All that glitters
Sir — Japanese authorities have decided to restrict the phonetic readings of kanji characters in children’s names. This crackdown on kirakira (shiny) names will hopefully put an end to outlandish monikers like ‘Pikachu-san’. While parental creativity in naming their children is admirable, there must be limits before someone names their child Akuma (devil). The move to standardise kanji readings of names spares future generations from growing up with monikers that would no doubt lead to a lifetime of embarrassment. Let children shine by their character, not by the characters of their names.
Anusua Padhi,
Calcutta
Profits first
Sir — India’s digital platforms, once celebrated for enhancing convenience and access, are now emblematic of a troubling decline in user experience. From additional charges on premium subscriptions to discriminatory pricing based on device data, platforms appear increasingly indifferent to consumer rights. This phenomenon, aptly termed ‘ens**tification’, highlights a systemic shift towards prioritising profit over users. Existing regulatory frameworks are fragmented and largely reactive.
What is urgently required is a forward-looking, binding legal framework that governs interface design, prohibits exploitative practices, and mandates algorithmic
transparency. Without this, digital innovation risks becoming synonymous with digital exploitation.
Hemachandra Basappa,
Bengaluru
Sir — India’s digital platforms now resemble mazes of fees and advertisements. Loyalty perks have mutated into loyalty penalties for customers — pay more, get less. Want ad-free Prime Video? Pay extra. Already subscribed to Swiggy One?
Here, have a rain-surge fee. From a practice called ‘basket sneaking’ to charging iPhone users extra for products, online shopping and entertainment platforms are absolute nightmares. If Franz Kafka were alive today, his characters would not turn into bugs, they would just shop online.
Iftekhar Ahmed,
Calcutta
New name
Sir — Renaming Mysore pak to Mysore shree in the name of patriotism is not only misplaced but also linguistically uninformed. The term, ‘pak’, in Indian sweets has no relation to Pakistan. It is derived from Sanskrit and denotes a specific method of cooking with sugar syrup. Altering it for superficial nationalism erases heritage rather than honours it. As with renamed food items like ‘freedom fries’ or ‘liberty cabbage’, history has shown that such gestures add little but confusion. True patriotism lies in understanding and preserving cultural roots, not rewriting them based on phonetic coincidence.
Sofikul Islam,
Calcutta
Sir — Tyohaar Sweets’s decision to rename Mysore pak as Mysore shree is patriotism served with a side of misplaced syllables. Next we may expect pakoras to become shreekoras and naram pak sandesh to moonlight as naram shree sandesh. If changing names truly settled scores, France would have surrendered when the United States of America decided to call French fries freedom fries instead.
T. Ramadas,
Chennai
Unhealthy bite
Sir — The gluten-free craze continues to rise but a recent study shows that many gluten-free products, while marketed as healthier, often deliver less protein, more calories, and are of questionable nutritional value. While essential for those with celiac disease or wheat allergies, the trend has clearly outgrown medical necessity. Consumers blindly following trends that are set by half-literate influencers on social media may want to read more than just the bold gluten-free label before biting in.
Shreya Basu,
Nainital