MyVoice: Views of our readers 21st September 2025

Libia Lobo Sardesai continues to inspire the younger generation

Thehumble centenarian freedom fighter Libia Lobo Sardesai, even at the age of 101 continues to inspire every Indian with her extraordinary life. This year, she has been conferred with the Padma Shri award for her pivotal role in the Goa Liberation Struggle.

Her contribution, especially through the underground radio station ‘Radio Freedom’, which kept the spirit of resistance alive during Portuguese rule, is a timeless reminder of the sacrifices that built our independent India. The Hall of Fame at the Goa Liberation Struggle Museum, where her name is inscribed along with thousands of other patriots, stands as a monument of courage and sacrifice.

I had the privilege of accompanying the Governor of Goa during her recent visit to this historic museum, where the memory of these unsung heroes was celebrated with reverence.

Listening to her moving story at that solemn moment reminded us all that the spirit of freedom must remain the guiding light for every generation.

At a time when patriotism needs to be nurtured in young hearts, sharing the story of this living legend will inspire countless readers to value and protect the freedom we enjoy today.

I and sure that reading about the sacrifices of Libia Lobo Sardesai and other freedom fighters that resonate all over will continue tomotivate the young generation and help them indulge in nation-building exercises.

Nomula Srinivas Rao, Goa

A realistic ode to Ghantasala’s timeless legacy

A biography must be a truthful and faithful record of an individual composed as work of art.

As such, a biopic should be ‘’a work of art, not a mere collection of odds and ends to satisfy the idle curiosity but something that will leave in the mind of its viewers sustained and lasting impression.”

Its function is to transmit one’s personality. The director of a biopic must strive for the truth and for that beauty, which comes from a perfect synthesis and portrayal of his subject. Without the former, his work becomes mere fiction. Without the latter, it degenerates into a mere recital of facts. And that is the eternal truth.

Towards this, ‘Ghantasala the Great’, directed by C H Rama Rao and produced by CH Srimathi Phani, is a commendable biopic. The cast features Krishna Chaitanya as Ghantasala and Mridula as his wife Savitri, besides Subbaraya Sarma, Master Deekshitulu and Master Atulith.

The movie is both a tribute to the legendary singer, who strode the cine world of Telugus unrivalled for over three decades like a colossus but also a comment and acknowledgement of the gratitude and moral indebtedness of Telugus, who would not have had the pleasure and privilege of enjoying social and mythological movies without his sweet and stentorian voice.

The movie now sets a trend to make biopics not only on the reigning heroes of the tinsel world but also on legendary singers like Mohd Rafi, Ghaantasala , S P Balasubrahamanyam, Suseela, Janaki et al, whose contribution to the success of great classics is immense. ‘Ghantasala the Great’ deserves to be hailed for successfully and faithfully bringing out the uncompromising individuality, character, integrity and unimpeachable commitment to the professional ethics of the legendary singer. Besides, the movie also immortalises lyricists like C. Narayana Reddy, Arudra and Atreya, among others, who owed their popularity and fame to Ghantasala’a mellifluous voice. The movie is also appreciated for holding up mirror to Ghantasala’s private life and how he surmounted all odds and obstacles in his early career and later scaled the summits of success, fame and popularity as an unchallenged singer. It is rightly said that the movie captivates viewers from the beginning to the end with its focus on the little known and uncovered aspects of his ‘’soul touching journey ‘’in the world of cine music.

SM Kompella,Kakinada-3

GST 2.0 is a second-generation reform for an inclusive economy

WhenIndia rolled out the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in 2017, the vision was bold: a single, destination-based value-added tax that would dismantle the cascading burden of indirect taxes and ensure that the final consumer bore the levy. Over time, however, the system drifted from its original promise. Multiple slabs, inverted duty structures and mounting compliance costs created friction for businesses and confusion for taxpayers.

The recently approved GST Reform Bill—popularly called GST 2.0—marks the first major course correction in nearly a decade, and it does so by returning to the classic principles of sound taxation: efficiency, equity and simplicity.

GST 2.0 streamlines the four-rate system (five per cent, 12 per cent, 18 per cent and 28 per cent) into two principal slabs five per cent “merit rate” for essential goods and services, 18 per cent “standard rate” for most others, plus a 40 per cent demerit rate reserved for sin and luxury products such as tobacco and pan masala. Fewer slabs mean fewer disputes and lower compliance costs.

By simplifying classification, the reform meets Adam Smith’s long-standing canons of a good tax system—certainty, convenience and economy. The Bill extends full GST exemption to individual life and health insurance policies, a move that lowers the cost of financial protection for millions. Basic food staples—from UHT milk and paneer to Indian breads—are now taxed at zero percent. In healthcare, 33 lifesaving drugs and three critical medicines for cancer and rare diseases have been freed from GST altogether. These exemptions acknowledge that healthcare and basic nutrition are merit goods, whose wider social benefits outweigh the revenue forgone.

Sectoral booster consumer durables such as small cars, televisions, air conditioners, cement and auto parts drop from 28 per cent to 18 per cent, making them more affordable and primed for growth. Renewable energy devices, taxed now at five per cent instead of 12 per cent, gain a shot in the arm at a time when India’s climate commitments demand a rapid scale-up of green technology.

Agriculture and rural sectors benefit as GST on tractors, harvesters, and fertilizer inputs falls to five per cent, lowering input costs and spurring rural investment. Labour-intensive goods handicrafts, marble and leather items also enjoy lower rates, supporting jobs and small enterprises.

These measures are more than sectoral sops they represent a deliberate effort to stimulate employment-intensive areas and encourage a transition towards sustainable growth. With roughly 8.5 per cent of the Consumer Price Index basket affected, the rate cuts are expected to exert downward pressure on inflation, bolstering household savings and consumption. Lower input costs enhance profitability, particularly for micro, small and medium enterprises, and strengthen supply-side capacity.

Evidence from past reforms suggests that lower rates can raise revenues over time if compliance improves—a real-world validation of the Laffer curve. At a time of global economic uncertainty, domestic demand is poised to remain the anchor of India’s growth story.

The reform inevitably produces clear beneficiaries Consumers save on food, medicines and household goods. FMCG and consumer durables stand to capture rising demand.

Automobile makers of small cars and two-wheelers find a larger market. Insurance and healthcare providers benefit from higher penetration of policies and services. Conversely, luxury automakers and sugary beverage companies face either continued high rates or higher “sin taxes”, consistent with a progressive and health-conscious tax philosophy.

GST 2.0 is more than a technical adjustment it is a reaffirmation of the state’s ability to combine revenue needs with social objectives.

By reducing distortions, protecting essentials and encouraging positive externalities such as renewable energy and healthcare access, the reform reconnects India’s indirect tax regime with the theoretical ideals of good taxation.

Dr Chintha Yellaswamy,

Sammakka Sarakka Central Tribal University

Aarogyasri beneficiaries left in the lurch

I would like to take the opportunity to express profound concern about the suspension of Aarogyasri services in the state’s private hospitals. It is very distressing as a student to witness the anguish of our poor patients relying on this important facility for life-saving surgical procedures, in the absence of even Aarogyasri help desks because of which patients are forcibly turned away. This predicament demands immediate action.

The government must raise outdated package rates and assured payments, while the hospitals must take accountability and not constitute a public health emergency by stop letting patients irrationally. We must not let any family miss out on healthcare because of "instability" in funding to provide healthcare. These efforts must be undertaken in a coordinated, balanced way to afford trust in the system that was designed to protect the poorest citizens in our society from their inability to avail of advanced surgeries.

Jaskeerath Kaur,St Francis College for Women

B’lore citizens deserve roads, not rhetoric

Bengaluru’s pothole-ridden roads have turned into a civic nightmare, tarnishing the city’s global reputation as India’s technology capital. Companies headquartered here, already battling logistical hurdles in transporting people and goods, have voiced helplessness and growing anger over the crumbling infrastructure. Instead of addressing these concerns, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru in-charge minister D K Shivakumar struck a combative tone, accusing firms of blackmail and even challenging them to exit the city.

Such statements are reprehensible and unbecoming of a leader mandated to resolve issues, not escalate them. For ordinary citizens, the crisis is even grimmer—daily commuting has become fraught with risks of accidents, back injuries, vehicle breakdowns, and heightened dangers during rains when potholes multiply. The minister’s posture reeks of arrogance and disregard for public suffering, betrays failure to prioritize governance. Bengaluru’s future depends on solutions, not rhetoric. Responsibility, accountability, and urgency—not misplaced ego—must guide leadership in a city aspiring to remain a global hub.

N Sadhasiva Reddy,Bengaluru-56

Don’t compel kids to watch pro-politician films

Compellingschools to screen a film made in praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi or any other leader is wholly unjustified. Children at an impressionable age should not be forced to watch a political leader in a certain mould and make political choices prematurely.

That the film ‘Chalo Jeete Hain’ is about the Prime Minister’s childhood days is no excuse. Children need not grow up as the mirror images of any leader. A ‘rile model’ need not be thrust on them. The question that will inevitably arise in the minds of children who watch the biopic is how a child who learnt selfless service at an early age turned out to be a profoundly polarizing figure. Next the government may ask schools to screen videos of its achievements and learn that Modi’s reign is India’s ‘golden age’. True greatness needs no propaganda and it is recognized and valued for what it is when the time is ripe. It comes to the world’s notice even without the screening of a film. A vainglorious leader wallows in being lionized by the maximum number of people and whets his appetite for fame, whereas a leader worth his salt is self-effacing and shuns publicity. Fame is earned and not engineered. Gandhi Jayanti is a time to celebrate the Father of the Nation and imbibe the high ideals he lived and died for. It is certainly not a time for a leader whose ideology and vision are antithetical to (and at odds with) those of Gandhi to stake his claim to fame. Mahatma Gandhi said, “My life is my message”. Can Narendra Modi say the same? The vain bid to supplant Mahatma Gandhi must be given up.

G. David Milton,Maruthancode (TN)

English medium blues haunt AP schools

Therecent decisions of the Andhra Pradesh government have led to the total removal of Telugu medium in schools. This move may be welcome to many parents even in remote villages, but due to abysmal levels of English language skills among teachers and headmasters, the total English medium concept makes a mockery of both English and the local mother-tongue-Telugu. The government’s intention is ostensibly to prepare children for global competency in any field.

Learning English needs a constant exposure and rigorous practice. The ground situation at government schools in AP is anything but a haven for learning English. Some teachers seem to have forgotten that they are working in an English medium school. Merely introducing English medium won’t help. Banning vernacular newspapers may force people to get habituated to think and speak in English and thereby motivate children to compete at the global level and win laurels for the country.

M. Chandrasekhar,Kadapa