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Sir — The killing of the Reuters photographer, Danish Siddiqui, has led to an immense loss for Indian journalism. His versatility and news sense — he was always around to capture poignant moments, be it during a humanitarian crisis like that faced by Rohingya refugees or a natural calamity — won him a Pulitzer. He played a crucial role in presenting the true picture of Covid-19 in India to the world. His bold and detached style must be studied by future generations. The photographs from his last project, of an extraction mission by the Afghan special forces, are spine-chilling.

Jayanta Datta,
Hooghly

Sir — It is shocking that Danish Siddiqui was killed in Kandahar, Afghanistan, while covering clashes between Afghan forces and the Taliban. Passionate about his art, his portrayals of crises were always layered. Amidst the pandemic, when the government was busy praising itself, Siddiqui’s photos revealed the harsh truth. The only tribute to the hero who captured reality through the lenses can be our commitment to truth.

Sandeep Rawat,
Chandigarh

Sir — The sudden, unfortunate demise of the 2018 Pulitzer recipient, Danish Siddiqui, has left a huge void in the field of journalism. But the politics over his corpse takes away the focus from the mortal peril looming over other journalists like him. While we demand a free press, the ones who have to venture out in search of the truth are, in reality, unsure of whether they will live to see the next day. I have seen this anxiety afflict members of my peer group. But in his death, Siddiqui has reminded us how to brave the horrors of war and politics. Whether we want to turn a blind eye to the perilous life of journalists is up to us.

Uddipta Banerjee,
Calcutta

Leave a mark

Sir — The mechanical click-clack of the keyboard will not impart the joy that the smell of ink on paper does. People are rediscovering the joy of writing, allowing a Swadeshi-era ink company to make a comeback. Sulekha ink — named by Tagore and used by Gandhi — is all the rage online. But Gen-Z is weighing this charm against the imprints that ink-smudged fingers may leave on fancy smartphones.

Jhinuk Sen,
Siliguri