In the past few days, I’ve spent most of my time trying to convince a sceptical 12-year-old that knowing algebraic factorisation is an essential skill for a cool adult life. Ergo, this week’s quiz is dedicated to the third-oldest profession in the world, teachers!

1 The two other leading candidates for this teaching job were Isocrates and Speusippus. However, the man who eventually took the job was even more famous. He was persuaded only after they agreed to rebuild his hometown of Stageira. Who was the teacher and his equally famous pupil?

2 This gentleman has a PhD in Sanskrit and Indian studies from Harvard and has taught religion at the universities of Amherst and Columbia. He is the first American to be ordained in the Tibetan Buddhist order. His daughter is however, even better known in non-academic circles, and her name reflects her father’s interests. Identify the daughter?

3 In 1967, which autobiographical novel by Guyanese E.R. Braithwate was made into a popular film starring Academy Award winner Sidney Poitier and singer Lulu?

4 Which Indian filmstar taught martial arts in the late ’80s in Mumbai and got his first break after working with producer Pramod Chakravarthy’s grandson?

5 In 1886, Anne Sullivan, 20, graduated from Perkins School for the Blind as the valedictorian of her class. She went on to build an amazing teaching career. Who was her most famous pupil?

6 Who was known as the ‘Phantom of Fine Hall’ and featured in a novel by Rebecca Goldstein titled The Mind-Body Problem?

7 Between 1990 and 1993, which famous author taught English as a foreign language at Porto in Portugal?

8 Sir Humphry Davy was the inventor of the Davy’s safety lamp and a leading chemist and contributor to the Royal Society. But who or what did he regard as his foremost discovery?

9 Before he became a rockstar, this gentleman taught English, music and soccer at St Catherine’s Convent School. He later said, “I was the only man on the faculty. In fact, I was the only teacher not in a habit.” Identify this musician

10 The faculty for this institution has featured the likes of Amartya Sen and Manmohan Singh. Notable students include Prannoy Roy, author Amitav Ghosh and former President of Malawi, Bingu wa Mutharika. What is this seat of learning?

Answers1. Aristotle, who taught Alexander the Great

2. Uma Thurman, whose father Robert Thurman was a well-known Buddhist academic. Incidentally, her godfather is Timothy Leary

3. To Sir with Love

4. Akshay Kumar

5. Helen Keller

6. Mathematician John Nash, the subject of the feature film A Beautiful Mind

7. JK Rowling

8. His student and former assistant Michael Farraday. Incidentally, Einstein had a portrait of Farraday in his study in Princeton

9. Gordon Sumner, better known as Sting

10. The Delhi School of Economics

Joy Bhattacharjya is, in this age of televisions pundits and Facebook gurus, simply grateful that facts are not opinions.

Follow on Twitter @joybhattacharj

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