Chander Parkash, a UPSC aspirant from Jammu & Kashmir, made history as the first crorepati of Kaun Banega Crorepati 16 (KBC 16). Host Amitabh Bachchan embraced the 22-year-old after he successfully answered the crucial Rs 1 crore question. Using his last lifeline, Chander made the winning choice.
The pivotal question posed by Bachchan was a geographic one: “The largest city in which country is not its capital but a port with an Arabic name that means ‘abode of peace’?” The options were: A) Somalia, B) Oman, C) Tanzania, and D) Brunei. Chander utilized his final lifeline, the ‘Double Dip’, and ultimately selected option C – Tanzania. This answer was correct and transformed his life forever.
In addition to the big win, Chander faced an intriguing sports-related question for Rs 3.20 lakh: “A ‘yokozuna’ is the highest rank attainable in which contact sport?” Without hesitation, he chose option B – Sumo Wrestling, which was correct.
For the Rs 50 lakh question, he encountered a mythological challenge: “According to the Padma Purana, with whom did Lord Krishna wage a battle over the fate of Chitrasena?” Seeking assistance, Chander opted for the ‘Video Call A Friend’ lifeline and also used the ‘Audience Poll’. He confidently selected option B – Arjuna, which proved to be the right answer.
After securing Rs 1 crore, Chander attempted the high-stakes Rs 7 crore jackpot question but chose to play it safe, opting not to answer without lifelines. The question asked was: “Who was the first recorded child born to English parents in North America in 1587?” While he believed he knew the correct answer, he decided to quit the game with his winnings. He had selected option A – Virginia Dare, which was indeed the right choice.
In addition to the Rs 1 crore, Chander also won a brand-new Hyundai Venue SUV.
