Rare exhibit

Sir — Last year, an Italian tourist visiting a zoo in Karnataka discovered that Europeans are apparently far more captivating to Indians than a Bengal tiger, or any other exotic species. At the zoo, the Italian found himself mobbed by locals who completely ignored the wildlife in the enclosures to secure a selfie with him. In the video captured by him of the incident — it has become popular on social media — he jokingly labels himself the park’s true “exotic animal”. While the interaction between him and the locals was friendly, it highlighted a recurring cultural phenomenon where foreign tourists are treated as rare exhibits.

Asha Haldar,
Hooghly

Rights revoked

Sir — The decision of the National Medical Commission to revoke the permission granted to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence in Katra to open admissions for the MBBS course has triggered deep concerns, particularly regarding the transfer of students and the cancellation of seats for the 2025-26 session. While regulatory compliance is essential, it is imperative that the process does not harm students who have rightfully secured admission through merit. An attempt to exclude students on the basis of religion is a violation of their fundamental rights. India’s educational institutions must remain spaces of inclusive opportunity.

Kyamudin Ansari,
Mumbai

Sir — Some Hindu groups have objected to admission granted to Muslims in an institute funded by a Hindu temple trust. Their contention is that the money collected from Hindu patrons must be used for the benefit of Hindus only. Regrettably, the college administration surrendered to the claims of these disruptive agents. India’s education system seems to be in the clutches of divisive politicians.

Anil Bagarka,
Mumbai

Sir — Instead of recovering from the Hindu-Muslim divide, India is sinking deeper into it. The NMC’s cowering before the divisive forces is unfortunate. The forces of fanaticism, anarchy, and discrimination, once unleashed, can never be controlled.

Jang Bahadur Singh,
Jamshedpur

Major step

Sir — Hearteningly, gross non-performing assets of scheduled commercial banks have declined to the lowest level in decades. At the same time, it is alarming that the agriculture sector has the biggest share of bad loans (“Debt shifts”, Dec 8). Small farmers should be encouraged to diversify their crops, transition to those less reliant on monsoon, and get fair insurance coverage.

Bal Govind,
Noida

Climate hero

Sir — The veteran ecologist, Madhav Gadgil, has passed away at the age of 83. He was best known for chairing the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel. His work reshaped India’s environmental thinking and inspired generations to balance progress with ecological responsibility.

Maniam Ramani Jayanthy,
Chennai

Hidden distress

Sir — India becoming the world’s largest rice producer surpassing China is a landmark achievement. Yet, beneath the triumph lie uncomfortable questions about sustainability and equity. Production figures alone cannot mask ecological strain and rural distress.

Mohammad Hasnain,
Muzaffarpur, Bihar

Green milestone

Sir — The Indian railways is going to launch its first hydrogen-powered train in Haryana between Jind and Sonipat, featuring a newly-commissioned hydrogen plant of 3,000 kilogramme caapcity. This is significant.

Fakhrul Alam,
Calcutta