Guru Utsav

This refers to the hue and cry over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposed Teachers Day address. If students are forced to sit and watch the speech, they will just go to sleep (as many of them do in their regular classes). That said, one wonders why the Left and political parties in Tamil Nadu, including the DMK, are objecting to the use of the term ‘Guru Utsav.’ The words, ‘Guru’ and ‘Utsav,’ have entered many of the Indian languages. And, Sanskrit is widely regarded as the mother of all Indian languages.

Karavadi Raghava Rao,

Vijayawada

The Narendra Modi government has created an unnecessary controversy over Teachers Day by interlacing it with ‘Guru Utsav,’ a nationwide essay competition. The government should concentrate on providing suitable infrastructure in thousands of schools, such as roofs over classrooms, playground facilities, and so on. That will enhance the quality of the guru-shishya relationship.

A. Victor Frank,

Chennai By objecting to the phrase ‘Guru Utsav,’ political parties are creating an unnecessary row. It is immaterial how we refer to September 5 — Teachers Day or Guru Utsav. Even Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan wouldn’t have minded. One only wants the day to pass peacefully.

E.S. Chandrasekaran,

Chennai