Old lesson
Sir — Few industries have flourished as much in recent times as the anti-ageing industry. People are willing to try collagen powders and supplements besides undergoing surgical procedures just to erase the signs of the passage of time. However, such steps seem benign when one considers the case of Bryan Johnson, a man known for his bizarre experiments to increase his longevity. Johnson recently went to the extent of replacing all the plasma in his body with albumin. Unfortunately, his methods are not scientifically-proven and often backfire and worsen his health. Ageing is a natural and inevitable process. Tampering with the laws of nature to appear young might work in the short term but it cannot undo time’s ultimate revenge — death.
Satyajit Bose,
Gurugram
Stern verdict
Sir — The Supreme Court has rejected the plea of Subaskaran, a Sri Lankan national and former member of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, to live on in India after serving his jail term here (“Country not dharamshala, SC tells ex-LTTE militant”, May 20). Subaskaran pleaded that he would face political persecution if deported to Sri Lanka and that his wife and children were already settled in India. Previously, the court also refused to hear a petition against the dumping of over 40 Rohingya refugees in the Andaman Sea off the Myanmar coast. This goes against the Constitution, which guarantees the right to life to citizens and non-citizens alike. A case regarding a 15-year-old Bangladeshi girl allegedly shot dead by the Border Security Force in 2011 is also pending before the court. Human rights should be placed before all other considerations.
Jahar Saha,
Calcutta
Sir — The Supreme Court has observed that India is not a dharamshala for refugees from all over the world. The apex court’s verdict is justified because illegal immigration leads to many problems.
Sudhir G. Kangutkar,
Thane
Well done
Sir — The chief minister of Mizoram, Lalduhoma, has announced that the state is now officially fully literate (“Mizoram literacy feat”, May 21). Mizoram had a literacy rate of 91.3% according to the census of 2011, the third-highest in India at the time. The state must be commended for the steps that it took to spread literacy.
Dimple Wadhawan,
Kanpur
Sir — Mizoram must be congratulated for becoming the first Indian state to achieve full literacy. This sets a precedent and will surely inspire other states.
Sourish Misra,
Calcutta
A scientific mind
Sir — The demise of Jayant Narlikar, popularly known as the father of Indian cosmology, has left a vacuum in the scientific community (“Stalwart astrophysicist no more”, May 21). His theory, ‘Quasi-Steady State Cosmology’, is a widely-accepted alternative to the ‘Big Bang’ theory. It earned him many accolades across the globe.
Manoj Parashar,
Ghaziabad
Sir — Jayant Narlikar was not only a scientist but also a pioneer of science fiction. He authored several books and articles in Marathi and in English on scientific topics. His Marathi sci-fi story, “Antaralateel Sphot”, was translated into Hindi and English. He taught science to the masses through television programmes, article series and lectures.
Dattaprasad Shirodkar,
Mumbai
Sir — A towering figure in Indian science, Jayant Narlikar was widely known for his pioneering contributions to cosmology. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1965 at the young age of 26. In 2004, he was also awarded the Padma Vibhushan. The Maharashtra government honoured him with the state’s highest civilian award, Maharashtra Bhushan, in 2011. In 2014, the Sahitya Akademi, the premier literary body in India, selected his autobiography for its highest prize in regional language writing (Marathi).
Bhagwan Thadani,
Mumbai
Loaded gesture
Sir — The promotion of General Asim Munir to the rank of field marshal seems to accord legitimacy to the Pakistani Establishment, which not only covertly runs the government but also encourages State-sponsored militancy and terrorism in other countries (“Munir: Madrasa to Marshal”, May 21). Coming so close on the heels of the military escalation with India, this gesture is a loaded one. This is an attempt to divert attention from the poor condition of Pakistan’s economy.
Prasun Kumar Dutta,
West Midnapore
Powerful weapon
Sir — China’s growing intent to dominate Taiwan is underscored by the planned launch of the Jiu Tian drone mothership. With a 25-metre wingspan, 15,000-m altitude ceiling, 7,000-kilometre range, the capacity to launch 100 kamikaze drones, a six-ton bomb payload, and air defence neutralisation capability, it surpasses all its Western counterparts. India must take serious note and accelerate the development of a countermeasure to safeguard its national security and regional stability. As the escalation with Pakistan showed, China’s weapons can be used against India from two sides.
R.S. Narula,
Patiala
Worth a mention
Sir — As the daughter of the late actress, Kaberi Bose, I was distressed to find that the report, “Ray, Sharmila, Simi, Anderson, Scorsese.... a memory revived” (May 21), did not mention my mother even once. Bose had done a fine job in Aranyer Din Ratri and, if I remember correctly had won the best supporting actress award from the Bengal Film Journalists’ Association.
Anindita C. Ray,
Calcutta