The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Letters to the Editor

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L E T T E R S T O T H E E D I T O R

We are proud of you, Abhinav!

Abhinav Bindra has brought the most splendid and memorable “Chak De India” moment for the country by creating history in Beijing to win the first Gold Medal, securing 700.5 points in the 10 metre rifle event. It is creditable that this win is in the individual category for India in the 108-year Olympic history. With his remarkable achievement, India has got a Gold Medal after 28 years, the last one being in 1980 when Indian Hockey team won. The whole country is in a festive mood and celebrating as Abhinav has brought all the festivals like Id, Deepawali, Guruparv and Christmas together on a single day. The country is very proud of its illustrious sportsman.

His golden performance has brought pride not only to the country but also to Chandigarh, the City Beautiful, which has produced sportsmen of repute like the legendary Kapil Dev under whose captaincy India had won the World Cricket Cup in 1983. Now its dear lad has added another chapter of glory by winning a Gold Medal in an individual event. It is another feather in Chandigarh’s cap.

The most touching comment on this win is from Abhinav’s sister who said that prior to Rakhi, it is the most precious gift from a brother to a sister. All the budding sportsmen should take a leaf out of Bindra’s book if they want to win laurels in the international sports. Keep it up Abhinav in future too. We are proud of you.

DILBAG RAI, Chandigarh

August 11, 2008 is a great day for India as we were able to attain the first individual gold medal in the Olympics. India has proved to be a country worthy of participation in games beyond the routine and stale cricket. Let’s rejoice on the superb victory of Abhinav Bindra in the Olympics.

Such an excellent performance by this young Punjabi boy will motivate lakhs of youngsters to excel.

It will also capture the attention of the Indian camp to merge stronger in the days ahead at Beijing. We Indians should feel proud of Bindra’s success.

HARPREET SANDHU, Ludhiana

III

Abhinav Bindra has won Gold Medal at the Olympics. This is great news. The hopes and aspirations of all Indians have been fulfilled. It has been a long wait and at last Abhinav has done it. He has proved that it is not impossible to strike gold at the Olympics.

We wish the other participants to follow Abhinav and try to do their best for the country.

RAJIV KUMAR, Chandigarh

Abhinav, you have done it in style and excellence! The whole country is proud of you. We congratulate you on your record success achieved through individual dedication, determination and dogged perseverance.

Seeing Abhinav’s parents on television, every father and mother feel proud of his achievement. He is an example for every Indian - old and young - to prove that nothing is impossible if there is will, dedication and determination.

Gr Capt S.K. GOSWAMI (retd), Panchkula

Abhinav Bindra has changed a cricket-crazy nation like India by winning the first individual Gold Medal for the country in the Olympics.

When the nation has witnessed the new Olympic history, the whole India is not only delighted but also proud of Abhinav’s golden performance in India’s Olympic history.

I hope Abhinav’s performance will inspire others for various other events and fighting for the country’s honour in the Beijing Olympics. I hope after this success, the government, the media and the people treat all other games as equal as cricket.

BIDYUT KUMAR CHATTERJEE, Faridabad

Correction

Abhinav Bindra came seventh at the Athens Olympics in 2004, and not fourth as erroneously suggested in the article, “Athens avenged” (The Tribune, Aug 12). The error is regretted.

Revised pension

With the introduction of the new DA formula as suggested by the Sixth Pay Commission, all existing pensioners will get less pension after five to six years than if they would continue to get the present basic pension plus DA as granted in the Fifth Pay Panel report.

To maintain 15 per cent hike in pension, (now pension is - basic pension plus 74 per cent DA plus 40 per cent of basic pension) as granted by the Sixth Pay Panel, the DA installment work out to be 4 per cent from July 1, 2006, 9 per cent from January 1, 2007, 14 per cent from July 1, 2007 and 18 per cent from Jan 1, 2008 as against the new expected DA rates of 2,6,9 and 12 per cent. Pensioners deserve justice from the government.

Lt-Col S.S. GILL (retd), Jalandhar

Spirit of non-violence

On very small issues, people take the law into their hands, hold bandhs, disrupt normal life, destroy and burn public property. In such situations, the state administration must act tough with the lawbreakers.

However, to tackle vexed and sensitive issues, the administration should adopt the policy of reconciliation and goodwill. Confrontation and retaliation will only add bitterness among warring sections of society and thereby make prospects of amicable settlement extremely bleak. It would be logically advisable to entrust such issues to impartial and respectable persons of society. They will, surely, evolve some acceptable solutions to such issues.

History proves that hatred and intolerance not only inflicted untold miseries on the humankind but have also destroyed world’s flourishing civilisations. Terrorism and fanaticism are products of intolerance for the other point of view. Let us, therefore, spread the message of brotherhood and promote peace, so vital for the survival of the human race. Mahatma Gandhi has proved how one can achieve success through non-violence. So let us follow and spread his message — Live and let live.

MEHAR CHAND, Bagli Kalan (Ludhiana)