Platonic partners

Sir — “Pyaar dosti hai”, a famous dialogue by Shah Rukh Khan in a Bollywood romance, epitomises the importance of friendship for falling in love. But Japan seems to have taken this concept further — ‘friendship marriage’ is emerging as a popular trend in the country where two people sharing similar interests can opt for legal companionship without the necessary ingredients of romance and sexual interaction. This unconventional union will also help couples avail of tax deductions; further, they can have children through artificial insemination as well as explore romances outside of the marriage. Perhaps such a unique marriage arrangement will have takers in India where societal pressures often force people into loveless arranged marriages.

Bidisha Gupta, Noida

Mum’s the word

Sir — Ahead of the visit of the Union home minister, Amit Shah, to West Bengal, speculation was rife that he would meet the parents of the victim of the rape incident at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital (“Shah RG Kar miss triggers Didi nexus cry”, Oct 29). However, he did not.

Shah’s silence on the Justice for R.G. Kar movement indicates a tacit understanding between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Mamata Banerjee-led dispensation. It can be argued that the BJP has been relying on the latter to blunt the attacks of the INDIA bloc at the national level.

S.S. Paul, Nadia

Sir — During his recent visit to Bengal, Amit Shah outlined the BJP’s action plan for the 2026 assembly elections. Addressing prominent leaders and workers of the party’s state unit, Shah emphasised the necessity to put an end to “State-sponsored” infiltration in the aftermath of the Bangladesh crisis and highlighted the concerns regarding women’s safety and the frequent incidents of violence in the state. But he tactfully skirted the R.G. Kar incident in his speech. The Union home minister did not meet the parents of the rape victim either.

The Bengal unit of the saffron party has been struggling to comment on Shah’s stoic silence regarding the 'Justice for R.G. Kar' movement. This has lessened its credibility in the public eye when it comes to handling sensitive issues.

Aayman Anwar Ali, Calcutta

Historic victory

Sir — The New Zealand cricket team deserves plaudits for its brilliant win against India in the second Test in Pune (“Breach of home bastion”, Oct 27). The Kiwis handed India their first series defeat on home soil in 12 years, thus marking an end to India's longest-ever winning streak in Test history comprising 18 consecutive wins. Even Indian fans cannot help but marvel at New Zealand’s stunning achievement.

India must rebuild their strength. The consistently disappointing performances by senior batsmen like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma and an unreliable middle order have been areas of concern. Further, Indian batsmen are no longer adept at playing spin, neither are they experimenting with shots like the reverse sweep to disrupt the opposition’s spinners.

Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee, Faridabad

Sir — New Zealand became the first visiting country to win a Test series in India after 12 years (“Goliath humbled”, Oct 29). The loss has dented India’s position on the International Cricket Council Men’s Test Team Rankings. With resounding victories in the first Test by eight wickets and by 113 runs in the second, the Black Caps are brimming with confidence. India’s defeat has exposed its vulnerability in playing spin. Indian men could not withstand the onslaught of the Kiwi bowlers; Mitchell Santner, the left-arm spinner of New Zealand, claimed 13 wickets in the second Test.

Stalwarts like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, R. Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are past their prime. The star-studded Indian cricket team is likely to face a vacuum as soon as they retire. The management has its task cut out to find replacements for them.

Vijay Singh Adhikari, Nainital

Sir — It is a matter of shame that India have been humbled by cricket’s minnows, the Kiwis, on home ground. Prior to this, New Zealand were placed sixth in the Test rankings. India’s top-notch spinners could not counter New Zealand’s bowling attack. That the skipper, Rohit Sharma, could not provide the best leadership was evident from the field-settings. Team selection was equally poor. The Board of Control for Cricket in India must step in and reorganise the team.

M.N. Gupta, Hooghly

Sir — The Men In Blue underestimated the Kiwis and paid the price for it. The BCCI has not taken any steps to correct the weakness in the Indian players to tackle spinners. Moreover, the Indian Premier League has provided foreign batsmen the perfect opportunity to sharpen their counter of spins.

N. Mahadevan, Chennai

Dark side

Sir — The editorial, “Potent mix” (Oct 28), debates the pros and the cons of work-from-home and work-from-office. WFH aggravates mental distress among employees, a new global survey has highlighted. This is concerning. Sound mental health is integral to employees’ functioning. The freedom to choose between WFO and hybrid work arrangements is the way to the future.

K. Nehru Patnaik, Visakhapatnam

Sir — Poor workplace relationships contribute to decreased motivation. Organisations should take cognisance of this and take steps to reduce mental distress among employees.

Khokan Das, Calcutta

Correction

In the review of the book, The Lucky Ones (Oct 25), the surname of the author, Zara Chowdhary, was misspelt on one occasion. We apologise for the error.