NE EDUTAINMENT BUREAU
CHENNAI, AUG 10
What if the answer to Chennai’s most intriguing questions is hiding in plain sight—in a street corner, an old building, a forgotten personality or a story your grandparents once told you? That is precisely the spirit Murugappa Group is bringing alive as Chennai marks its 387th anniversary during Madras Week.
This year, the Group is expanding its much-loved Madras Quiz into an all-day celebration of knowledge, nostalgia and city pride, bringing together school students, seasoned quizzers, heritage enthusiasts, senior citizens and curious Chennaiites under one roof.
- ‘Manasellaam Madras, Vibe-ellaam Chennai’ sets the tone for an all-day celebration of the city’s history, culture and ever-evolving identity
- Madras Quiz for Schools to test Classes 10–12 on August 23; winners get prizes worth up to ₹20,000
- Open Madras Quiz follows in the afternoon, with ₹50,000 top prize and the coveted rolling trophy
- Top two school teams earn a shot at the Open Quiz; veteran quizmaster Dr. Sumanth C. Raman to host both contests
- Murugappa’s award-winning Madras heritage storytelling continues its journey from archives to neighbourhoods
The theme says it all: “Manasellaam Madras, Vibe-ellaam Chennai.”
It is a celebration of a city that wears its centuries-old history with pride while constantly reinventing itself.
From classroom brains to open-quiz champions
The festivities will begin with the Madras Quiz for Schools, specially designed for students of Classes 10, 11 and 12.
The Schools Quiz will be held on Sunday, August 23, 2026, from 10 am to 1 pm at The Victoria Public Hall, challenging young minds with an engaging mix of questions spanning Chennai’s history, culture, landmarks and personalities.
The stakes are high—and the questions are expected to be even higher.
Winning teams will receive prizes worth up to ₹20,000, while the top two school teams will earn the coveted opportunity to compete in the Madras Quiz (Open) later the same afternoon.
In other words, the morning could be the launchpad for an afternoon showdown with some of Chennai’s finest quizzing minds.
When Madras meets the master minds
The Madras Quiz (Open) takes over in the afternoon, transforming August 23 into a full-day celebration of Chennai through questions that traverse the fascinating continuum from old Madras to new Chennai.
Open to participants of all ages, the quiz promises a stimulating blend of thought-provoking and entertaining questions designed to test not merely memory, but curiosity, observation and an understanding of the city’s extraordinary journey.
The winning team will walk away with ₹50,000, besides the prestigious Madras Quiz rolling trophy.
The top three teams will receive trophies from Chola MS, along with vouchers and hampers, while teams finishing fourth to sixth will take home gift hampers and vouchers.
Adding another layer of inclusivity, special prizes will recognise the best women’s team and the best senior citizens’ team.
And even those who come merely to watch will have reason to keep their thinking caps firmly on, with exciting spot prizes for audience members.
Both quizzes will be hosted by veteran quizmaster Dr. Sumanth C. Raman.
Not just a quiz—a love letter to Chennai
For Murugappa Group, the Madras Quiz is much more than a competition.
It is an annual rendezvous with the city’s collective memory—a place where facts meet nostalgia, history meets contemporary Chennai and generations discover that the city has far more stories than its streets can reveal.
“The Madras Quiz is more than a competition, it is a celebration of knowledge, nostalgia and shared pride in the city’s past, present and future.”
All Chennaiites are invited to join the Madras Week celebrations and experience a spirited day of quizzing that promises to turn the city’s remarkable story into an unforgettable intellectual adventure.
The city’s heritage, one question at a time
The quiz is also part of Murugappa Group’s continuing effort to celebrate and document its deep and enduring relationship with Chennai through digital storytelling.
In August 2024, the Group launched “The Madras in Murugappa: A Brief History in 10 Objects,” a YouTube series featuring renowned historian V. Sriram.
Drawing on ten carefully selected artefacts from the Group’s archives, the series traces the evolution of Murugappa Group alongside the growth of Madras, offering an unusual window into a shared journey spanning more than a century.
The initiative subsequently evolved from objects and archives to the city’s neighbourhoods.
In August 2025, Murugappa launched “The Murugappa in Madras: Pincode Series,” again presented by historian and heritage activist V. Sriram.
Travelling across Chennai’s neighbourhoods and landmarks, the series uncovers stories of how Murugappa Group’s businesses, institutions and people have grown alongside the city—effectively mapping the Group’s legacy one pincode at a time.
The Madras in Murugappa Series has also won industry recognition, securing Gold at the afaqs Digies Awards 2026, Gold at the PRSI State Awards 2025 and Bronze at the Big Bang Awards 2025.
Ready to put your Chennai knowledge to the test?
Schools interested in participating in the Madras Quiz for Schools can register through the official registration form – https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/r6AJNPenX8
