the `Most Generous Indian' for the second year in a row by China's Hurun Research Institute?

2. Kapil Sharma, who has made his mark as a comedian, will play the role of CEO of which company in his Bollywood debut?

3. Which media group has roped in Jwalant Swaroop as CEO?

4. Who will be the first vice chairman of the Niti Aayog - an institution that came into being on January 1 and replaced the 65year old Planning Commission?

5. Aamir Khan’s ‘PK’ has become the first Bollywood film to cross which domestic box office collections milestone?

6. Premium fitness brand Reebok has tied up with which celebrity to motivate and inspire people to be 'Fit for Life’?

7. Which MNC has acquired wit.ai, a company that makes voice recognition technology for wearable devices and Internet-connected appliances?

8. Which mobile app service has launched its first TV campaign #ChaloNiklo?

9. Which celebrity has taken 50 selfies, which will act as the center-piece for Japanese beauty brand Shiseido's ad campaign during one of Japan's busiest shopping periods?

10. The government last week released a commemorative coin in honour of which business legend on his 175th birth anniversary?

11. Which MNC has launched a brand campaign titled ‘Being Unreasonable’, with brand ambassador Hrithik Roshan?

12. Mahindra & Mahindra has touched which production milestone from its Kandivali plant in Mumbai?

13. Which online real estate portal has acquired Bengaluru-based startup Bakfy?

14. Which company is set to acquire 100 per cent equity in Frika Hair (Pty) Ltd, a leading company in the hair extensions business in South Africa?

15. Which wires and cables manufacturer has launched a new brand campaign 'Connection Zindagi Ka'?

16. Which multi system operator (MSO) has become the first company from the cable TV industry to have crossed the $1 billion mark in terms of enterprise valuation?

17. Microsoft has launched its cheapest handset with internet processor so far. What has it been branded as?

18. Who has emerged as the 'business person of the year' for 2014, according to Fortune magazine?

19. Which television channel has teamed up with Cadbury 5 Star’s famous duo Ramesh and Suresh for a brand integration campaign titled ‘Jo Khaaye Kho Jaaye’?

20. This is a nice ad. Which hair care brand has rolled out a digital commercial 'Brave & Beautiful', featuring a bald woman?

21. Which capital markets-focused IT company has acquired Paris-based consulting and integration specialist TeamTrade for an undisclosed sum?

22. Which company has launched the country's first contactless debit and credit cards that use the near field communication technology?

23. Which portal has launched what it claims is the world’s first instant messenger by a classifieds company?

24. Sony Corp is bringing back which well known brand?

25. Which airline has been named the world’s safest airline in a report published by AirlineRatings.com?

26. Which Indian IT company has entered into a joint venture with US-based global telecom technology firm Avion Systems?

27. Which MNC has signed an agreement to sell its La Cocinera frozen meals business to Findus Spain as part of its ongoing portfolio review?

28. Which messaging app has made its first acquisition, buying free voice-calling company Zip Phone, which will allow it to launch free app-based calling services?

29. Which company has bought Mukesh Ambani's majority stake in Stargaze, which operates the multiplex chain Glitz?

30. Which Mumbai-based online apparel startup has raised an undisclosed amount from Snapdeal founders Kunal Bahl and Rohit Bansal?

31. Which MNC bank is exiting global institutional equities business, as it expands its cost cutting exercise?

32. Which MNC has bought QuickFire Networks, a startup that helps view high-quality video with low bandwidth?

33. Which IPL team has announced HTC as an official principal sponsor?

34. Which DTH brand has launched a television commercial with the tagline ‘TV saath saath dekhne mein maza aata hai na’?

35. Which company is acquiring Swiss firm SOFGEN Holdings Ltd., a global consulting and services firm specialising in private, commercial and retail banking solutions?

36. Which chain has launched an exciting new pizza festival ‘Flavours of the World’ with a new campaign?

37. Which portal for all wacky gizmos recently launched its first physical store, in Mumbai?

38. Which brand has launched a range of ‘super green teas’ that are the first functional green teas in the UK with proven health benefits?

39. Which online fashion retailer is launching its first technology lab in the country?

40. Which well known CEO was among the 15 awardees of Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award last week?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 563 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

Biz Quizzard 562

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week December 29 - January 03. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Which MNC plans to launch a compact sport-utility vehicle, codenamed GS, in India in the second half of 2015?

2. Which bank has launched a campaign to introduce 2 new digital services – ‘Instant Pin’ and ‘Mail Money’?

3. Which company has launched ‘My Lakshya’ – a campaign that redefines the value of living your dream?

4. Which MNC has launched a film #SpecialDelivery to thank the delivery boys – unsung heroes of online shopping?

5. Which company has collaborated with Eureka Forbes, a major player in offering water purification products, to launch a range of water coolers with in-built Aquaguard water purifiers?

6. Which car portal has launched a new campaign, featuring a new character ‘Mr I Know’?

7. You can easily work this out. Which brand has launched a campaign ‘Jagaiye Apne Andar Ka Officer’?

8. Which footwear brand has launched a new campaign 'Isme Hai Style'?

9. Pakistan’s QMobile has roped in which celebrity to promote LINQ Smartphones?

10. Which MNC is reportedly working on a brand new web browser, code-named “Spartan”?

11. Which location in India has become the world’s sixth-most costliest office destination, according to property consultant CBRE?

12. Which organization has launched a customised low-cost combination phone and tablet computer called ‘GreenPHABLET powered by the GreenSIM’?

13. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) has been renamed. What is the new name?

14. Which company has sold its erstwhile headquarters in South Mumbai to its current tenant, Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC), for around Rs`300 crore?

15. Which business personality from India has been ranked as one of the most powerful leaders globally in the chemicals business, according to ICIS?

16. Which company has acquired 51 per cent equity shares of Colombo-based Asia Asset Finance PLC (AAF)?

17. Which Chandigarh-based company has launched what it calls the country’s first online hardware store to cater to multi-brand hardware and sanitary product needs of customers?

18. Which Coimbatore-based start-up airline is aiming at a launch by March-April 2015?

19. A technology company founded by an Indian-American Azim Makanojiya has emerged as the largest online seller of which product in the US?

20. Which company plans to launch a premium dining brand American Tandoor in USA?

21. Which company has announced the acquisition of Global DuPont Dymel, the pharmaceutical propellant business of American chemical giant DuPont?

22. Which Chennai-based company has acquired a 51% stake in ThreeSixty Logica Testing Services, a privately-held independent software testing service company?

23. Hyundai Motor India has crossed which milestone on Facebook?

24. Which MNC has launched a digital campaign #Enjoynowsharelater - urging people to live the moment instead of sharing it online as is the habit with the net-savvy generation?

25. Which bank has logged Rs 3,540 crore at the end of October via its mobile application to clinch the top position in mobile banking transactions, according to RBI data?

26. Kishore Kumar Sansi is the new managing director and chief executive officer of which bank?

27. The founder and former head designer of which American upscale clothing brand has launched a new fashion label titled Georges Marciano Since 1978?

28. Which structure has broken the Guinness World Record of the ‘Largest LED-Illuminated Facade’?

29. Which automobile company in India, in partnership with Polaris Industries, the US maker of all-terrain vehicles, is reportedly building a vehicle with a 600cc diesel engine?

30. Mercedes-Benz India has crossed which milestone annual sales mark for 2014?

31. Which Hyderabad-based company has agreed to acquire a 74% stake in Rangsons Electronics, a Mysore-based electronics system design and manufacturing services company?

32. Which auto component maker, through its German subsidiary, has acquired France-based Mecanique Generale Langroise for €11.8 million (around Rs 90 crore)?

33. Which company is set to take over the day care and short stay surgeries division of Nova Medical Centres, a Bangalore-based chain of hospitals for an undisclosed sum?

34. According to a report last week, which online marketplace has roped in Jacqueline Fernandez as brand ambassador?

35. Which telecom company has acquired IdeaObject, an Indian startup that builds software?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 562 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli