MUMBAI, Jan. 12 -- Mumbai saw an energetic convergence of young minds, parents and nutrition champions on Tuesday as the fourth edition of the Achchi Bhookh Quiz culminated in its national semi-finals and grand finale at The Lalit. The event drew over 300 students and parents from across the country, highlighting how food literacy and healthy habits are increasingly becoming a shared family pursuit. Hosted by Slurrp in association with LupinLife Aptivate, the record-breaking season focused on promoting food literacy and healthy eating habits among children from Classes 1 to 6 (age 5 to 11), while encouraging intergenerational learning within families. After an extensive pan-India journey that began with over 35,000 online registrations, the competition progressed through regional rounds across cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and more. Over 100 parent-child teams from 24 locations qualified for the Cluster Finals, from which 24 teams advanced to the national semi-finals and the finals held in Mumbai. The finalists were split into three semi-final rounds, with the top two teams from each competing in the finale to crown the national champion. Prizes on offer ranged from hybrid bicycles and laptops to tablets, smartwatches, trophies, and certificates. Beyond the competitive edge, the atmosphere inside the hall reflected the quiz's larger ambition. Parents and children leaned in together, whispered answers, high-fived wins, and groaned at near misses, as Slurrp, HT Labs co-founder and CEO, and renowned quizmaster Avinash Mudaliar kept the pace sharp and the energy high. The questions stretched far beyond textbook nutrition, moving seamlessly from the nutritional value of everyday food to pop culture, mythology, sustainability, and food history. From Buddha bowls mistaken for sattvic salads to Anthony Bourdain's writings, from Murgh Mussallam and Tughlaq's culinary preferences to the Ramayana and the Boston Tea Party, the quiz had both children and adults jumping out of their seats. Even Mumbai's vada pav and Raag Megh Malhar found their way into the mix, keeping the audience hooked till the very end. Adding to the excitement was the launch of Nutribot by Lupin, a WhatsApp-based nutrition assistant introduced by LupinLife to help families plan and push for healthier meals for children. The quiz floor buzzed with chatter as teams compared notes on pasta shapes, food phobias, sustainability-driven diets, and seasonal eating, exactly the kind of conversations the organisers hoped to spark beyond the stage. The national winners reflected the diversity of the participants. Sana Roshith, a student of Hari Sri Vidya Nidhi School, Thrissur, clinched the top spot along with her father Roshith Mohan, taking home a hybrid bicycle, laptop, trophy, and certificate. Anant Pradyumna Srikant of Sishya School, Chennai, partnered with his father P. Srikant, emerged first runners-up, while Teertha Garimella from Kalpa School, Hyderabad, and her mother Pragati Garimella, were crowned second runners-up. For many families, the experience went beyond winning. "This is our first time participating. We were absolutely scared, but this has been a great learning experience. She (her daughter) helped a lot with the preparation, even things like food phobias and pasta shapes. We surely want to come back next year!" said Pragati Garimella. Her daughter Teertha added, "It was really great for me, and I enjoyed it so much." Chennai's first runners-up echoed similar sentiments. "It was amazing. My son is very young, but he has learned a lot. He is very excited, it's his first quiz. There was nothing like this when we were growing up, and it really promoted healthy eating," said P. Srikant. His eight-year-old son Anant was meanwhile jumping with joy. For the winners from Thrissur, preparation was a family affair. "At first, we were nervous. When we were in the semi-finals, it felt unreal. We printed sheets and went through common ingredients together, that's where Sana and I learned a lot," said Roshith Mohan. Sana added, "We were reading up a lot. For the first time, I felt I could answer so many questions. Some were guesses, but many were things we had actually learned." Speaking to HT, Avinash Mudaliar said the evolution of participants has been one of the most rewarding aspects of the quiz. "Over the years, what has been most heartening is not just the scale, but the way children and parents have evolved in preparation, curiosity, confidence, and food awareness. From 5,000-10,000 participants in the early years to over 35,000 registrations this season, the growth shows the impact goes well beyond the quiz stage." Looking ahead, Mudaliar said the focus will be on expanding the reach of the quiz without diluting its quality. "Next year, we want to deepen regional participation, strengthen on-ground engagement, and build richer digital touchpoints so learning continues beyond quiz day."...