Foreign universities can make or mar lives

Youreditorial – ‘Foreign universities sitting on a gold mine in India’ - should make decision makers in our government to take a fresh rebook at higher education policy in India. Ours being an ancient civilisation in the world has many advantages. With rule of foreign invaders initially followed prolonged British rule , our society was made to lose trust in our own systems and aping foreign Institutions was allowed for many decades after achievement of Independence. At present , many of our universities delivering higher education services have been derailed to a great extent . Mismanagement rather lack of management is visible to make objective observers. Instead of accepting this bitter truth , attempts are made to push this issue under the carpet by education ministers at the state and centre level . We need professional educationist as education ministers for evolving clear long term policies. Merely allowing private universities either indigenous or foreign as an alternative to the above is sure to deteriorate with irretrievable damage to varsity education per se. Inadequate allocation of attention to this vital subject for all these years is worth immediate correction to design an educational policy for meeting our societal needs of future.

M V Nagavender Rao ,Hyderabad

A welcome breakthrough for diabetics

Apropos, “Cipla launches inhalable insulin for diabetic care,” (THI, Dec 23). Cipla’s announcement of launching an orally inhaled insulin powder for diabetic patients in India marks a significant pharmaceutical breakthrough. For decades, insulin delivery has largely depended on injections, which are often painful, inconvenient and difficult to manage, particularly for elderly patients and those requiring frequent dosing. The injectable format also creates logistical challenges related to storage, transport and compliance. An inhaled insulin option promises greater ease of use, improved patient comfort and better adherence to therapy. For nearly 10 crore adults living with diabetes mellitus in India, this innovation could meaningfully improve quality of life. If widely accessible and affordable, inhaled insulin may reduce treatment resistance, encourage timely insulin initiation, and represent a transformative shift in diabetes management across the country.

N Sadhasiva Reddy,Bengaluru

Geo-military approach needed to tackle B’desh problem

Bangladeshis definitely on the boil, with political murders happening in the country for which India is blamed with a view to for Yunus’ government is eternally severe relations with India as Hindu hatred and India bashing are on the top of the agenda for the present government there. It is said that Hadi murder was orchestrated by Yunus as Hadi wanted to contest in the elections in Bangladesh slated for February 2026 to prove a thorn in flesh. The radicals clearly want to call the shots to islamise the country, in tune with Afghanistan at the behest of the Jamaat-e-islami. Pakistan wants exactly this situation to be enacted as the former is initiating a military deal with Bangladesh as it did with Saudi Arabia. The new move is to counter India, and we must take these developments with a strategic geo - military perspective to counter such acts that might give rise to security concerns for India in a not distant future.

K R Venkata Narasimhan,Madurai

Ultra-processed foods, a grave danger

The ubiquity of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is indicative of the high level of their consumption. Shoppers don’t fail to notice the enormous space UPFs occupy on the racks in stores. The ‘popularity’ of UPFs is explicable in terms of the lack of awareness among people about the role their diet plays in determining how healthy or unhealthy they are. Taste and texture of UPFs tempt the palate and make savouring them a habit. UPFs come in a variety of different forms and flavours and become irresistible to prospective buyers. Their accessibility and affordability make them a staple part of many people’s diets cutting across social classes. Low-income and middle-income groups swell the ranks of UPF consumers. Children and teenagers are especially vulnerable to being lured into developing a craving for UPFs. It becomes difficult to wean them away from UPF dependence.

An increase in intake of UPFs results in an inversely proportional reduction in the intake of traditional home-made foods, unprocessed foods and minimally-processed foods rich in vitamins and nutrients. Discontinuance of sale of agri-produce at subsidized rates to giant corporations, statutory health warnings on UPF produce, higher taxes and awareness campaigns are urgently needed to regulate production of UPFs and reverse the rise in their consumption.

G. David Milton,Maruthancode (TN)