Your annual special issue on India’s best colleges came at the start of an academic year. It is going to be useful for students and parents, who will preserve it like a handbook (June 30).
Hats off to THE WEEK—there is no other news publication in the country that offers well-researched information, on a platter, on the best colleges in the country. Across different streams, some colleges in India are considered among the best in the world, which is a matter of pride.
Today, the kind of exposure students are getting is clearly reshaping their outlook.
Radhika Saxena,
On email.
It was interesting to note that in IIT Kanpur there are unique courses (‘Engineering marvel’, June 30). There is a growing demand for such courses. Like IIT Kanpur, all other IITs and engineering colleges should expand their horizons and offer multidisciplinary courses, which are becoming more and more popular.
Pranav Kumar,
On email.
It feels great to know that India’s best colleges are shaping their students to be part of the country’s growth objectives (‘The future takes root’, June 30). Education plays an important role, and moulds our character. To improve the learning experience, colleges should take proactive approaches, and usher in innovative methods.
Student engagement should be the basis of classroom transformation. It will empower them in a big way.
Anil Anand,
On email.
As IITs are unquestionably among the best in the world, and not just in India, only the brightest students are admitted there. So, naturally, the ideas that will come out of the institute are going to be unparalleled. More than 1,000 Intellectual Property Rights were filed by and granted to IIT-Kanpur. These technological innovations help people and make lives easier.
Praveen Thimmaiah,
On email.
Need retirement age in politics
I wish all the first-time MPs a great innings in the Lok Sabha (‘First time equals’, June 30). The nation looks up to them. Politics requires young blood. I hope there will come a time when we will have at least 50 per cent of our MPs below the age of 60.
While we insist on getting young blood in other professions, our system fails to set any age-related benchmarks in politics. Why is that so?
Gurudev G.,
On email.
There should be a retirement age in politics. Even though politicians will say that age is just a number and that they can continue to serve the people as long as they want, it is not fair on their part to hold on to power. They should give way to younger people.
Also, after you cross 80 or 85, there is a good chance of your emotions overtaking your intellect. Actions cannot keep pace with thoughts. The government should fix 80 as the retirement age in politics. It is not right for any politician to enjoy so many comforts at the taxpayer’s expense even into their 80s and 90s.
But I doubt whether this will ever happen.
Anupama Warrier,
On email.
I am thoroughly impressed with the profiles of the first-time MPs in the Lok Sabha. They will bring more development to the regions they represent. Let the victory of these young MPs inspire young people across the country. Young MPs don’t have any executive powers if they are not ministers.
I request these young MPs not to fizzle out, and continue to remain politicians for life.
Radha Pandey,
On email.
Great talent
Kartik Aaryan is a great talent and he has a long way to go (‘Chocolate boy levels up’, June 30). Aaryan, who understands the nuances of acting, has come up the hard way without any backing. So, he is bound to do well. Aaryan’s career trajectory is like Akshay Kumar’s.
Aaryan’s role in Chandu Champion will be talked about.
Suresh Gowda,
On email.
Selective criticism
Anuja Chauhan has strongly supported Arundhati Roy (‘Schizo-nation’, June 30). Yes, it is good to raise your voice against injustice. But, then, that should not be selective.
Only very few people see things in proper perspective without any ideological inclination. We never saw Roy raising her voice on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits. Roy questions the actions of our security forces, which is not right. She does not believe in Kashmir being an integral part of India. Is it truth according to one’s own volition? Truth never distinguishes between ideologies—left, right or centre.
Jitendranath Guru,
On email.
It has become fashionable for some to support Roy in whatever she does. The government of the day has no problem with Roy. Every Indian respects Roy for all that she has achieved in life. And Roy can continue to criticise the government. But she should stop saying that Kashmir is not an integral part of India. It cannot be tolerated.
Govind Suryanath,
On email.
Popularise cricket in the US
Shashi Tharoor is a much-respected person (‘Last Word’, June 30). He has contacts across the world and was a senior official at the United Nations. He served as a peacekeeper and administrator at the highest levels and was the first Indian to have the maximum followers on social media. Tharoor has said that he has no plans to contest elections in 2029. So, may I request him to go back to the US, and popularise cricket there with his wisdom and eloquence.
Nandakishore G.,
On email.