Your cover story on MiG-21 beautifully captured the legacy of the iconic aircraft (‘Fighter for all seasons’, September 21). The story highlighted the unwavering dedication of the pilots and engineers who kept it in the air despite the negative publicity.
The tribute to MiG-21 served as a powerful reminder of the resilience and ingenuity that define India’s defence forces.
K. Chidanand Kumar,
On email.
It is fitting to bid farewell to the MiG-21 after six decades of service to the nation. The courage and valour of its pilots were truly commendable.
D. John Bhaskar,
On email.
It is sad that the MiG-21 will no longer be in service. The jet was not as flawed as it was often made out to be; much of its reputation was shaped from certain quarters.
Our Air Force remains one of the strongest in the world, and come what may, it will never step back.
P.M. Tyagi,
On email.
Getting nostalgic about the MiG is one thing; its history of mechanical failure is another. Citizens are appalled by even a single death, and here, there were far too many. It takes courage for a commanding officer to call out obviously dangerous weaponry, and in this case it was a clear failure.
Carmo Costa Viegas,
On email.
No stopping Narendra Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to continue as prime minister for many more years to come (‘Power without pause’, September 21). He has energy and passion matched by very few leaders in the country.
There is no stopping Modi now, and he may well lead the nation for the next decade.
Raghuveer Saxena,
On email.
Modi is a visionary, a good listener, a brilliant strategist, a pragmatist, and an incorruptible leader with outstanding communication skills and robust health. He is well placed to lay the foundations for a Viksit Bharat by 2047.
K.V. Jayaram,
On email.
Modi is on course to break Jawaharlal Nehru’s record. If he secures another mandate in 2029, he will surpass Nehru’s 17-year tenure as prime minister. That would make Modi the longest-serving prime minister in India’s history—a record he is likely to hold for many years to come.
Prahlad Nandan,
On email.
It is a section of the media that, perhaps, unknowingly contributed to Modi’s rise by constantly mocking and ridiculing him since his days as chief minister of Gujarat. Had they ignored him and criticised only when it truly mattered, he might not have reached this level of popularity.
It is basic psychology—anyone subjected to relentless criticism and ridicule over years inevitably gains silent admirers. One can only hope the same media and groups of people will not repeat this mistake by ridiculing another leader, and, in the process, create another Modi.
Anupraj B.V.,
On email.
It is a blessing to have a popular leader like Modi as our prime minister. Without his leadership, India might have faced serious challenges both internally and externally. In many ways, knowingly and unknowingly, Modi is shielding the nation from many threats.
Ritika Grover,
On email.
Don’t force Hindi on us
The NDA government refuses to learn its lessons.
Its push for Hindi as the official language is not an isolated move, but an attempt to permeate the veins of India’s richly diverse culture, languages and religions (‘Last word’, September 21).
C. Chandrasekaran Bharathi,
On email.
Shashi Tharoor was spot on in his assessment of Hindi. Hindi is undoubtedly a beautiful language, but it cannot be forced down anyone’s throat. It is easy for the BJP leaders in north India to claim they love Tamil, Bengali, Telugu or Marathi—but will any of them ever make an effort to learn these languages?
I feel sad for students in CBSE schools in south India who are compelled to learn an extra language, while their counterparts in north India are not. Such extreme partiality cannot be justified.
Shantha Ved Narayan,
On email.
Hindi is being constantly imposed on us. Wherever possible, the use of English should be encouraged. Some BJP leaders even suggest that English should be removed from the country. But, if that happens, how will they communicate with leaders in south India? They cannot converse in Hindi, and they certainly will not learn every regional language.
English, in this context, is practical. Imagine if English were removed from schools, then almost all students in our cities would migrate. Can India afford that? Certainly not! This is just a political gimmick.
Tarun Chandrasekhar,
On email.
Thank you, K.C. Verma
I am an avid reader of the column by K.C. Verma. My biggest motivation to pick up the magazine almost as soon as it arrives each week is his column. Verma’s humour, everyday anecdotes, playful tiffs with “the Mrs”, and the subtle yet profound way he addresses ongoing issues—whether it is the complex income tax portal or neighbourhood controversies—are always a delight to read.
Thanks to his column, I end up reading the magazine cover to cover. In the process, my awareness of current affairs has also grown significantly.
Nithya Girish,
On email.