Forgotten icons
Sir — Iconic animal motifs are synonymous with conservation movements — polar bears and global warming, for instance. But these icons seem to be going out of vogue. Studies show that people are less likely to notice campaigns which use familiar animal motifs and that these increase the risk of man-animal conflict as viewers might buy into the myth of a ‘friendly wild animal’. Given how selfish humans are, the prospect of their own suffering due to extreme weather events and global warming is likely to move them more than the plight of animals. Perhaps it is time to change animal mascots into human ones.
Disha Sengupta, Calcutta
Restore democracy
Sir — The Centre is yet to honour the people’s right to democratic governance in Jammu and Kashmir (“Govt dithers on J&K statehood timeline in SC”, Sept 1). Queries about restoring democracy in the Valley have so far been answered with statistics on the advantages of a benevolent dictatorship instead of a specific time frame. Jammu and Kashmir last had assembly elections in 2014. Given that local elections were conducted peacefully and fairly in Leh in 2020, it is high time the democratic rights of Jammu and Kashmir are restored.
S.S. Paul, Nadia
Lucrative business
Sir — It was evident even before the media rights auction was held that Viacom18 Media Private Limited, backed by the Reliance Industries-owned Network 18 Group and Paramount Global, would win the rights to telecast the Indian cricket team’s home matches on television as well as on digital platforms (“Digital edges TV in cricket rights”, Sept 1). Viacom18 also owns the digital rights for the Indian Premier League and the Women’s Premier League. It is unfortunate that some business conglomerates are monopolising lucrative sporting events.
Mahajan Rohan, Jammu
Greater good
Sir — It is a matter of pride that Ravi Kannan R., a surgical oncologist who heads the Cachar Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in Assam, will receive the Ramon Magsaysay Award for his incredible contributions to healthcare in the Northeast (“Doctor honour for pro-poor cancer care”, Sept 1).
Kannan previously headed the surgical oncology department at Adyar Cancer Institute, a major cancer hospital in Chennai. However, he arrived at CCHRC to ensure that expensive critical cancer care reached the poor.
He has inspired many doctors to take up such a social cause.
T. Ramadas, Visakhapatnam
Walk the talk
Sir — The installation of anti-suicide nets in hostels and coaching centres in Kota reflects a proactive approach to address suicides among students. Additionally, teachers and wardens must foster a supportive environment for students. Excessive pressure to excel in competitive examinations causes stress among students and leads them to take drastic steps. Parents should not contribute to this problem by setting unrealistic goals for their children. An empathetic approach towards young people can improve both their academic performance and mental health.
Muhammad Asadullah, Muzaffarpur
Green wheels
Sir — India has taken another step towards reducing its carbon footprint by rolling out the world’s first fully ethanol-powered car with a flex-fuel engine. India has been transitioning into a sustainable, environment-friendly automobile
industry with ethanol-blended fuel and a conscious shift to electric vehicles. Hopefully, the country will tap into the export market for flex-fuel engines.
Kirti Wadhawan, Kanpur
