Love struck
Sir — Some omens are too striking to be dismissed or rationalised. The famed Lovers’ Arch at Sant’Andrea in Melendugno, Puglia, Italy — it has long served as a backdrop for wedding proposals and has been cherished worldwide as a symbol of everlasting love — collapsed on Valentine’s Day after heavy rain and strong winds thrashed the region. Its sudden fall on a day dedicated to romance seemed, to many, laden with symbolism. While romantics have mourned it as a ‘devastating blow to the heart’ or even a ‘funeral’ for love, the loss also stands as a stark metaphor for the fragility of the natural world and the mounting effects of climate change on it. If only climate-change deniers were romantics, they could have recognised the telling signs.
Saptaparna Basu,
Calcutta
Learned guides
Sir — “Two exemplars” (Feb 21) by Ramachandra Guha rightly analysed how, across generations, people have abided by their gurus throughout their lives. It is an inherent human tendency for some to lead and for others to follow. The leaders, knowingly or unknowingly, influence their pupils. A true guru is genuinely learned, possessing astounding knowledge, yet he/she never seeks to dominate students with a hegemonic attitude. Such teachers share knowledge freely and are not egotistic about learning from students. Madhav Gadgil and André Béteille are role models not only for Guha but also for today’s serious students irrespective of social background, national affiliation or academic discipline.
Hemanta Sasmal,
Howrah
Sir — Experienced academics can offer young researchers direction and critical feedback, but can rarely act as gurus. This reflection is prompted by Ramachandra Guha’s tribute to his two senior teachers, Madhav Gadgil and André Béteille, who never met but were aware of each other’s scholarly practice through their mutual friend, Guha. As always, Guha brings fresh material for reflection by identifying 10 features that united his two gurus.
Reciprocal learning is rarely acknowledged in academia. Senior scholars can also benefit from younger colleagues’ persuasiveness. Gadgil and Béteille practised this. They did not confine themselves to academic books and research papers; their scholarship reached citizens through newspaper writings as well.
Sukhendu Bhattacharjee,
Hooghly
Sir — I have never met Madhav Gadgil but have read many of his books on conservation. His book, A Walk Up The Hill, remains one of the best that I have read.
Alok Ganguly,
Nadia
Strategic entry
Sir — India’s entry into the Pax Silica alliance marks a shift from exclusion to inclusion in key technology coalitions (“Crucial deals”, Feb 24). The challenge now lies in meeting scrutiny and conditionalities that will test the country’s industrial capacity. New Delhi is heavily reliant on Production Linked Incentive Schemes. But there are structural gaps. While telecom has advanced, battery manufacturing lags and upstream solar segments remain weak, highlighting the limits of capital subsidies without strong partnerships. Though Pax Silica promises trusted supply chains, it also brings stringent export controls and technology-transfer guardrails.
S.S. Paul,
Nadia
Sir — By aligning with an America-led coalition that is focused on providing the infrastructure for Artificial Intelligence and critical minerals, India is attempting to secure its technological future. Its membership could boost domestic industrial goals by complementing initiatives such as India Semiconductor Mission, IndiaAI, and National Critical Mineral Mission. Being a member of the Pax Silica ecosystem will help India secure raw materials supply and advanced equipment, attract investment, and influence global tech and security standards.
Khokan Das,
Calcutta
Sir — The entry into Pax Silica strengthens India’s position in the global semiconductor supply chain. The partnership promotes secure sourcing of critical minerals. Economically, it can generate jobs, expand exports, and enhance India’s digital sovereignty and its emergence as a major chip production hub.
R.S. Narula,
Patiala, Punjab
Sir — In these turbulent times in the global economic order, when supply chains for critical minerals and chips have been monopolised by China, the initiation of Pax Silica is strategically welcome. Now that India is part of the alliance, we can hope to reduce dependence on China for critical mineral requirements. The future will rest on AI, electronics and critical-mineral-led development. As China surges ahead with centralised control over global supply chains, nations worldwide are feeling threatened. Resilience and diversity in supply partners along with self-reliance in national requirements are paramount today.
Kirti Wadhawan,
Kanpur
On cleanliness
Sir — Sudipta Bhattacharjee deserves praise for penning the article, “Civic pride” (Feb 20). It was enlightening to read about the impeccable civic sense of ordinary Mizos which keeps Aizawl and even the coaches of the Guwahati-Aizawl railway service litter-free and spotless. This has been achieved not through strict enforcement but through ingrained culture and values.
Like Bhutan, which has a ‘no honking’ policy, traffic in Aizawl remains silent. Unlike Bengali Hindus who tend to direct harsh words at Hindu migrants from erstwhile East Pakistan, Mizos practise an open-door policy for people of Zo ancestry persecuted in Myanmar or Bangladesh. The rest of India has much to learn from Mizoram.
Kajal Chatterjee,
Calcutta