Sachin is back

Tolstoy’s works a must read for one and all
This has reference to Aditya Sinha’s article ‘Tolstoy Lives’ (March 18). The very fact that a busy journalist such as Sinha took time off to read Tolstoy’s latest translation and write about it is commendable.

I have been a reader of both Tolstoy and Dostoevsky since my student days at Delhi University and as a cub reporter with HT where I started my journalistic career in 1969. I liked a portion of Sinha’s view on the great writer and also about the mention of the latest translation of War and Peace by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky, a copy of which I picked up some four years ago during one of my sojourns abroad.

Sinha has rightly suggested that budding writers and others must invest in reading Tolstoy; but why writers alone? All those who have some literary bent of mind must not only read Tolstoy but also Dostoevsky to gauge the vastness of scope and scale, particularly in Tolstoy’s works and to gain an insight into the human psychology and the inner turmoil of mankind in his writings. Kudos for publishing a great photograph of Tolstoy. It’s cutting is worth preserving.
—Devendra Mohan

II
Congratulations on a first-rate piece. Though I had read both Anna Karenina and War and Peace, your article provides a deeper understanding of the writer’s work. I felt very happy reading it.

My Guru Shri Madhava Ashish of Mirtola in Uttaranchal used to point out meaninglessness of news —nothing new happens; everything that appears to be happening has happened earlier; only names and places change. The last paragraph in your piece is extremely evocative.
—Adarsh Kishore

Good opportunity
‘Oxford and Cornell woo city’s rich kids’ (March 20) is indeed good news. Such interaction will facilitate the aspirants who want to pursue an academic career in the UK or in the US.

Undoubtedly, Oxford and Cornell are universities of repute. This would not only serve as a trend-setter but also bring
an opportunity for Indian students on many connected aspects for admission, like eligibility criterion, course contents and above all, a fair assessment of financial affordability etc.

The interaction proposed will have the advantage of a face to face discussion and this will help students get their doubts cleared for a career planning. We should whole-heartedly welcome such moves.
—PM Gopalan

Mamata menace
This has‘ reference to Mamata the menace, Mulayam the messiah’ (March 20). The political expediency with which Mamata has forced the government to accept Trivedi’s resignation is highly unjustified.

The Centre showed no spine and conceding to Mamata’s ‘request’ to induct a new railway minister is a sure indication of things to come — a  roll back of the price hike.

The railway budget has already been reduced to a mockery and any roll back will decimate it. Whose railway budget was it anyway?

The Centre’s or the TMC’s? If it was by the former, it should stand by it even at the cost of losing power. In an era of coalitions, the Congress must mend its ways and work to take coalition partners into confidence over all the issues.
—Ashok Goswami

Sachin is back
One man got his due — the 100th hundred, and we salute him. However, even after being an ardent fan, I had started to question my own belief in Sachin’s ability to chalk out a winning sketch for our team. In the match against Bangladesh, his scoring rate left much to be desired.

He scored at a much lower rate than the younger players like Suresh Raina. It almost looked like everyone else around him was playing in Blue and he was playing in White. But then, now I feel his worst is over as he has reached his milestone which took him a full year to complete.

He did show superb sparks in the match against Pakistan. I hope he continues to remain our God and not put any more doubts in our mind.
—Riaz

II
There is no iota of doubt that Sachin Tendulkar is a great player. He has achieved several landmarks and made India proud. He, however, wants to continue because he is “enjoying” the game. But this is no logic. Does it mean that others who need to be given a chance do not enjoy the game?

It is time the selectors look to invest for the future by blooding Cheteswar Pujara and Rohit Sharma quickly. Like VVS, Sachin should be made eligible for Tests only and a time limit of March 2013 should be good enough for him to continue “enjoying”. He needs to be reminded that he had cried when not voted the best junior cricketer which made Sunil Gavaskar write a letter to him in his formative years.

Sachin should also think of numerous players like him who may be crying because he is robbing them of a chance. Come on Jimmy Amarnath! Please show the courage you showed on the field and take bold decisions!
—Nitin Gokarn

Need an answer
Staunch loyalists of BS Yeddyurappa and RSS need to answer the basic ethical question: what is their stand regarding the misdemeanor of Yeddyurappa? The myth of BJP being a disciplined party lies in tatters.

The way caste sentiments are being worked up — Lingayat vs Vokkaliga — is disgusting. Even if BSY were to come clean from the charges levelled against him, he does not deserve to hold the chief minister’s post for his sheer arrogance.
—K Suresh, Bangalore

Great cartoon
I have been reading DNA since its inception and one of the many things in it that entertains me the most are its cartoons. They are always humorous. Another fine piece  of work. No words to express. Hats off to Manjul.
—Hrishikesh Pillai