BSNL SPORTS QUIZ, one of DD-PODHIGAI's long running & Star Programme, is a weekly quiz programme and is on air for the past 15 years. This week the programme is reaching its 750th episode which a made humble beginning in the year 2002 during FIFA world cup football as a 4 week programme to kindle interes t amongst sports loving viewers. It continues to be on air with suitable modification from time to time. Already the said programme is in LIMCA BOOK OF RECORDS for the long running LIVE QUIZ PROGRAMME. To celebrate the 750th episode, a special live invited audience programme was held at Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan on 29/9/2016 by inviting famous sports personalities of yesteryears like Olympic Hockey Captain Shri V. Bhaskaran, Olympic athlete Smt Shiny Wilson and Former cricketer Shri. V.B. Chandrasekar. This programme's long time sponsor of BSNL Tamilnadu Circle's Chief General Manager Smt. Poonguzhali and shri N. Thiyagarajan, ADG(E) South zone, AIR & DD Chennai were the Guests of honour in the function. Some of the unique features of this BSNL Sports Quiz programme are that the longest running live Quiz programme on any T.V. Channel in the world. Also, the age profile of t he viewers participating in the programme ranges from school children (10 to 12 years) to Senior Citizen (75 to 80 years), and having passion for the sports activities and are being dedicated active viewers for this show.
Viewers are not only on Pan India presence to participate in the programme, but also from Indian Diaspora from neighbouring countries Singapore, Middle East Nations & from United States also. Viewers used to respond to the live quiz by Phone, SMS and Email. 3G Video Calling and Skype Calling facilities are already extended to the viewers and are being widely appreciated by the viewers. The programme is totally an indigenous one right from programme concept to execution, meaning that the Graphical support, Technical support in associated software development like handling of SMS and Email responses and automatic drawing of lots for choosing winners etc.., are handled by our own staff members. During the special invited audience function, after the inaugural session, a LIVE QUIZ programme was conducted by Dr Sumant C Raman the anchor for the programme from 1900 hrs to 2000 hrs and prizes were distributed to the winners.
Contributed by :- Shri. Sivakumar Sankaranarayanan
sivavilathai@gmail.com