The team comprising Ms. Medhini Wanigaratne and Ms. Sayurangi Premasiri representing Sri Lanka emerged victorious in the BIMSTEC Silver Jubilee Quiz held in Thimphu on 15 February 2023.
The team representing Nepal comprising Ms. Aayusha Bohara and Mr. Sushank Paudel became the first runner-up, while the team representing India comprising Ms. Reet and Mr. Ron Dutta stood as the second runner-up.
The Chief Guest at the Quiz was H.E. Dr. Tandi Dorji, Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade of Bhutan who handed over the winning trophy and medals to the champions from Sri Lanka. The Ambassador-designate of Bangladesh to Bhutan H.E. Shib Nath Roy handed over medals and certificates to the first and second runners-up from Nepal and India.
The team representing Sri Lanka scored 130 points, while the second and third runners-up Nepal and India scored 87 and 84 points respectively.
The participants representing the seven BIMSTEC Member States in the Quiz were: Bangladesh – Mr. Abudullah Ishrak Shihab, Mr. Arshil Bin Wahid; Bhutan – Ms. Nayeza Tshering, Mr. Tashi Norbu; India – Ms. Reet, Mr. Ron Dutta; Myanmar – Ms. Myo Zet Aung, Ms. Mya Kay Khine Kyaw; Nepal – Mr. Sushank Paudel, Ms. Aayusha Bohara; Sri Lanka – Ms. Sayurangi Premasiri, Ms. Medhini Wanigaratne; Thailand – Ms. Chittiphattra Changtham, Ms. Kanyaphat Boontham.
The Quiz Contest was organised by the BIMSTEC Secretariat in Dhaka, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & External Trade of Bhutan to mark BIMSTEC’s Silver Jubilee, recognising the importance of young people in driving regional cooperation and integration.
The participating students from all the BIMSTEC Member States urged that more events of this nature are organized for the youth of the region to interact and work together on projects that will help foster greater understanding and a cooperative spirit in the region.
The Quiz which was originally scheduled to be held on 14 February had to be rescheduled to 15 February 2023 due to technical difficulties faced by the Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS).