Neil O'Brien, a pioneer of quizzing in India and leader of the Anglo-Indian community, passed away in Kolkata on Friday. He was 82
Neil O'Brien, a pioneer of quizzing in India and leader of the Anglo-Indian community, passed away in Kolkata on Friday. He was 82.
Neil O'Brien. Pic/All India Radio
ADVERTISEMENT
His son and Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien announced the news in a tweet.
Saddest tweet I've ever written. Dad Neil O'Brien gone.Passed at home Kolkata,quiz pioneer, ex ICSE chief, AI community icon, educationist
— Derek O'Brien (@quizderek) June 24, 2016
When the Great Questioner in the Sky asks u that Final Question even a quiz legend does not have an answer.Neil 0'Brien my dad. My champion
— Derek O'Brien (@quizderek) June 24, 2016
Brien is survived by his wife Joyce and three sons, Derek, Andy and Barry.
Neil O'Brien was an early pioneer of quizzing in India. O'Brien conducted the first well-organised, formal quiz in 1967 at Christ the King Church Parish Hall in Calcutta (now Kolkata).
O'Brien had been exposed to the pub quiz culture in England which resulted in him bringing quizzing first to the Anglo-Indian community before it became popular among a wider audience. O'Brien remained active in quizzing, later hosting popular quiz show broadcasts, including the 'North Star Quiz.'
A former member of Lok Sabha, Neil O'Brien was also a three-time nominated Anglo-Indian MLA in West Bengal and an educationist. He was the chairman of the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) and managing director of Oxford University Press, India.
As a leader of the Anglo-Indian community, he was the president-in-chief of All-India Anglo-Indian Association and headed the Frank Anthony group of schools.
Earlier on June 17, he took to Twitter asking people to keep his ailing father 'in their thoughts'.
When the Great Questioner in the Sky asks u that Final Question even a quiz legend does not have an answer.Neil 0'Brien my dad. My champion
— Derek O'Brien (@quizderek) June 24, 2016
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Suhel Seth and Twitterverse condoled the demise of the visionary on Twitter.
Extremely saddened to hear about the passing away of the very talented Neil O'Brien. He will be missed by lakhs of quiz fans across India
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) June 24, 2016
Neil O'Brien, a pioneer of quizzing in #India passes away in Kolkata at 82. pic.twitter.com/Oju1j2uiv9
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) June 24, 2016
Devastated to hear of the passing on of Neil O'Brien. I grew up in Calcutta and he was the cerebral voice we would always hear. @quizderek
— SUHEL SETH (@suhelseth) June 24, 2016
Rest in peace Neil O' Brien, the true father of Indian quizzing. Privileged to have attended a few quizzes hosted by you over the years.
— Soumyadipta Chanda (@rkpeepo) June 24, 2016
May God give all the strength to Joyce Ma'am, Barry Sir and Derek. Must be so difficult to lose a man like Neil O'Brien. Rest in peace.
— Pratim D. Gupta (@PratimDGupta) June 24, 2016
Just learnt that Neil O'Brien, doyen of India's quizzing world, now rests with the ages. RIP
— Siddhartha Basu (@babubasu) June 24, 2016
Just learnt that Neil O'Brien, doyen of India's quizzing world, now rests with the ages. RIP
— Siddhartha Basu (@babubasu) June 24, 2016
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
