Since it is the 25th of December, this quiz is all about people born on Christmas Day. Merry Quizzing!

Questions

1. One of the greatest influences on modern science, which genius born in the 17th century had two terms in Parliament as the Member for the University of Cambridge and also served as the Master of the Royal Mint and the President of the Royal Society?

2. Born on Christmas Day, 1954, which Scottish singer and songwriter teamed up with Dave Stewart to form a group named after a system of exercise and delivered a string of hits in the eighties?

3. In November 2015, who became the 23rd Prime Minister of his country, following the footsteps of his father who was elected as the nation’s 15th PM in 1968, and had a second term starting in 1980?

4. Which eminent educationist and three time President of the Indian National Congress was posthumously conferred with the Bharat Ratna on 24th Dec 2014, a day before his 153rd birth anniversary?

5. This leg break bowler took two five-wicket hauls on his debut for Australia in 1925 and went on to take an astonishing 216 wickets in the 26 tests he played. He is also regarded as the bowler who popularised the ‘flipper’ — a delivery that has back spin imparted on it and tends to stay low. What is his name?

6. Producer director Kamal Amrohi’s magnum opus, Pakeezah, also featured one of the finest soundtracks ever in Indian cinematic history. But as the production of the film stretched well over a decade, the original music director, Ghulam Muhammad, passed away before completing the score. Which great music director completed the background score and added a couple of songs for the film’s release in 1972?

7. Which Indian politician served ten terms in Parliament, first elected from Balrampur in UP in 1957 and winning his final election from Lucknow in 2004?

8. Born in Mumbai on Christmas day, 1936, he moved to New York, gave up his family title of Abdul Rahman and, in 1961, along with an American director, started what is regarded as the longest partnership in cinematic history. Their first collaboration was the film ‘Householder’ featuring Shashi Kapoor and Leela Naidu. Name him and his partner.

9. Which actress, who started her film career opposite Salman Khan in the film Baghi in 1990 and has also starred in a series of Telegu and Tamil hits, was named Nandita Arvind Morarji at her birth on Christmas Day, 1974?

10. The younger brother of an Indian Prime Minister, which Indian painter and sculptor lost most of his hearing at the age of 11 when he fell into the rapids while crossing a bridge in Kashmir? He regained his hearing after an operation in 1998, 62 years later!

Answers

1. Sir Isaac Newton, the man who defined gravity

2. Annie Lennox, the group was Eurythmics

3. Justin Trudeau, the eldest son of Pierre Trudeau

4. Madan Mohan Malviya, regarded as the founder of Banaras Hindu University

5. Clarence Victor Grimmett, usually known as Clarrie Grimmett

6. Naushad Ali

7. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who served three terms as the Prime Minister of India

8. Ismail Merchant; his professional and romantic partner was James Ivory, and Ruth Prawer Jhabwala wrote most of their scripts

9. Nagma

10. Satish Gujral, the younger brother of Inder Kumar Gujral

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