Smile please

Smile please
The report ‘The man who brought a :-) to the web’, (DNA, October 2) made for interesting reading. Scott Fahlman’s “little gift to the world” helps a lot of people express themselves with just three keystrokes. Fahlman’s smiling shorthand truly started a wave of internet expression that is still going strong. It is true that the emoticons have become more jazzier but the soul is still in Fahlman’s creation. But there is some truth in the saying ‘A smile is worth a thousand words’.
—Archana Vaze, via email

A diplomatic lesson
Apropos ‘China plays Kashmir card, India protests’ (DNA, October 2), the question is did Indian immigration reject the stapled visas provided by the Chinese embassy for students from J&K? Or is it that the stapled visas were accepted and the students were allowed to pass through Immigration? I am sure the immigration department at any US airport would not have allowed such wrongful practices. If the students were allowed to board the aircraft, the immigration officials should be questioned for dereliction of duty. Rejection of such stapled visas will be a diplomatic lesson to the Chinese government.
—Kedarnath R Aiyar, Mumbai
 
II
The practice of the Chinese Embassy issuing visas to citizens from Jammu and Kashmir on separate sheets of paper instead of stamping them on their passports is objectionable. It questions the territorial integrity of our country. The only way to make the Chinese government refrain from such practices is to follow the principle of reciprocity. India should issue visas to citizens of Tibet separately.
—A Seshan, via email

A legend acknowledged
It is heartening to know that renowned playback singer Manna Dey has been nominated for the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award for his outstanding contribution to cinema (‘Manna Dey gets Dadasaheb Phalke award’, DNA, September 30). Manna Dey is among the most deserving recipients of this award. An immensely talented singer with a golden voice, Manna Dey is the 11th singer to bag this award. Music lovers throughout the country are delighted about the commendable decision of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to honour Dey with the Dadasaheb Phalke award. His songs like Aaja sanam madhur chandani mein hum, Dil ka haal sune dilwala, Tu pyar ka saagar hai, Chunari sambhal gori udi chali jaye re, Ek chatur naar, Yaari hai imaan mera yaar meri zindagi are still a craze among people of all ages.
—Suman Kukal, Chandigarh
 
Shrines on public land
You have rightly pointed out in your edit ‘Law above all’, (DNA, October 1) that no city is immune to the impromptu shrines that come up on the street and become permanent fixtures. So many structures and shrines have appeared on the roads and footpaths and the public suffers silently.  Although one does respect the religious feelings behind the construction of shrines, it is however, not be right to overlook the public’s ‘right to free movement’. By ruling that religious places of worship will no longer be allowed to come up on public land, the Supreme Court has indeed put to rest a problem which has been an urban scourge for some years.
—Prem K Menon, Mumbai

Numero uno Vijender
The whole country is delighted to know that Vijender is World No 1 in boxing (‘Vijender is No 1 boxer in the world’, DNA, September 29). Congratulations to Vijender for his laudable achievement. It is worth mentioning that the Indian boxer has 2700 points to his credit and is ranked 600 points higher than the reigning champion Abbos Atoev of Uzbekistan. Now, he has become the first Indian boxer to win a medal at the Olympics, the first to win a medal at the World Championships and also the first to take the top spot. —Dilbag Rai, Chandigarh