Karan Menon of New Jersey, a 14-year-old Indian-American and an eighth grader at John Adams Middle School, has won the prestigious 27th annual National Geographic Bee Championship held at Washington, D.C. The Indian-American has also packeted a prize money of $50,000 college scholarship and a lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society.
It should be noted that the top three positions were bagged by Indian-origin contestants. Menon also got the expedition for two to the Galapagos Islands aboard the Lindblad ship National Geographic Endeavour.
The second place has secured by 11-year-old Shriya Yarlagadda of Michigan and she won USD 25,000 college scholarship. The third place has claimed by another Indian-American named Sojas Wagle of Arkansas, a 13-year-old eighth grader, who received USD 10,000 college scholarship.
The final question, which gave the win for Menon, was: “If completed, the proposed Grand Inga Dam would become the world’s largest hydropower plant. This dam would be built near Inga Falls on which African river?”
The Congo River was the correct answer.
The competition was hosted by journalist Soledad O’Brien. More than four million students competed in local geography bees this year from 11,000 schools, representing roughly 12 percent of U.S. schools.
Tidbits
- The National Geographic Society (NGS) is headquartered in Washington, D.C. in the United States of America.
- NGS is one of the largest nonprofit scientific and educational institutions in the world.
- The NGS’s interests include geography, archaeologyand natural science, history, and World Culture.
- The Motto of NGS is “Inspire, illuminate, teach”.
- Gary Knell is the current CEO and President of NGS.
GK Questions
- Who was the first President and one of the Founders of National Geographic Society? Gardiner Greene Hubbard.
- Name the famous Australian wildlife expert who is also known as “Crocodile Hunter”, who died filming an underwater documentary film? Steve Irwin
