ISRO is at the top because of its team

This has reference to your editorial ‘ISRO deserves more kudos that what it has received’. Behind the galloping success of ISRO, being able to send mammoth satellites into outer space, lays the humble and modest beginning of the premier space research program of the country, when the rocket parts were transported on the bicycle and bullock cart, during the late sixties. The premier space institution was primarily made for boosting outer space science, weather prediction and launching India’s own satellites, on a modest scale.

The successful launch of LVM3-M6 rocket as part of the BlueBird Block-2 mission marks a historic landmark, to place the largest commercial communications satellite in low earth orbit, while the Blue Bird Block-2 satellite became the heaviest payload of 6,100kg to be launched by India’s own ISRO. What makes it unique is ISRO’s zero failure of the present workhorse LVM3 Bahubali rocket. ISRO’s consistent performance is evident because of a dedicated team of scientists coupled with the best infrastructure; and unstinted support and funding by the government. Let this success story of ISRO continue, with leaps and bounds.

S Lakshmi, Hyderabad

Govt initiatives and entrepreneurship

This is in response to the article “How students are redefining entrepreneurship” published in ‘The Hans India’ on December 26. The article highlights the crucial role played by government initiatives such as Startup India in promoting entrepreneurship among students. By providing access to market research reports, online courses, and government schemes, the initiative is helping students turn their ideas into feasible business models.

Campus incubators are also playing a vital role in nurturing these young entrepreneurs by offering mentorship, funding opportunities, and networking platforms. I agree that India’s demographic advantage is a significant factor in this trend. With one of the world’s youngest populations, the country has a generation that is digitally native and highly adaptable. These students are leveraging technology to solve contemporary problems and design scalable solutions. The article also brings out the importance of educational institutions in fostering entrepreneurship. With the right support and resources, these young entrepreneurs can make a significant impact and take India to new heights.

Kolluru Raju, Kakinada

Rail passengers burdened once again

The latest train fare hike reflects a troubling pattern. Passengers are repeatedly asked to pay more without seeing proportional improvements in basic facilities. Overcrowded coaches, unhygienic bogies, malfunctioning toilets, delayed trains, and poor customer service remain routine realities for millions. Calling this “fare rationalisation” ignores the lived experience of ordinary commuters who depend on railways for affordable travel.

Sustainability cannot come at the cost of dignity and safety. Before burdening passengers again, the Railways must first ensure clean coaches, punctual services, and humane travel conditions. Without accountability and visible upgrades, this hike appears less like reform and more like misplaced priorities.

Dr Vijaykumar H K, Raichur

Deadly lapse

The accident in Chitradurga, where a truck crossed the median and collided head-on with a private bus, leading to a fire that claimed six lives, is deeply distressing. It reminds us of similar tragedies this winter, particularly fog-related crashes in northern India. Dense seasonal fog reduces visibility drastically, and when combined with driver fatigue—often from long hours without proper rest—and inadequate or improperly adjusted headlights, the risk of vehicles veering across medians rises sharply.

In this case, the truck driver appears to have dozed off, a recurring issue in overnight commercial travel. Such incidents highlight how small lapses in vigilance or vehicle maintenance can turn fatal on busy highways.

A Myilsami, Coimbatore

II

The horrific bus accident in Karnataka, where 17 passengers were charred to death and 20 injured after a truck jumped a divider and collided with a private luxury bus, is a painful reminder of how unsafe road travel continues to be. The reasons are many—bad road design, over speeding, unfit vehicles, drunken driving, misuse of high beams, weak legal enforcement, and corruption.

Possible solutions are safer road engineering, strict law enforcement, regular vehicle checks, and swift justice. Technology too can help—similar to ‘Kavach’ in railways, which is used to prevent collisions, it can be adopted for road transport. These tragedies can be avoided when institutions, citizens, and technology work together.

Dr O Prasada Rao, Hyderabad