Veni, Vidi, Vici: A Journey Through the Minds of ClassAct 2022 Toppers
ClassAct 2022, The Hindustan Times Republic Day Quiz, has been officially declared as Asia's largest online school quiz by the Asia Book of records and the India Book of Records. With over 50,000 students from all across India and the world registering for and over 19,000 students taking part in the Prelims round held on 23rd January, this quiz has set the record for 'Maximum Participation in an Online school Quiz'. The Grand Finale of this record-setting quizzing event, which took place on 26th January, was hosted by two of the finest quizmasters of India Dr. Navin Jayakumar and Mr. Avinash Mudaliar. A total of 175 finalists contended for a spot in the Top 40 of the Finale from among the 19,625 students who participated in the Prelims from 32 countries. HT School spoke to the toppers of ClassAct 2022, who made it to the Top 6, their parents and teachers as well. Here is what their journey has been through ClassAct 2022.
Pranjali Mishra, Delhi Public School, Noida, Grade VI
Rank: 1
Pranjali has previously participated in an array of national quizzes. However, ClassAct 2022 was the first online quiz that she participated in. “During the prelims, I was very nervous and excited at the same time. After I made it to the finals, I was a little more nervous. However, the hints that Dr. Jayakumar shared with each question really helped me perform well,” she shares. Pranjali found the question on Taj Mahal quite interesting. “What I liked about that question is that it connected ‘petha’ with the Taj Mahal. The question on Baby Shark was also cute,” she recalls.
School teachers, parents and elder brother Arush (he grabbed the 3rd spot in ClassAct 2022) have been instrumental in generating Pranjali’s interest in quizzing. “Although Pranjali has been interesting in quizzing for the past two and a half years or so, it intensified even more during the lockdown. Since she could not go out to play and spend time with her friends, I made it a point to develop her interest in other things, such as quizzing. Initially, she participated in quizzes conducted in her school. Slowly, she starting participating in other online quizzes too,” says her father Parimal Piyush.
This doting dad attributes his daughter’s success in quizzing to her sincerity in everything she does. “Pranjali, Aarush and I quiz together every day for more than an hour! Sometimes, their mother joins in too! Earlier, Ayush used to perform better, but now even Pranjali is giving him tough competition. It’s always a fun, healthy competition though,” he shares.
Champion’s tips: Constant quest for knowledge is the key to success in quizzing. Hunt for information through books as well as video content on the internet.
Sanjay Senthilnathan, Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan Senior Secondary School, Chennai, Grade IX
Rank: 2
After learning about the ClassAct 2022, the Hindustan Times Republic Day Quiz from his teachers and through the Hindustan Times YouTube page, Sanjay Senthilnathan decided to give it a go. Little did he know at that time, that he would end up with a podium finish. With a 92% accuracy in the prelims, Sanjay bagged the second spot as a finalist. Sharing his experience in ClassAct 2022, he says, “In the finals, I was not in the lead at the beginning. I got a breakthrough post the 7th question. The questions were not extremely hard, but the way they were worded was unique.”
ClassAct 2022 was the second or third quiz that Sanjay has ever participated in. “This quiz actually changed my perception about quizzing. Moving forward, I hope to participate in more quiz shows,” he says.
Sanjay’s school has a strong quizzing culture. “We have a strong quiz club in school and we encourage our students to participate. Also, I frequently conduct quizzes related to various social science topics,” says his Social Science Teacher Girija Seshadri. “The minute Sanjay walked into my class, I knew that he was someone who would excel in quizzing. Right from the very first ice-breaking session that we had with the children, I noticed his curiosity. He always went a step further and wanted to know more. He has two very important qualities, according to me: He is extremely curious and is a committed researcher. Even for the slightest, smallest topical discussions, he always comes prepared with extra information. I believe that this is something which definitely led to his fantastic performance in the quiz,” he adds.
Champion’s Tips: Focus overall learning and knowledge. Also, consistency is instrumental in ensuring success in anything, including quizzes.
Arush Aroh, Amity International School, Delhi, Grade XI
Rank: 3
As someone with a thirst for knowledge, Arush initially started quizzing in Grade IX as a way to learn more about the world. “Arush always had a keen interest in quizzing. He used to quiz with his friends, and that’s primarily where the interest emerged from. He was always good at the SST subjects like history, civics, etc. Most GK topics are covered in these. This gave him an edge over others in quizzes of that genre,” shares his father Mr. Piyush.
After hearing that ClassAct 2022 was being organised by Hindustan Times, Arush realised that it was going to be an important one. “When I got to know about this HT quiz, I was very, very excited. After my selection in the Prelims, I was further motivated to make it to the Grand Finale with zeal and vigour,” he says.
For Arush, ClassAct 2022 was an enlightening experience. “The way this quiz was conducted by the quizmasters was amazing, with all the hints that they gave us!” he says.
Champion’s Tips: Focus on enhancing conceptual understanding rather than strengthening your memory. This will help you make an educated guess even if you don’t know an answer.
Aditya Mishra, DAV Public School, Faridabad, Grade XI
Rank: 5
Aditya was encouraged by his Sanskrit teacher, Mr. Vasudev Yadav to participate in ClassAct 2022, The Hindustan Times Republic Day Quiz. For Aditya, the feeling of making it to the top 5 in this quiz was no less than thrilling. “The Finale was particularly challenging, though the Prelims round was a breeze. I made two correct guesses in the final round, which made me believe that luck and timing are also important factors in a quiz. Mere seconds make a huge difference,” he reflects.
According to his father Amit Kumar Mishra, Aditya has had a talent for quizzing ever since he was a small boy. Whenever I watch news on TV, Aditya always joins in with me. He makes it a point to ask me questions about things that we see in the news,” he says. Aditya’s elder cousin also participates in various quizzes, and he was often inspired by him. “However, the credit for guiding and preparing Aditya for quizzes goes to his teachers. Whenever there is a quiz coming up, I remind him to study for it, but it turns out, that he is already prepared, thanks to his teachers,” recalls Mr Mishra.
“Aditya’s performance in a quiz as big as ClassAct 2022 is not just a matter of pride for me, but the entire school,” says Aditya’s Sanskrit teacher Mr. Yadav. He attributes the entire credit of this performance to Aditya. “His interest and hard work is what led to his amazing performance. I told him that it is not necessary to end up with a rank, but it is important to prepare well for it and give it all that you have got,” he recalls.
Champion’s Tips: Nothing can be mugged up within a day or two when it comes to quizzing. It is a summation of our entire experience up until this point of what we have learnt.
Anish Kumar Arun, South City International School, Kolkata, Grade XII
Rank: 6
After learning about ClassAct 2022 on social media and realizing that he had a holiday on that day, Anish casually decided to give it a go. However, he had no idea about what was to come, and ended up bagging the 6th spot in the quiz. He thought that taking part in this quiz would be a fun way to get a break from his ongoing practical exams. “I participated in the Prelims just for fun. However, after qualifying for the finals, I got serious,” he shares.
For Anish, every single aspect of the quiz taught him something new. “Even if I knew an answer, the quizmasters would share something new about it. Essentially, I was able to broaden my horizons not only in terms of what I didn’t know, but also in terms of what I knew already,” says the budding quizzer.
Anish has been interested in quizzing for as long as he can remember. “When my father worked abroad, we used to have a ritual. He would call me and quiz me every night about the things that were happening in the world around. This naturally helped me chase the curiosity bug,” he shares. Moreover, his parents have played a pivotal role in shaping the quizzer in Anish. “His curiosity for knowledge has always been quenched. Whenever he used to come up with any question as a child, his mom wouldn’t let it go unanswered,” shares his father Mr. Arun Jairam.
Champion’s Tips: I always check the social media handles of the quizmasters before attending their quiz shows. Try it out. This really helps. Also, treat each question like a puzzle. There is more to a question than just spewing out the facts. One needs to work it out and construct an answer, rather than just knowing it.
(With inputs from Tania Bagwan)