IIT Bombay contestant on KBC walks away at Rs 1 crore, what was the question?

IIT Bombay graduate and UPSC aspirant Yogesh Sahu won Rs 50 lakh on KBC 18 before quitting at the Rs 1 crore question, which asked about a horse that won the 1943 Indian Derby.IIT Bombay KBC contestant Yogesh Sahu quits Rs 1 crore question on 1943 horse race (Image courtesy: Yogesh Sahu/LinkedIn) (AI enhanced image)IIT Bombay graduate and UPSC aspirant Yogesh Sahu recently appeared on Kaun Banega Crorepati 18, where he impressed host Amitabh Bachchan with his knowledge and gameplay. However, his journey on the show ended at the Rs 1 crore question, leaving him with Rs 50 lakh in prize money.The 23-year-old contestant from Chhattisgarh reached the crucial stage after answering a series of questions correctly. By the time he faced the Rs 1 crore question, Sahu had exhausted all his lifelines and had to rely entirely on his own judgment.WHAT WAS THE RS 1 CRORE QUESTION?The question that stumped Sahu was: Which horse, owned by the Maharaja of Baroda, won the first Indian Derby at Mumbai’s Mahalaxmi Racecourse in 1943?The four options were:Princess BeautifulRegal DomainStar of GwaliorPrince PradeepSahu ultimately chose to quit rather than risk his guaranteed Rs 50 lakh winnings. He had used the process of elimination but ruled out Princess Beautiful, partly because the question referred to a “horse” rather than a “mare”.Ironically, Princess Beautiful was the correct answer. After the episode aired, Sahu reportedly explained that he felt the question might have been worded differently if the intended answer was a mare. His interpretation led him to dismiss the correct option, prompting discussions online about the wording of the question and the difficulty of the final challenge, as reported by the Mid-Day.IIT BOMBAY GRADUATE AND UPSC ASPIRANTDespite missing the opportunity to win Rs 1 crore, Sahu’s appearance drew attention to his academic background and his ambitions.An IIT Bombay graduate, he had reportedly turned down an Rs 18 lakh campus placement opportunity after completing his electrical engineering degree to focus on his UPSC ambitions. His decision to pursue civil services instead of a corporate career became another talking point surrounding his appearance on the show.According to Sahu's LinkedIn profile, he completed a Bachelor of Technology in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, from November 2021 to April 2025.He studied at HSM Global Public School, where he completed his High School Diploma from July 2020 to July 2021.Sahu's academic achievements also include a JEE Advanced score of 1,683 and a JEE Main score of 99.5, according to the information provided.A RS 50 LAKH WINSahu’s performance highlighted the unpredictable nature of Kaun Banega Crorepati, where contestants can face questions from subjects far outside their academic expertise.While he did not become a crorepati, his performance on KBC 18 earned him public attention, both for his gameplay and for his journey from IIT Bombay graduate to UPSC aspirant, as reported by The Mid-Day.- EndsPublished By: Karan YadavPublished On: Aug 23, 2026 12:19 IST