Strange demand
Sir — Unemployment rates continue to be high in India, leaving recent graduates struggling to find jobs. The list of criteria that must be met by interviewees is usually long. But some employers seem to have rather odd and problematic expectations. Recently, a man shared his frustrating experience of being refused a job because he had taken a bus to his interview. He was told that taking public transport makes one late to work. However, public transport is as likely to get caught in traffic as a personal vehicle but, unlike the latter, is environmentally conscious. Perhaps one is better off not working at such a company.
Disha Bhowmick,
Bengaluru
Unsafe flights
Sir — The helicopter crash that killed all seven people on board in Uttarakhand on June 15 could have been avoided had the authorities responded to warning signs (“Chopper’s fatal 1 hour breach”, June 17). Four incidents in four weeks — one fatal crash that claimed six lives and three cases of emergency landing — had made it obvious that travelling by air on the Char Dham route was hazardous. Although the Directorate General of Civil Aviation had ordered special audits and enhanced surveillance of helicopter operations, such orders were carried out only after the latest accident. Enhancing aerial connectivity in hilly areas is good but compromising the safety of passengers threatens to defeat its purpose.
Khokan Das,
Calcutta
Sir — The chopper crash in Uttarakhand, killing all seven people in it, is the latest result of breaches in aviation rules in India. The rules and regulations set by the DGCA under the Aircraft Rules, 1937 need a revamp and stricter implementation.
Prasun Kumar Dutta,
West Midnapore
Sir — India experienced a wave of deaths last week. First, an Air India Boeing Dreamliner crashed in Ahmedabad, then a helicopter carrying pilgrims from Kedarnath crashed, killing all seven people on board in Uttarakhand. Then an old iron pedestrian bridge collapsed near Pune, killing four people (“Week we wish wasn’t”, June 16). A pall of grief hangs over the country now.
Fakhrul Alam,
Calcutta
Spy master
Sir — Ruchir Joshi’s article, “Ici Chacal” (June 17), was incisive. A former Royal Air Force pilot with an eye for detail and a great writer of spy thrillers, Frederick Forsyth died on June 9, 2025. He wrote the first manuscript of the book that came to be known as The Day of the Jackal within only 35 days, while he was unemployed and staying at a friend’s house. Even though it was initially rejected, it went on to sell over 10
million copies and inspired two movies. However, Forsyth’s legacy must not
be reduced to just The Day of the Jackal. It is simply one arrow in a quiver full of masterpieces.
Shovanlal Chakraborty,
Calcutta
Sir — Frederick Forsyth’s famous book, The Day of the Jackal, was a fictionalised account of the failed attempt to assassinate a French president. To feel sorry for a hired assassin was something novel for readers. Yet that is what this book managed to make them do. Forsyth’s following books, The Odessa File and Dogs of War, had the same pulsating action. But his later novels lacked the same punch and panache.
Anthony Henriques,
Mumbai
Sir — During my school days, I had read Srigaler Sesh Prohor, the Bengali translation of The Day of the Jackal. From then on, I became an admirer of Frederick Forsyth. His
prose, attention to detail and ability to build suspense remained superb throughout his career. His loss will be felt keenly by those who love reading spy fiction.
Chandan Chattopadhyay,
Hooghly
