sentinelgroup@gmail.com
Women in blue rewrite history at Lord’s
Just after the men in blue T20 cricket team were whitewashed at the hands of novice Ireland and England, within a day our women cricketers defeated England by 270 runs in the historic one-off Test in the Mecca of the cricket Lords (not only is it haunted by legends – mostly men, all in white). Forty years after their first Test tour of England, Indian women tore up the script at the same ground where the first-ever women's Test match was held in the venue's 142-year history, breaking the world record attendance figure and attracting a crowd of 37,846 across three and a bit days here, a famous victory that will go some way to making up for their failure to reach the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup a week before.
In this Test India dominated the game from the start, putting up 285 in the first innings and bowling England out for 170. India then declared their second innings at 341/7, bolstered by Yastika Bhatia's century (112). Chasing an improbable 457-run target, England was dismissed for 186 on the final day, with Sneh Rana not being part of India’s Women’s T20 World Cup squad. Even when Shreyanka Patil was ruled out through injury, the selectors looked elsewhere for a replacement. On Monday morning at Lord’s, Rana had the final word, and Deepti Sharma took the final wickets. Debutant 22-year-old Indian medium-pacer Kranti Gaud took five wickets for 37 runs, becoming the first woman to have her name inscribed on the Lord's Test honours board, reserved for those who score a century or take five wickets in an innings or 10 in a Test match at the ground. Today's world wants shorter formats, but after this Indian women's Test, thousands of Indians were thrilled and fell in love with the Test, particularly by the way India beat England.
Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee
(bkchatterjee9@gmail.com)
Jorabat crisis
The Jorabat area links Guwahati to middle and upper Assam and to Meghalaya. Its flooding is not new. Even a short spell of heavy rain causes severe waterlogging at Jorabat, exposing years of drainage failures and official inaction. It results in heavy traffic congestion on NH 27. Stranded vehicles and landslides leave commuters in miserable and helpless conditions.
There is always sharp blame over hill-cutting in Meghalaya, creating a sudden onset of flooding, which highlights the vulnerability of the area. People continue to face the alarming situation every monsoon. Pumping out the water till the next rain brings the same crisis. This is not a lasting solution to the problem. The problems arise due to inadequate drainage capacity, encroachment on natural water channels, silted drains and increasing surface runoff due to rapid urbanisation in and around the vast, thickly populated area.
Unless the state governments of both Assam and Meghalaya work in coordination and in a planned manner to find a permanent solution, there is no chance to end this problem in the near future. The sooner the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) realises the gravity of the issue and initiates restoration efforts and carries out water drainage and mud clearance operations on an urgent basis, the better it will be to restore normal traffic conditions at Jorabat.
Iqbal Saikia,
Guwahati
PM Modi’s
North-East legacy
Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper, I wish to congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi on completing twelve years in office and becoming the longest-serving elected Prime Minister of India in a continuous tenure. This historic milestone offers an appropriate occasion to reflect upon his contributions to nation-building, particularly in transforming the North-East region.
For decades, the North-East remained geographically distant and developmentally neglected. However, under Prime Minister Modi's visionary leadership, the region has become a central pillar of India's growth story. The Act East Policy has opened new avenues for trade, connectivity and international engagement, while unprecedented investments in roads, railways, airports, digital infrastructure, healthcare and education have significantly improved the quality of life of the people.
The restoration of peace has been one of the government's greatest achievements. Several peace accords have been signed, over 10,500 insurgents have surrendered, and incidents of violence have sharply declined, creating a conducive environment for development. Prime Minister Modi's concept of "Ashtalakshmi" has helped the nation recognize the immense potential of the eight North-Eastern states. The recent announcement of the Tata Semiconductor Assembly and Test Unit in Assam with an investment of about Rs 27,000 crore; the expansion of PM-DevINE projects; the Bamboo Mission; the promotion of organic farming and enhanced connectivity demonstrate the government's commitment to making the North-East an economic powerhouse. The preservation of indigenous languages, cultures and traditions has further strengthened the region's unique identity.
Prime Minister Modi's frequent visits to the North-East and his efforts to bridge not only physical distances but also emotional distances between the region and the rest of India deserve appreciation. I sincerely pray that under his continued leadership, the North-East attains greater prosperity, peace and global recognition and becomes the most vibrant contributor to India's vision of becoming a developed nation by 2047.
Subhash Chandra Biswas,
Guwahati