INS Vikrant
Compliments to Cochin Shipyard Ltd. for having worked right from the year 2009 till the commissioning of the engineering marvel, INS Vikrant. Given the maritime security imperatives, the commissioning of the aircraft carrier assumes great significance. It is also exhilarating that the Indian Navy now gets a new ensign.
G. Ramasubramanyam,
Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh
The induction of India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier is a defining moment. It is a matter of pride that India also joins a select group of nations having the capability to build an aircraft carrier. September 2 is a memorable day and marks the strengthening of India’s maritime force.
P. Victor Selvaraj,
Palayamkottai, Tamil Nadu
Governments, more than a particular government, need to to be thanked for making INS Vikrant become a reality, after much planning and designing. There can be no appropriation of credit here. We should also thank all the engineers, architects, planners and designers — the complete team. Without the incredible assistance and help of the last-level workers, the dream would not have come true.
Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee,
Faridabad, Haryana
Even on the occasion such as the commissioning of the country’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, it is unfortunate that politics has entered the equation. Casting narrow political considerations aside, there must be gracious acknowledgement of political visionaries and our various defence establishments in making India progressively self-reliant in defence.
S.K. Choudhury,
Bengaluru
Nano urea and trials
There is no doubt that the new fertilizer product, ‘nano urea’, is a critical advancement in the area of fertilizers (Page 1, “Nano urea fast-tracked for approval despite incomplete trials”, September 4). But there is no pressing case for releasing it for use by farmers without completing all scientifically mandatory field trials. When the first two trials revealed that the increase in yields on application of nano urea was insignificant, the fast-tracking of approval without completion of the required field trials is incomprehensible. Who knows what fresh insights agricultural scientists might have gained during the waived third trial?
Kosaraju Chandramouli,
Hyderabad
Interim bail
When the judiciary has made it very clear that ‘bail is the rule, jail an exception’, it is unfortunate that Gujarat had asked the top court to see to it that Teesta Setalvad was not to be given ‘special treatment’. This best exemplifies what happens in a majority of cases — when those responsible take the law into their own hands and give a go-by to the principles of fairness and justice.
Prabhu Raj R.,
Bengaluru
What an irony it is that those who committed grievous crimes either go unpunished or get mild punishment (in this context, the recent remission of 11 rape and murder convicts comes to mind), whereas those who take up cudgels on behalf of victims and seek justice are condemned as conspirators and criminals and made to undergo a lot of suffering. It is the moral obligation of civil society to extend its support to activists who side with the vulnerable.
G. David Milton,
Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu
Sayonara Serena
With a record number of accomplishments to her credit secured by way of convincing and authoritative victories over her opponents, Serena Williams strode the tennis arena like a colossus (‘Sport’ page, September 4).
The legend will be long remembered for her stellar and power-packed performances and her unique style of victory celebrations which enthralled and entertained audiences across the world. She was truly a role-model. Her will to succeed and never-say-die attitude need to be emulated by younger players of the game.
B. Suresh Kumar,
Coimbatore
