Strange brew

Sir — The appointment of Laxman Narasimhan as the new chief executive officer of Starbucks has reignited the long-standing gripe of South Asians regarding the infamous‘ Chai Tea Latte’ sold by the coffee powerhouse. ‘Chai Tea’ is a ridiculous nomenclature as the two words mean the same thing. It is a simple concoction of milk tea with a blend of cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon, variations of which are brewed across India. It is wonderful that Americans appreciate the Indian way of preparing tea, but corporates must put in basic research before they repackage the culinary traditions of foreign lands.

Paramita Sengupta, Calcutta

Break the chains

Sir — A report by the International Labour Organization,Global Estimates of Modern Slavery, has revealed that around 50 million people are living in modern forms of slavery (“Toxic bondage”, Sept 15). Of these, almost 28 million were entangled in forced labour and 22 million were trapped in forced marriages.The report indicated that modern slavery can be found in almost every country in the world, cutting across ethnic, cultural and religious lines. Around 52 per cent of all forced labour and a quarter of all forced marriages can be found in upper-middle-income or high-income countries. The ILO has found that forced marriages have increased in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Congo, Egypt, India, Uganda and Yemen. The governments in these countries must take note and tackle the problem beforeit is too late.

Bhagwan Thadani, Mumbai

Sir — It is shocking to learn that millions of peoplecontinue to be trapped in contemporary forms of slavery. Phenomena like forced labour and forced marriage not only impact the physical and mental well-being of those directly affected but also have repercussionsfor generations to come.

Sunil Chopra, Ludhiana

Finishing line

Sir — The director-general of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has announced in a virtual press conference that the world has never been in a better position to end the Covid-19 pandemic. The coronavirus, which wreaked havoc across the world, directly or indirectly led to the death of approximately14.9 million people between January 1,2020 and December 31,2021. The WHO’s recent assessment of the crisis is by far the most positive since the outbreak of the pandemic. Hopefully, we have arrived at the end of the pandemic.

Sadiksha Agrawal, Ujjain

Pay attention

Sir — The article, “’Tech abuse’ by students” (Sept 15), by Jhinuk Mazumdar indicates that many students, including those in junior classes, are abusing technology. This is alarming. The Covid-19 pandemic had led to a massive upsurge in the use of technology amongst schoolchildren across socio-economic strata. In many cases, parents lack tech literacy and are unable to supervise the use of gadgets by their children. With parents back at work, many children are left unmonitored for prolonged periods of time. This has left children vulnerable to a myriad dangers. It is imperative that parents strictly monitor their children’s use of gadgets and limit the time they spend online.

Tripti Nair, Chennai

Rare visionary

Sir — Jean-Luc Godard, one of the most influential French filmmakers of the post-War era, has passed away (“New Wave director Godard dead”, Sept 14). Godard chose to end his life through assisted suicide at a facility in Switzerland at the age of 91. The auteur, who has written and directed over a hundred films, came into prominence with the 1960 masterpiece, Breathless. This film, along with The 400 Blows by François Truffaut, set the tone of the aesthetics of French cinema at the time. The French New Wave, with its unconventional approach to sex, violence, anti-war politics, and explorations of the counter-culture, introduced new techniques in film-making. The subtle playfulness in content and form of Godard’s work set him apart. His contributions to 20th-century art and culture are unparalleled.

Shovanlal Chakraborty, Calcutta

Sir — The death of Jean-Luc Godard is a great loss for world cinema. Although most film enthusiasts will remember Godard for movies like Pierrot le Fou, Contempt and Breathless, his greatest work was perhaps Histoire(s) du cinéma, a TV series that examined the concept of cinema and how it relates to the 20th century. His body of work will influence film-makers for generations to come.

Mrityunjay Saha, Calcutta

Parting shot

Sir — It is concerning that more than 6 per cent of India’s population lacks access to safe water. This is a basic right and crucial to the health of millions of people across the globe. The governments at the Centre as well as the states should prioritise the availability of clean water for all.

Ranganathan Sivakumar, Chennai