It is indeed welcoming to see India’s top colleges shaping students into nation builders through transformative education, which is the need of the hour (‘Nurturing change agents’, June 29). Education is not just about acquiring knowledge. It is also about fostering critical reflection, self-awareness and reasoned thinking. In a world facing complex challenges, this is what makes a difference.
Karan Kothari,
On email.
Your article (‘Make in Roorkee’, June 29) gave us a valuable perspective on the evolution of technical education in India. The establishment of Asia’s first engineering college in India in 1847—now IIT Roorkee—a full decade before the Sepoy Mutiny and nearly a century before Independence, stands as a proud testament to the country’s early strides in the field.
Similarly, the College of Engineering, Guindy, which began as a School of Survey in 1794, underscores India’s longstanding engineering legacy.
Jayakumar Daniel,
On email.
Your cover story will help both students and their parents choose the right discipline and institution aligned with their goals. THE WEEK-Hansa Research Survey 2025 has undoubtedly been conducted using scientific parameters. THE WEEK deserves appreciation for the splendid work.
Surinder Sharma,
On email.
Complete overhaul of safety standards
The plane crash in Ahmedabad was truly heartbreaking (‘Horror in the sky’, June 29). My heart goes out to the innocent lives lost—both on the flight and at the medical college. This incident underscores the urgent need for a complete overhaul of safety standards in the aviation sector.
Also, the tragedy in Ahmedabad leads to the stark reminder that death can strike anywhere, anytime—and that reality is deeply unsettling.
Pramod Balakeshavan,
On email.
I am confident that the Boeing, Tatas, and DGCA will identify the root causes and take corrective measures. However, that will not alleviate the sorrow of the families of those who lost their lives.
The grief of losing a loved one is immense. In such moments, no amount of sympathy or compensation can truly help. Only time can heal the wounds.
K.V. Jayaram,
On email.
India cannot afford another air tragedy. A thorough and transparent investigation is the need of the hour. It is deeply concerning that even after several days, there is still no clarity on the contents of the black box. The delay is unacceptable. If Boeing is at fault, the government should hold them accountable.
Sriparna Pal,
On email.
India’s aviation sector is among the safest in the world. All [Indian] airlines must ensure that nothing is done to compromise this hard-earned image.
Sumalatha Anand,
On email.
Judiciary under surveillance
I am not sure if Justice Yashwant Varma is truly a wrongdoer (‘Bench besieged’, June 29). What is evident, however, is that the executive is exploiting the situation to corner the judiciary. While the judiciary is constitutionally independent, the reality is many Supreme Court and High Court judges are constantly under surveillance.
Somewhere, someone with significant influence outside the judiciary seems to be keeping track of their vulnerabilities, ready to exploit them.
Jayant Kapur,
On email.
No one will ever know what happened that day in Justice Varma’s house. He may or may not be at fault. But one thing is clear—the executive has achieved what it set out to do. From here on, nothing will remain the same for the judiciary.
Kalpana Tyagi,
On email.
Grief disobeys articulation
Last Word by Shashi Tharoor (‘The language of grief’, June 29) was evocative, enlightening and deeply empathetic. Tharoor rightly asserts that silence is often the most powerful way to express grief or to empathise with someone who is grieving.
Tears shed for others are a reflection of a pure and compassionate heart. But without genuine love and empathy, the expression of grief becomes a hollow and ritualistic gesture, devoid of true meaning.
Grief, in any form, defies articulation. Only the one who suffers knows where the shoe truly pinches. Others may attempt to understand through sympathy or empathy, but no amount of verbal consolation can truly ease the weight of personal sorrow.
It is also true that the suppression of grief can be detrimental to one’s mental and physical wellbeing. It must find an outlet—often through tears—before it implodes within.
A person has to bear the yoke of sorrows, grief, woes and throes of life till death.
Bilal Ahmad Shamim,
On email.
A clarification
My article (‘Black warrant’, June 29) mentioned the killing of Ali Shamkhani, the head of Iran’s negotiating team, in the initial Israeli strikes on Iran. At the time of writing, media outlets—including Iranian sources—had confirmed his death.
However, more recent reports from Iran indicate that Shamkhani survived the attack with injuries.
The argument in the article that the attempt on his life marked a move by Israel to derail the diplomatic track on the nuclear issue stands.
A.K. Ramakrishnan,
professor (retd), Centre for West Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi.