Seat of learning
Written By
DNA Web Team
| Updated:
The chief minister of Bihar deserves praise for taking the initiative to create a world class university adjacent to the ancient one.
Seat of learning
It is indeed welcome news that the Bihar government plans to revive the ancient seat of learning in Nalanda (‘Kalam may become a visitor at Nalanda University’, DNA, June 27). The entry of APJ Abdul Kalam into the proposed Nalanda International University will definitely add glory to the institution and increase its stature. The chief minister of Bihar deserves praise for taking the initiative to create a world class university adjacent to the ancient one.
—PM Gopalan, via e-mail
Rain pain
The first rainstorms of the 2007 season have exposed the ‘monsoon-readiness’ of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and other bodies (‘It’s a washout, now watch out’, DNA, June 25). Several key areas — Sakinaka, Ghatkopar, Kings Circle, Milan subway — were flooded soon after the rain started. Several areas stayed waterlogged for some hours. Added hindrances were caused by dug-up roads, manholes, protruding cables, barricades, mounds of uncleared garbage, construction material and debris. Obviously not much has been done and, if it has, it was not very effective.
—S Krishna Kumar, Mumbai
Not all that greedy
Sidharth Bhatia’s column titled, ‘Greed is good, and it’s back’ (DNA.Sunday, June 24) mentioned the philanthropist and financier Michael Milken in the same paragraph that it talked about the arrest of the lead character in the movie Wall Street for insider trading. Just so there is no confusion, this film was not based on Milken, but on another financier, Ivan Boesky, who was found guilty of insider trading; Milken was not. In a 1985 speech, Boesky said, “I think greed is healthy.” Milken never said anything remotely like that — it is the antithesis of his personal philosophy.
—Geoffrey Moore, senior adviser to Michael Milken, California, USA
Shanghai pipe dreams
Maharashtra CM Vilasrao Deshmukh dreams of converting Mumbai into a city like London, Tokyo or the much-touted Shanghai. But it would be more beneficial if he did something about child labour which is widespread in the state and Mumbai city. Children are being employed by a contractor appointed by the MMRDA, which is headed by Deshmukh. Ignorance of the contractor’s activities is not an excuse. It would be better if greater effort was made to put a stop to child labour. If the future of India is given its proper due then it won’t be long before India progresses towards being one of the developed nations of the world.
—Sonam Parmar, Mumbai
**********************
Major cities in the world, including Mumbai and Kolkata, are witnessing a rare phenomenon as the number of people who are moving out of these metros is on the increase, contrary to what had been predicted, according to a UN report. Even though by next year more than half of the world’s population will be living in urban areas, urban growth is showing a decline in most regions, the United Nations Population Fund said.
Yet, Mumbai is one of the most densely populated cities in the world, with an expected population of 25 million inhabitants by 2020 and there appears to be no hope for Mumbaiwallahs. The BMC’s claims that it was monsoon-ready, for instance, were washed away by the first rains. The Shanghai dream will remain a pie in the sky until we realise that charity begins at home.
—Mohammed Ziyaullah Khan, Pune
Cent per cent mistake
This is with reference your front page article, ‘30+ marks give state 8% jump’ on the SSC results (DNA, June 27). A box states that the pass percentage for girls in Mumbai is 85.78 and for boys is 83.49. It also says that the pass percentage for Mumbai is 75.02, all figures for 2007. How can the combined percentage be lower than both the individual percentages? Perhaps some application of mind is called for?
—PRV Raghavan, Mumbai
It is indeed welcome news that the Bihar government plans to revive the ancient seat of learning in Nalanda (‘Kalam may become a visitor at Nalanda University’, DNA, June 27). The entry of APJ Abdul Kalam into the proposed Nalanda International University will definitely add glory to the institution and increase its stature. The chief minister of Bihar deserves praise for taking the initiative to create a world class university adjacent to the ancient one.
—PM Gopalan, via e-mail
Rain pain
The first rainstorms of the 2007 season have exposed the ‘monsoon-readiness’ of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and other bodies (‘It’s a washout, now watch out’, DNA, June 25). Several key areas — Sakinaka, Ghatkopar, Kings Circle, Milan subway — were flooded soon after the rain started. Several areas stayed waterlogged for some hours. Added hindrances were caused by dug-up roads, manholes, protruding cables, barricades, mounds of uncleared garbage, construction material and debris. Obviously not much has been done and, if it has, it was not very effective.
—S Krishna Kumar, Mumbai
Not all that greedy
Sidharth Bhatia’s column titled, ‘Greed is good, and it’s back’ (DNA.Sunday, June 24) mentioned the philanthropist and financier Michael Milken in the same paragraph that it talked about the arrest of the lead character in the movie Wall Street for insider trading. Just so there is no confusion, this film was not based on Milken, but on another financier, Ivan Boesky, who was found guilty of insider trading; Milken was not. In a 1985 speech, Boesky said, “I think greed is healthy.” Milken never said anything remotely like that — it is the antithesis of his personal philosophy.
—Geoffrey Moore, senior adviser to Michael Milken, California, USA
Shanghai pipe dreams
Maharashtra CM Vilasrao Deshmukh dreams of converting Mumbai into a city like London, Tokyo or the much-touted Shanghai. But it would be more beneficial if he did something about child labour which is widespread in the state and Mumbai city. Children are being employed by a contractor appointed by the MMRDA, which is headed by Deshmukh. Ignorance of the contractor’s activities is not an excuse. It would be better if greater effort was made to put a stop to child labour. If the future of India is given its proper due then it won’t be long before India progresses towards being one of the developed nations of the world.
—Sonam Parmar, Mumbai
**********************
Major cities in the world, including Mumbai and Kolkata, are witnessing a rare phenomenon as the number of people who are moving out of these metros is on the increase, contrary to what had been predicted, according to a UN report. Even though by next year more than half of the world’s population will be living in urban areas, urban growth is showing a decline in most regions, the United Nations Population Fund said.
Yet, Mumbai is one of the most densely populated cities in the world, with an expected population of 25 million inhabitants by 2020 and there appears to be no hope for Mumbaiwallahs. The BMC’s claims that it was monsoon-ready, for instance, were washed away by the first rains. The Shanghai dream will remain a pie in the sky until we realise that charity begins at home.
—Mohammed Ziyaullah Khan, Pune
Cent per cent mistake
This is with reference your front page article, ‘30+ marks give state 8% jump’ on the SSC results (DNA, June 27). A box states that the pass percentage for girls in Mumbai is 85.78 and for boys is 83.49. It also says that the pass percentage for Mumbai is 75.02, all figures for 2007. How can the combined percentage be lower than both the individual percentages? Perhaps some application of mind is called for?
—PRV Raghavan, Mumbai
- Mumbai
- Bihar
- Shanghai
- Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation
- India
- Nalanda University
- Vilasrao Deshmukh
- California
- Geoffrey Moore
- Ghatkopar
- Kolkata
- London
- Tokyo
- Wall Street
- Abdul Kalam
- Raghavan
- Mumbai ********************** Major
- Ivan Boesky
- Michael Milken
- Bhatia
- United Nations Population Fund
- UN
- Sakinaka
- Mohammed Ziyaullah Khan
- Sonam Parmar
- Gopalan
- Population Fund
- Krishna Kumar
- Nalanda International University