Robots learn to rock

Sir — In much of sci-fi literature, humans have conjured up a future where robots do the most boring and difficult jobs, such as data entry, sweeping floors, serving people and so on. But while human beings continue to have to spend their time on these tiresome yet necessary chores, Artificial Intelligence models like ChatGPT seem to have taken over all the fun jobs, such as making art and music. Only a few months after ChatGPT provoked outrage with its Ghibli-style art feature, an entirely AI-generated band called Velvet Sundown has managed to amass over one million streams on Spotify. While people fear a robot revolution, it might not be necessary if the robots get to do all the fun jobs while human beings slave away at their boring ones.

Sulekha Das,
Gurgaon

Act fast

Sir — The execution of the nurse from Kerala, Ni­misha Priya, who has been on the death row in Ye­men since 2020, was postponed a day before the scheduled date owing to the efforts of Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliyar, the general-secretary of the All India Sunni Jamiyyathul Ulama and the chancellor of Jamia Markaz, and the Yemeni Sufi Islamic scholar, Sheikh Habib Umar bin Hafiz (“In Yemen, final bid to save nurse”, July 10). Priya was convicted of murdering a Yemeni national, Talal Abdo Mahdi, in 2017. He was her partner in setting up a clinic but soon allegedly began embezzling money and torturing Priya. He also seized her passport and other documents. The nurse tried to sedate him in order to retrieve the documents, but he died of an overdose in the process. The Central government has informed the Supreme Court that it cannot do anything further in the matter. But the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council was formed by a group of non-resident Keralites to raise funds through donations for paying ‘blood money’ to spare Priya’s life. The acceptance of blood money is a private negotiation and the deceased’s brother has since refused it and insisted that Priya be executed.

Bhagwan Thadani,
Mumbai

Sir — Time is running out for India to act decisively to prevent the execution of Nimisha Priya, a nurse from Kerala. The 37-year-old convicted of murdering her Yemeni business partner has exhausted her legal avenues. Priya’s story is one of complex circumstances involving abuse and coercion. India must reaffirm its commitment to protecting its citizens abroad, especially those trapped in desperate circumstances like Priya. The cost of inaction now would be far too high. The government should not just give in.

S.S. Paul,
Nadia

Sir — The attorney-general of India, R. Venkataramani, has told the Supreme Court that all diplomatic options to save Nimisha Priya have been exhausted in response to a plea filed by the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council. Priya has been held in the Houthi-controlled capital of Yemen, Sanaa. She is not the only Indian on death row abroad. Kulbhushan Jadhav, too, is still in a Pakistani prison. The government should negotiate to bring her back.

K.V. Seetharamaiah,
Bengaluru

Sir — The case of Nimisha Priya highlights the grim risks faced by Indians working in hostile regions. India’s ties with Israel may complicate negotiations with Yemen. India must focus on creating dignified employment opportunities domestically. The Kerala government should also consider paying the blood money for Priya since she deserves justice. Our skilled nurses deserve security and respect.

Rajinder Narula,
Patiala

Sir — Indian citizens lured by overseas employment opportunities often face dire legal and humanitarian risks. While efforts continue to try to save Nimisha Priya, this episode demands urgent scrutiny of recruitment agencies and their unchecked operations. Many fail to educate recruits about the harsh legal systems and a lack of legal recourse. The Government of India must hold such agencies accountable and ensure pre-departure legal briefings. The ministry of external affairs must make migrant protection a priority.

Gopalaswamy J.,
Chennai

Superstar

Sir — This has been a terrible week for Indian cinema. The veteran Telugu actor, Kota Srinivasa Rao, and the famous Kannadiga actress, B. Saroja Devi, both passed away this week. Saroja Devi was a towering figure in Indian cinema for over six decades and one of South India’s most iconic figures, known as the first female superstar of Kannada cinema. Admired for her grace, emotive performances and unmatched versatility across genres, she carved a niche for herself in Indian cinema with her memorable roles in about 200 films in four major languages, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. She earned several prestigious awards and accolades, including the Padma Shri in 1969 and the Padma Bhushan in 1992.

Ramesh G. Jethwani,
Bengaluru

Sir — B. Saroja Devi’s passing leaves a profound void in cinema. Her unforgettable performances and dialogues continue to resonate with audiences, reminding us of her extraordinary talent. Let us celebrate her legacy, cherishing the joy she brought to our lives.

T.S. Karthik,
Chennai

Sir — The demise of the legendary actress, B. Saroja Devi, brings back powerful memories of her incredible performances.

A.P. Thiruvadi,
Chennai

Sir — B. Saroja Devi was one of Indian cinema’s most enduring stars and a household name. The film fraternity mourns the loss of this timeless legend who helped shape the South Indian film industry with her talent and poise.

Ranganathan Sivakumar,
Chennai