Letters to the Editor: Rare sight

Success generally has many takers, but failure has none. The recent successful landing of Chandrayaan 3 on the moon reminds me of one very particular scene. We all know that Mission Chandrayaan 2 failed. The main scientist behind this mission broke down on seeing its failure and wept before the camera, but it was our PM Modi who was watching the scene and hugged and consoled the weeping scientist. It was a very rare sight for me and for every bonafide Bharatiya.

This very rare gesture from a person like the PM of a nation must have encouraged our scientists at ISRO, and they made the entire nation proud. Merely establishing ISRO without watering it does not serve the purpose at all. Can we expect such gestures from our secular leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Didi, Lalu Yadav, Kejriwal, Sharad Pawar, and Co.? It is anybody’s guess.

Lanu Dutt Chowdhury,

Guwahati.

Negative mindset

It is not understood why most of the people in the country have been gradually turning towards a negative mindset. Be it for intellectuals, politicians, news reporters, social workers, etc. Even a few daily vernacular newspapers in the state are at the helm of affairs, twisting every good and bad news story equally in a negative way. By doing so, they want to increase popularity among some less intellectual people, thereby making TRP high. But ultimately, they create some non-creative thinkers. Freedom of speech does not mean focusing only on the negative. It is the duty of every citizen to criticize bad works as well as to appreciate all good works. Moreover, news papers have more responsibility in this matter. Similarly, politicians have to lead the masses that they represent. We want those politicians (irrespective of whether they are in the ruling or opposition parties) who can teach the people about the developments made in the state and criticize the wrongdoings of the ruling party. Only agitation and showing negativity in all works will do any good for people. It is seen that the present breed of politicians is interested in grabbing power only by hook or by crook. Their own contribution to the nation and also to their own constituency has been seen to be nearing zero. Their tradition is to criticize the ruling party only. We have to find out the way by which we can judge the accountability of those politicians during their tenure as representatives of the masses. However, it is not possible due to the low literacy rate in the country. Unless we constitute a platform of intellectuals where every candidate of political parties can show their background and the works they have done and plan to do in the future, no fruitful results can be expected. Let us hope that some good sense will prevail over the people and their mindset.

Dr P C Sarmah,

Jorhat.

Historic G20 Summit

The nation has impressively risen to presently hold the fifth-largest economy in the world, and according to the growth trajectory, India is on track to take over the third spot in the next three years. There is a general sense of optimism and assurance. The world is just in awe of India’s extraordinary rise to power, especially in the last nine years, and India’s inclusive and shrewd diplomacy has also gained a reputation for being exceptional. The just-completed G20 Presidency provided India with a significant opportunity to highlight its skills and knowledge. India’s commitment to human-centred globalisation, advocacy for reforms in international organisations, representation of the most significant voices, and most crucially, its effectiveness in forging consensus an important success for India’s Presidency can be seen in New Delhi’s declaration, which aims to address the problems of political, cultural, environmental, and human concerns and pave the way for a better and more sustainable world. These are all historical and ground-breaking developments.

Chandan Kumar Nath,

Tezpur University.

Unpredictable weather

Weather vagaries have forced people to be on the back foot. August was an unprecedented dry month, affecting the common man, including farmers. The first week of September brought rain to some parts of India. However, the hide-and-seek showers have made sure they increase the humidity. A few cities are seeing a sudden rise in temperatures, bringing a host of unpleasant health conditions with them. People are perspiring like never before, and dehydration is causing problems. Working outdoors and not consuming enough water are pushing a manual labourer into grave consequences. Even sedentary workers and children are being affected by the fickle weather.

The common offshoots of unseasonal heat—fatigue, body pain, and loss of sleep—are augmenting the health issues. It is important for a person to ensure an adequate intake of clean water to remain fresh. Juices and coconut water, too, can work wonders to keep a person fit. One has to take care to avoid eating at roadside eateries; consuming street food can throw the gastrointestinal system out of gear. The need for sufficient, uninterrupted sleep cannot be overemphasized. An afternoon nap should help. No time must be wasted in reporting to a doctor if one encounters symptoms like weakness, vomiting, and loose motion.

Dr Ganapathi Bhat,

(gbhat13@gmail.com.)