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Sir — Elon Musk will help solve world hunger, but only if you tell him ‘exactly how’ you will spend his money. Recently, the director of the United Nations’ World Food Programme tweeted that only 2 per cent of Musk’s wealth — $6 billion — could help 42 million people suffering from famine. While there is nothing wrong in wanting transparency, it is alarming that billionaires need a reason to solve a problem they have contributed to. It is estimated that one billionaire was created every 17 hours during the pandemic, while 17,000 people died of hunger at the same time. Is this deeply inequitable world not reason enough for the likes of Musk to loosen their purse strings?

Antara Sanyal,
Calcutta

New dawn

Sir — It was great to learn that the Board of Control for Cricket in India has appointed Rahul Dravid as the head coach of the national men’s cricket team (“Boss Dravid sets targets”, Nov 4). The former skipper will take charge from the upcoming home series against New Zealand after the Twenty20 World Cup.
Dravid had a long and illustrious career as a player and was known for his fuss-free approach to the game. Hopefully, the men’s team, which has been struggling in the ongoing World Cup, can get back on its feet under his guidance.

Bhagwan Thadani,
Mumbai

Sir — Rahul Dravid will be taking charge of the Indian men’s cricket team at a time when a number of players seem to be floundering. Dravid belongs to an earlier generation of cricketers who prioritized hard work and steady nerves over flair. The Men in Blue are in dire need of a coach who can help them get back to the basics.

Amrit Mishra,
Lucknow

Dramatic return

Sir — The return of the veteran politician, Cherian Philip, to the Congress after 20 years with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has raised questions about a possible shift in the political landscape of Kerala. Soon after rejoining the Congress, Philip accused the CPI(M) of being bereft of internal democracy while the Congress, he believes, is accommodating of dissenting opinions. The latter is certainly not true. The Congress is notorious for its top-down approach, as had been evident in the recent upheaval in Punjab. Whatever may have been the reason for Philip returning to the Congress, he should at least be transparent.

Urmila Narayan,
Bangalore

Sir — Everyone in Kerala knows that the CPI(M) has a strict organizational structure and cadres are expected to follow the party line. It is quite shocking that it took 20 years for Cherian Philip to figure out the inner workings of the party.

K.A. Solaman,
Alappuzha, Kerala

Step forward

Sir — In a remarkable decision, the government of Tamil Nadu has announced that single women who are not living with their parents, or are separated from their husbands, would be treated as ‘one-person families’ (“Modern family”, Nov 5). They will be issued ration cards which will allow them access to food and basic groceries from government-regulated fair price shops. Many women were unable to access food during the lockdown because they did not have ration cards. Hopefully, more such progressive measures will follow soon.

S.S. Paul,
Nadia

No surprise

Sir — It did not come as a surprise to anyone that in spite of a strict ban on regular firecrackers — the Supreme Court had allowed the use of only green crackers — people in Bengal bought and burst them. In fact, my neighbour thought it would be wise to burst them right on the staircase, directly exposing everybody else in the building to toxic fumes. It is truly mind-boggling how people can continue to be blind to the repercussions of air pollution. There is only so much that the courts can do.

Sarmistha Mazumder,
Calcutta