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BBCW’s quiz show ‘University Challenge’ starts 7 August
NEW DELHI: BBC World will showcase the famous quiz show University Challenge in search of the best talent from the country’s top universities and colleges.
If it is the College Bowl in the United States, it is the University Challenge in Britain. The Indian version of the Challenge is hosted by ace quiz master Siddharth Basu and will be on air from 7 August, with additional appointment to view on Sundays.
Over 27 episodes, the best quizzing teams from the top institutes will battle it out to win the prestigious trophy. A press release says that the current format in the UK involves 24 teams a year. After an initial written application, a team of University Challenge staff tours the UK to interview and test the applicant teams.
In all, teams representing approximately 250 universities or university colleges are seen annually. In each of those cases, a standardised quiz and personal interviews are used.
Following that “road trip”, the average team score on the quiz and the interviews are used to select the 24 teams for the year’s series.
The release adds that there were over 350 entries from prestigious colleges across India. University Challenge in India is being sponsored by Samsung Sound.
There will be other attractions, too, as the launch party yesterday indicated where hot babe Mandira Bedi, Cyrus Broacha, Rahul Bose and Sharon Prabhakar pitted their knowledge against each other along with four students, two each from India and Britain.
Also read:
BBC World’s new quiz show to challenge students
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Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
