The Barefoot Festival is a one of a kind sports quiz, which attempts to challenge the knowledge of India’s finest sporting brains. After five editions in Delhi, India’s top sports quiz is now shifting to Kolkata for it’s first event outside the nation’s capital. The event or 'tournament’ as many would call it will be held at the Calcutta Medical College hospital.
A firm favourite amongst the quizzing community, the festival has managed to unite a scattered sports quizzing fraternity. The sheer competitive nature of these quizzes are to look out for. The existent drive to win, backed by the inherent nature of quizzing as a competitive entity has pushed the realm from leisure to a serious sport.
The quizmaster of the event, Kinshuk Biswas said, “Barefoot’s ability to unite a community is unparallel. When it first came out little did we know that it would meet with such great success. Ever since it clicked, the organisers wanted to venture abroad and now they finally have.”
He added, “There are no two ways about it, quizzing is as much a sport as chess. The physical involvement is missing, but the rate at which the mind is working is equivalent to any sport. People call spelling bee’s a sport in USA, then quizzing again is definitely a sport.”
The quiz will be held on June 11-12, attempting to unite Kolkata’s sports quizzing community.
Shouvik Guha, a Trustee of the Bengal Quizzing Foundation believes quizzing is now as much a professional sport as any other. He said, “Firstly, I’m very happy that Barefoot has come to Kolkata. The city has a very strong sports quizzing community, which will show up in full force. Right now I would say I know 15-20 people, who are living solely based on their prize money from quizzing. It’s similar to something like in golf. Yes, it is a niche, but if you’re good at it, you can earn enough money. Some people are even getting sponsored by various companies.”
He added, “The Kolkata leg of Barefoot will have people from across the east zone, So I can assure you that quizzing is now a sport for sure, it’s a question how far it can progress to penetrate the mainstream.”
The event begins on Saturday, with a host of quizzes to choose from. They include an Olympics as well as a cricket quiz. A team of three can register for Rs 100, to fight the finest sports quizzing talent in India.
