QM: Viola Rodrigues
Material Girl
‘Cause we are living in a material world
And I am a material girl
You know that we are living in a material world!
(Lyrics from Material Girl)
The ‘material world’ conjured by the pop diva Madonna is not the material that Viola works with. A scientist by profession, Viola is observant, analytical and erudite. A true lover of science and scientific thinking.
For Viola, scientific facts and knowledge are not abstract, complex and technical to the point of being beyond the comprehension of a common person. Instead, she brings the scientific temper into the everyday and relatable aspects of life, especially through the food we eat, the beverages we drink and the clothes we wear.
Viola’s quiz spread over four rounds covered not only the flora and fauna, but also trivia on movies, literature, language and everything under the sun. It was above all a great learning experience; who knew that your navel could host some organisms that thrive in the Artic cold and others that survive the underwater vents of hot blasts. It is like Modi and Rahul living in the same small pothole.
There were a few references to the material world as against the materials that make the world by way of exotic food, for instance the macadamia nuts that compelled the pilot to turn back, the reproductive organs of the sea urchin that is a prized dish for the material people like Madonna and others.
The climax was the connect in triads and the grandmother – daughter - granddaughter overall connect. A fitting tribute to the Grandparents Day celebrated across parishes in Goa and other parts of the world.
Voila! What a way to conclude a great quiz, Viola! May her tribe increase
Written by Assis Sequeira
Results:
1st: Team 2: 285 points
Kaivalya,Ira,Devika, Saud, Assis
2nd: Team 6: 275 points
Anirudh Kakodkar, Shiv Nadkarni, Srijit Kumar,Neha Kamat, Adish Talwadkar
3rd: Team 3: 250 points
Anjali Dar Sengupta, Annie Sengupta,Vinayak Singbal, Swati Parab
4th: Team 1: 240 points
Soham Gaunekar, Simran Dhond,Utsav Banerjee, Ajit Nair, Shujoy Datta
5th: Team 5: 195 points
Amey Parsekar, Vilas Pavithran, Melchior
6th: Team 4: 155 points
Ruchira Porob, Abhijeet, Sahil R, Nitish Wagle, Bhaskar Chakarborty
