Honeymoon period

The Prime Minister has said that his government has not got any honeymoon period. But, every government gets a honeymoon period of 40 years in just one second. The population of India is more than 125 crore. If we take one second of each citizen, it is equal to 125 crore seconds, which are equal to 40 years. If we want to fulfil the dream of former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam of making India a developed nation by 2020, then the government must follow this 40-year rule and utilise every second.

NAVDEEP SINGH BHATIA, Ambala Cantt

No action

It is a shame for the Punjab police that even after eight months of the burning of a Jain boy in Malerkotla, no one has been arrested. The CBI too has not started any enquiry. The minority community in the town is feeling insecure and the victim's family has already shifted to Ludhiana due to fear of more killings. The matter must be taken up in Parliament by the newly elected MP of Sangrur. The previous MP from Congress did nothing in this case.

AM Gupta, Ludhiana

Changing times

Sometimes I wonder how fast the times have changed! We didn't have any Hamley's toys. Girls played with plastic dolls or stones called 'geeta' or 'staapu'. Boys played with used cycle or bike tyres or 'bantas'. The village children had no option but to make sticks as their horse or play 'gulli danda'. 'Peeng' was the favourite swing for the boys and girls during the monsoon season. Nobody cribbed and all were happy in their world.

During holidays, we use to go to the village and visit orchards and enjoy oranges and kinnows. We would play hide and seek in cotton heaps. When we heard the noise of hen, we would run to collect eggs from the 'toori' room. The village shop was our favourite spot for as sweets. Evenings were spent eating 'bhatthi channa'.

While the technology is good, we miss the small joys of life. But we are lucky to have enjoyed both worlds.

Opinder Kaur Sekhon, Chandigarh

Medical education

There is a shortage of doctors in India. While the government has failed to open adequate number of colleges, there is a steep rise in the number of private colleges. A majority of private colleges provide admissions on donation rather than merit. They do not provide proper education. The government must form a transparent system to check the colleges admitting purely on the basis of money and against merit.

Kunal Gupta, Mandi Gobindgarh

Promote jawans

Reference the news report "Army wants jawans to serve longer" (June 20), the Army should also ensure quicker promotion for the jawans. As per a report, 80 per cent of the jawans retire in their initial rank of sepoy without getting any promotion even after 17 years of service. This indeed is a dismal situation. In the Air Force, Navy or the police, men get promoted to the rank of sergeant/havildar in less than 12 years.

A corrective is called for to improve the promotion prospects of the jawans in the army to attract talented young men. A sepoy must reach a respectable rank of at least a havildar before his retirement.

WG CDR CL SEHGAL (RETD), Jalandhar

Brain drain

Ira Pande in her article “Where are the real gurus, real vidya?” (June 29) writes about the problem of brain drain. Why is this happening? No doubt, the problem of unemployment is assuming new proportions, but why don't the younsters want to study in their motherland? The problem is not with the teachers, but it lies in the sincerity with which our children are studying. It is never the institute which makes a child study. Whether it is America or India, you will be respected for what you have in your hand. Our education system should also be improved by making it more job-oriented.

Ankita Sharma, Talwara

Food in colleges

Food served in the messes of Punjab colleges is of very poor quality. The young students require good, healthy food and a nutritious diet for their growth and development. The authorities concerned must look into the issue and improve the quality of the food served.

Dr Surinder Aggarwal, via email

Ace shuttler

Apropos the news "Saina clinches Australian Open" (June 30), hats off to the ace shuttler Saina Nehwal for a commendable victory over Spain's World No.11 Marlin Carolina in the Australian Open at Sydney on Sunday. Her impressive 21-18, 21-11 victory over Carolina was a hard earned one as she struggled in pain due to a bad bleeding blister. At 24, she has a long road ahead to go and win more world titles to make India proud.

R K KAPOOR, Chandigarh