KBC 18: IIT Bombay’s Yogesh Sahu gives up Rs 1 crore question after ruling out correct answer

Yogesh Sahu came remarkably close to becoming a crorepati on Kaun Banega Crorepati 18, but one question about Indian horse racing left him uncertain enough to take the safer route. After reaching the Rs 1 crore question without any lifelines remaining, the IIT Bombay topper chose to quit the game with Rs 50 lakh.The question concerned the winner of the first Indian Derby, held at Mumbai’s Mahalaxmi Racecourse in 1943. Yogesh was asked to identify the horse owned by the Maharaja of Baroda that won the historic race. The four choices were Princess Beautiful, Regal Domain, Star of Gwalior and Prince Pradeep.Yogesh openly admitted that the subject was unfamiliar to him. He tried to use logic rather than make a blind guess, examining the options and attempting to remove the ones he felt were unlikely. Princess Beautiful particularly caught his attention because he reasoned that the wording of the question referred to a “horse”, whereas a female horse would technically be described as a mare.That reasoning ultimately made him move away from the correct option. With nothing left to fall back on, Yogesh decided that protecting his Rs 50 lakh was more important than taking a chance on an answer he could not confidently identify.Once he had quit, Amitabh Bachchan gave him an opportunity to take a guess at the answer without any risk. Yogesh went with Prince Pradeep. He was then informed that the right answer was Princess Beautiful.Realising what had happened, Yogesh said, “This was the one I was eliminating.” Bachchan also acknowledged the logic behind his confusion, saying, “I think it was a mare and not a horse. That’s why she was named Princess.”Princess Beautiful was associated with Maharaja Pratap Singh Rao Gaekwad of Baroda, who had a keen interest in horse racing and was also involved in breeding horses. Her achievements went beyond the 1943 Derby, as she also won the Indian 1000 Guineas and Indian 2000 Guineas.The horse’s association with the Maharaja also connected the KBC question to an interesting chapter in Indian royal history. Pratap Singh Rao Gaekwad was among the rulers involved in the political transition surrounding Independence and signed the Instrument of Accession in 1947. He later faced scrutiny over loans taken from the Baroda treasury, reportedly to support his extravagant lifestyle. He eventually moved to Monaco with his second wife, Maharani Sita Devi of Baroda. Their marriage had been controversial because their relationship began while both were married to other people.Yogesh’s decision on the show becomes even more understandable in the context of his personal journey. Before reaching the Rs 1 crore question, he had spoken about turning down a campus placement offer worth Rs 18 lakh a year after topping IIT Bombay. Instead of taking up the lucrative job, he chose to dedicate himself to preparing for the UPSC examination with the aim of becoming an IAS officer.His father, who appeared alongside him on the show, also spoke about the family’s financial circumstances. He revealed that he earns Rs 20,000 a month, of which around Rs 11,000 is available to him after the remaining amount is set aside with his employer. Despite their limited means Yogesh’s parents encouraged him to continue pursuing his ambition and assured him that they believed he could achieve his goal.