The special day for women is here

The special day for women is here…

Come March 8, the women across globe including India would be celebrating the "International Women's Day" which of course would mark events exclusively for women. For working women India (excluding daily wagers and domestic helps) it would be a special day when many would participate in get together restaurants and hotels who would of course attract with special discounts etc.

Many such groups will be seen in the same colour dress without realising that even on such special days women are not allowed to be free to pick up their choice of dress instead in name solidarity one persons from the group dominates others what colour or dress others should wear on that day.

Of course for the home makers, it would be like any other day unless they are part of pot and kitty clubs. Once the day gets over, then it's time for women to wait for next year. Is one day enough for empowerment of women when the cutting across parties from PM to Opposition leaders all would talk and praise "Nari Shakti" etc. While wishing all the women all the very best on the eve of "Women's Day", I have following message for the women

Homemakers: You are an epitome of sacrifice for the sake of other family members of the household. This should not mean you cannot be on your own and pursue what you wanted to do, if you had not been a homemaker. Don't feel sorry to be a homemaker because you have ample opportunity to make the children more disciplined in their daily routine as you are already leading by example. In fact you are the one helping the nation to present a disciplined next generation. Don't spend your time gossiping about the others instead share your knowledge and get more out of their knowledge.

Educators: As women you have opted to take up challenges which men cannot even think of developing the children and make them ready to face the future. Your profession is more important than the President, PM and others who could not have become what they are today without you. It is therefore important to turn to the staff (if there is one!), a place for sharing ideas and getting the same for self-improvement and that the new generation you are creating. It is important to discourage the habit of speaking about fellow teachers on the way they are teaching or behaving with the school head and other influential people in management. It is such disunity among you would get exploited by those who are heading the institutions and the management. So, treat the staff room as a gossip room. Stay united and if you cannot support and help you colleagues, keep away from talking about others.

Other professionals: As women working in office irrespective of private or government, please do not undermine your colleagues by their looks or dressing as god has not given you a rear view mirror to see and observe who is saying what etc. In fact, being women you have to stand with them to face male chauvinism which has become a norm in the present day office. Needless to say, it is your envy and ego that get exploited by males who attempt to pitch one against the other. Those in government have an important role to make our society corruption free. Don't ape the male colleagues and join them in what they are doing to make that extra money from those who come with their grievances who most often happen to be women in distress. Be bold and unitedly speak against the male involved taking bribes who in turn are the seed of corruption being turned into a way of life.

Politicians: The women voters who with hope and dream give their precious votes to represent them. It is your paramount duty to sincerely work for them instead of using the power to further your own political career. Don't act and behave like to male politicians or become their stooge and sole spokesperson of your leader and party head. Whether you belong to ruling or opposition, don't attempt to defend the atrocities committed by male members. After all it's the women and only women can help each other. So treat the women voters much above the party which you represent and don't look like a party and leaders are above anything else.

My apologies to all women as ideally such a message should have come from a woman and hope you all would take the message with good spirit.

— N Nagarajan, Hyderabad

Provide internet in AP govt schools

The Government of Andhra Pradesh introduced Integrated Mid-day Meal Scheme app and Students Attendance app with a good intention to collect information from the ground level to know how many students attended to school and how many of them had taken meal due to this corona pandemic and instructed the Headmasters of all schools to upload the details every day in the apps.

There is no doubt that it's a good gesture but at the same time the Government has to provide sufficient number of devices to capture the data every day with good speed of internet facility. Internet data charges for the biometric devices are not being paid by the Government. These Biometric devices are being connected with the hotspot of the mobiles of the teachers and Headmasters.

Without providing all the facilities, it demanded the Headmasters to complete the task on their own rescue and struggle. The Headmasters of all schools in the state are facing the low speed of internet in their mobile phones as most of the schools are located in remote rural areas and wasting their valuable teaching time every day to complete these tasks. Without thinking the ground level problems and their solutions, Memos were issued to thousands of Headmasters in the state for not completing the work and asked to give explanation in three working days.

The School Management Committees have been observing everyday what the teachers and Headmasters are doing with mobile phones a lot of time by keeping aside their teaching schedule and the completion of syllabus has become a question mark for the teachers and getting bad impression from the parents at the same time. Besides these, completion of Nadu Nedu works responsibility has been kept on the shoulders of the Headmasters with deadline.

The Government has to provide internet facility with good speed at every school point to avoid these lapses immediately and non-teaching duties should not be given to teaching community to provide quality education to our children and can fulfil the dreams of the parents.

— Narasimha Charyulu

Gomatam, Markapur Mandal, Prakasam district

Modi's love for Tamil language, a political stunt

According to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Tamil language is beautiful and it is the world's oldest language. Modi made this remark during his monthly 'Mann ki Baat' address in Hindi in response to a query from a lady in Hyderabad. Praising the Tamil language, Modi said, "It is such a beautiful language, which is popular all over the world. Many people have told me a lot about the quality of Tamil literature and depth of the poems written in it. India is a land of many languages, which symbolizes our culture and pride." Historically speaking, Tamil language is recognized as the oldest language in the world and it is the oldest language of the Dravidian family. This language had a presence even around 5,000 years ago. At present, this language is spoken in India, Sri Lanka, Singapore and Malaysia; and it is spoken by more than 8 crore people.

Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi has now confessed that he could not learn this language earlier and he considers it his shortcoming on his part for not learning it. Such a statement has indeed pleased the Tamil world especially when it is the time of election there. So, a statement pleasing the Tamilians from the Prime Minister at this time is to be taken with a pinch of salt. However, it is true that Tamil language is one of the oldest languages in the world and some of the historians even say that Tamil is older than Sanskrit and some say Sanskrit is the oldest language.

Anyway, all European languages seem inspired by Sanskrit and universities and educational institutions spread across the world consider Sanskrit as the most ancient language. It is believed that all the languages of the world have originated from Sanskrit at different points of times. At present, Sanskrit has become a language of worship and ritual instead of the language of speech. Tamil language is the official language of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. It is also official language in Sri Lanka and Singapore and has significant number of speakers in Mauritius, Fiji and South Africa. In 2004, Tamil was declared a classical language of India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi knows the real mantra of politics and the statement that he loves Tamil is also viewed as part of his political tactics because Tamil Nadu is a region where Dravidian feelings are run and any attempt by the non-Dravidian political parties to usurp power will have to bite the dust.

So, Modi's statement is nothing but a ploy to win the hearts of Tamil people. How far this appeasing tactic will fetch good results for BJP remains to be seen.

— T K Nandanan, Kochi

Hyderabad has been discriminated against

Bengaluru has been adjudged the most liveable city in India according to the Ease of Living Index issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban affairs. Pune, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Surat flow the IT capital in that order. Hyderabad has been adjudged as the 24th.

Garden city is ahead of Hyderabad in certain aspects. But Hyderabad is not that inferior to have been at the 24th ranking. There seems to be no yardstick applied in offering the ranking. Bengaluru traffic is chaotic and cannot be descried in words. The civic problems such as proper drainage, garbage disposal and above all pollution still is common in the IT city.

Also Bangalore is a costly city. The high house rent and high prices of essential commodities makes the life of a common man difficult. Though well planned, it has more parks which provides breathing space for the public. In the early days Hyderabad did not see planned development. There was indiscriminate construction of concrete building in all the available places in the twin cities a decade or two ago. But now everything has changed. Development is done according to plans adhering all the norms and formalities. Cities have water bodies. Good city roads, parks, corporation facilities and not alarming pollution. Hyderabad is not behind.

So, it is my opinion that the entire system of awarding of ranking lacks norms or yardsticks. Under the smart city programme every city is improving fast. So too Hyderabad. Hyderabad is in way inferior to Bengaluru or Chennai. It does not lag behind in any aspect. It is developing rapidly. It stands better than other cities ranked. So Hyderabad getting the 24th position rings illogical.

— Sravana Ramachandran, Chennai