PICTURE SPEAK

"Power Goddess", April 4

"Armed with knowledge, courage and confidence, Indian women have broken free from traditional restrictions and taken wing to reach newer heights."

Amita Collins, Bangalore

Stepping Forward

No doubt all the women featured in your magazine are doing India and themselves proud ("Power Goddess", April 4). But I don't need to look beyond my home to search for a goddess. She resides right here and goes by the name of "ma". Juggling career and home with the superhuman strength of Superman she manages everything with the smile and sweetness of the Powerpuff Girls.

Banani Sarker, on e-mail

Most of the so-called developing countries in Asia have had women prime ministers or presidents. This shows that Asian countries give more opportunities to women and are torchbearers of human rights and equality-more than those developed nations which cry themselves hoarse over such issues.

Preeta Sridhar, on e-mail

The most admirable quality of Indian women is their ability to strike a fine balance between their professional lives and traditional family responsibilities.

Navneet Dhawan, Delhi

Talking about women making it big is no longer relevant today. The article seemed to convey that women have emerged from a life of denial and deprivation recently. But the fact is that they had proved themselves quite some time ago.

P. Madhok, Mumbai

India is on the upswing because Indian women are doing so well. But dowry deaths and female infanticide are still fairly common, even among the seemingly progressive sections. Hopefully it won't be long before every girl born in this country will have the opportunity to realise her dreams.

Ranjana Manchanda, on e-mail

Achievers All

The test of civilisation lies in the progress made by women ("Front Liners", April 4). The women in this section have proved that no force on earth can subjugate them.

Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee, Faridabad

It is really good to know that numerous successful Indian women, even young ones like Joshna Chinappa, have set examples in the field of empowerment of women.

Aastha Gupta, Delhi

Many of the women featured in this section are in the saddle because they have inherited it. They cannot be an inspiration to those who want to make it to the top from scratch. Is it also a coincidence that there was too much focus on women living north of the Vindhyas?

Shobana Shrinagesh, Chennai

The selection of the 30 women seems to be heavily skewed towards those born into influential families. While at least five women featured have inherited family businesses, two have inherited film legacies and another five are from political/legal families. It would have been better to profile women who have made it big without such inheritances which gave them a huge advantage.

Navin Bhatia, Mumbai

For decades the media focused only on Kiran Bedi. It was welcome relief to read about the first woman DGP, Kanchan C. Bhattacharya, in your special issue.

R.D. Saxena, Ghaziabad

A notable omission was Lt-General Punita Arora. She is the first woman to be promoted to that rank in the Indian Army and also the first woman commandant of the Armed Forces Medical College, Pune.

Colonel (Retd) A.L. Sharma, on e-mail

Cause and Effect

If Ekta Kapoor worked in a male-dominated organisation and overheard her colleagues discussing their sexual activities, would she walk out or join with gusto ("To Eve Her Own", April 4)? She would most probably head for the nearest office committee on prevention of sexual harassment of women at the workplace. She is doing a great disservice to the cause of women by her maniacal antics.

B.C. Bhattacharya, on e-mail

Crossing the Line

The story on the casting couch has revealed the depravity within the glamorous walls of Indian cinema ("Casting a Long Shadow", April 4). It has also probably shattered the dreams of aspiring actors who hoped to make it big through hard work and dedication.

Ajay Kumar, Delhi

Anyone who indulges in peep-hole journalism is setting a dangerous trend.

Ramana Murthy P.V., Hyderabad

Shakti Kapoor crossed the line between the professional and personal first. So how can he make a hue and cry about the media intruding into his personal life?

Bhumika, on e-mail

Land's End

Your story is strangely silent on the heritage aspect of the textile mills ("Mills and Doom", April 4). Mumbai is bursting at its seams and any further addition of multi-storey buildings in the old quarter will put severe pressure on the existing infrastructure. The solution lies in reusing the buildings as in the UK and other parts of Europe.

Prasanta Kumar, Kolkata

TRAVELLER'S CHECK

The denial of visa to Narendra Modi by the US must be seen as an insult to the state or country and not the individual as he is the chief minister of Gujarat, a state of India ("Modi's Visa Power", April 4). Chanukyaram, on e-mail Contrary to what Modi and his supporters might claim, denial of a visa to him by the US is not a national embarrassment. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's stand in this regard is politically correct but ethically wrong. D.B.N. Murthy, Bangalore While the US has the right to deny a visa to anyone, the manner in which it commented on India's internal affairs while denying one to Modi was undoubtedly wrong. Mihir Shah, on e-mail

Change with the Times

Examinations have become monsters rather than stepping stones for students ("Killer Exams", March 28). Trying to force students to produce results beyond their capabilities is like flogging a horse that is not fit to compete.

Bishnu Prasad Mohanty, Bhubaneswar

The board exams are just a test of memory power and do not, in any way, test the intellectual or creative faculties of a student. It is high time importance is given to the all-round development of the child rather than only the marks scored in the Class XII exam.

Aswin Sekhar, Palghat

Unless parents mend their ways and stop pressuring their children, we will see more and more suicides among students.

Tharcius S. Fernando, Chennai

Exams don't kill, it is the thought of failing to achieve one's desired goals that kills us. Everyone suffers from exam fever but the best way to overcome it is through hard work and self-confidence.

Syed Shaarikh Ahsan, Dehradun

Why did it take a spate of suicides to raise questions about the education ystem? It has existed for years. I have also survived the pain but I have not forgotten it. So I have decided not to have any children because I do not want any child to go through this agony.

Arun Taneja, on e-mail

I disagree that there should be a revamp of the educational system. The present generation of students spends more time on extra-curricular activities than studies. Parents support their whims and then blame the examination system when they don't do well. They should instead concentrate on their studies and learn the art of working hard and coping with stress.

Ahva Fernandes, Goa

The true objective of education-creation of perfect human beings-has been sacrificed at the altar of lucrative career opportunities. We are raising a generation which values success over any sense of sympathy for the less privileged.

G.K. Goswami, Guwahati

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