Letters to the EDITOR: Tenacity Pays

Tenacity Pays

There is a very wise saying that ‘tenacity pays’. It has been proved beyond doubt by the results of the recently concluded French Open. To prove my point, let us start with the results of the ladies’ and men’s singles finals. In the ladies’ singles final between top seed and world no. 1 Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus), known for her fierce ground strokes, and world no. 2 and second seed Coco Gauff, the young American known for her tenacity. Initially it was expected that the Belarussian would sweep aside the young American by the brute power of her ground strokes. But Gouff, with her sheer tenacity, kept the powerful Sabalenka all in play and forced the top-ranked female tennis star to commit too many unforced errors, ultimately forcing her to pay the price. The very same can be said about the men’s singles final between Jannik Sinner (Italy), the No. 1 seed known for his fierce and precise ground strokes, and Carlos Alcaraz (Spain), also known for his power-packed ground strokes. Sinner, in his usual fashion, started the proceeding in a whirlwind manner by taking the first two sets. But Alcaraz, with his sheer tenacity and never-say-die attitude, kept the ball in play, forcing the Italian to commit many unforced errors, which was not seen earlier in the tournament, which broke his rhythm and concentration and resulted in squandering three match points in the fourth set at the scoreline (5-3).

Hats off to both Gouff and Alcaraz for their tenacity. The future world tennis awaits them with open arms. Yes, tenacity pays.

Dr. Ashim Chowdhury,

Guwahati

Welcoming guests with saplings

Since 2000, with continuous efforts and active cooperation from a group of nature-loving youths, Batabari Yuvak Sangha, founded in 1950 in Batabari village near historic Pathorughat in Darrang, has been actively generating awareness among the youths of the locality about the need and importance of tree plantation in a novel way. The Sangha, formed with an aim of socio-cultural and educational upliftment and promotion of environmental conservation and protection in the greater Dighirpar area, which is endowed with a rich variety of species of flora and fauna, has been organising various programmes focussing on environment, education and culture from time to time. On such occasions, the Sangha has been fecilitating the meritorious students of the locality, who have displayed outstanding performances in the fields of education, art, culture and sports, with a ‘fulam gamosa’, a book and a sapling each. The distinguished guests invited to such meetings and programmes have also been welcomed with a ‘fulam gamosha’ and a sapling each. For the past two and a half decades, the Sangha has been working to encourage tree plantation and protection among the youths. Welcoming and honouring the brilliant students as well as the invited guests with saplings each has become a tradition in the village thanks to the exceptional initiative undertaken by the Sangha.

Dheeraj Deka,

Dighirpar, Darrang