Finally, going home
Merely allowing migrants to go home is not enough (“Home Ministry clears inter-State movement of stranded people”, April 30). The State governments in coordination with the Union government must make proper arrangements for sending home the migrants, keeping in mind the practice of physical distancing. Recently, the U.P. government brought home more than 2,200 workers from Haryana in 82 buses. The government must avoid packing people into vehicles.
Jitendra Nath Nandi,
Kolkata
This announcement should have been made earlier, but better late than never. India’s migrants have had to face many hardships. Some even died on their way home. It was heart-rending to see how badly the government had planned the lockdown and how cruelly the police treated the migrants. At least now we must ensure that the migrants are treated in a humane manner.
V. Padmanabhan,
Bengaluru
Classroom learning
There are many areas which still lack continuous Internet connectivity. As the author says, this denies many students the opportunity to access online classes (“Limitations of online learning”, April 30). Further, some subjects demand face-to-face interactions. In Technical Education, for instance, a majority of the subjects involve practical training experience. Also, in a class of 60 students, if 10% of them are above average and 10% below average, the outstanding students who constantly exhibit a thirst for knowledge will somehow study. But teachers really need to invest time in helping the below average students, which is not possible via online classes.
Roy M. Thomas,
Kochi
A poorer film world
Bollywood has been struck a twin blow with the loss of Irrfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor. Both actors enriched the film industry with their talent, screen presence and charisma. While Khan was a Bollywood star who was also loved by Hollywood, and was known for his understated, yet impactful, performances, Rishi Kapoor was the evergreen heartthrob, the quintessential hero of Bollywood. Though very different in their craft, they both touched the hearts of millions across the world.
N.J. Ravi Chander,
Bengaluru
Among Rishi Kapoor’s films, Bobby, Amar Akbar Anthony , and Chandni are my favourite. Though all of Raj Kapoor’s sons were talented, Rishi made a special mark not only with hard work but also his histrionics. His forthright views won him both bouquets and brickbats. Irrfan Khan seemed to know only one word: surrender. He could surrender to any role with ease and aplomb. He mesmerised us with his eyes and dialogue modulation. He had scaled great heights in his career, but Irrfan never seemed to throw his weight around. Tributes show how much respect the film fraternity had for him. These are big losses for Indian cinema.
M. Somasekhar Prasad,
Hyderabad
