New chairperson
My best wishes to Ms. Malini Parthasarathy for being appointed Chairperson (“Malini Parthasarathy appointed Chairperson of The Hindu Group Publishing Private Limited”, July 16). This is also a time to remember the valuable contributions of Mr. N. Ram to the newspaper. During his tenure as Chairman, several changes were made to the paper, but it has retained its status as the No. 1 paper in south India. He did not compromise either on the values of the organisation or on the ethics of the business. We wish him a healthy retired life.
R.S. Raghavan,
Bengaluru
With her rich experience as both Executive Editor and Editor of the paper, we are sure Ms. Parthasarathy will uphold the highest standards of journalistic probity and excellence.
P.K. Varadarajan,
Chennai
Our best wishes to the new Chairperson for carrying forward THG’s legacy of serving the national interest and enlightening the common man on daily events without any bias.
A.A. Jambukumaran,
Chennai
Rape myths
Women are well within their right to party and drink; that does not by any means signal consent for a physical relationship (“Putting victims on trial”, July 16). Also, once-given consent cannot be regarded as holding true for all times. It is ridiculous to argue that a woman is resisting physical abuse only if she shouts. There is no such thing as a standard mode of behaviour for women defending themselves against rape. It is appalling that such arguments are made in courts even today to shame victims.
Sanath Kumar T.S.,
Thrissur
The practise of blaming victims is deeply entrenched in our society. The very basis of this notion starts at the family level. It begins when we teach girls that they should dress or behave in a particular manner that doesn’t invite trouble. This gender-biased instruction at home needs to change first.
R. Dhatchinamoorthy,
Trichy
Marks aren’t everything
India’s education system is nothing but a marks-oriented environment (“Fewer high scorers in Class 10 exams”, July 16). It doesn’t teach students how to cope with failure. There is a need to shift from focusing on marks alone to overall development. For this, the media, teachers and parents all play an important role. Instead of sharing stories on toppers alone, the media should also talk of how such a narrow-minded idea of achievement is dangerous for children. Parents and teachers should teach children to focus on their own special and creative skills, so that students are not under such pressure.
Ankita Prasher,
Bundala
Opportunity for India
With China’s increasing economic and military power, the Indo-Pacific region is facing an unprecedented situation begging for closer coordination between the nations in the region, but it lacks a unifying force (“China’s post-COVID aggression is reshaping Asia”, July 16). The U.S. seems to have neither the will nor the foresight to support the region in its efforts against China’s aggression. The way the U.S. has abandoned multilateralism by withdrawing from the Paris Accord, the Iran nuclear deal, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, UNESCO, UNHRC and WHO has dismayed the rest of the world. Under these circumstances, India has a critical role to play in bringing together the nations in the Indo-Pacific, forging regional alliances for closer coordination and cooperation, and blunting Chinese aggression. The U.S.’s attitude and withdrawal from multilateral agencies and agreements is not only harming the world but the U.S. itself, and is providing a fertile ground for China to pursue its hegemonic goals.
Kosaraju Chandramouli,
Hyderabad
