•In his article, ‘Adrift on growth, and a hope’, Harsh V. Pant has done a rare service by educating those who are behind times, ignoring contemporary realities, notably our comrades. The writer rightly says a nation’s foreign policy cannot be geared to keep every other country in the world in good humour. In international relations, the abiding truth is that a country has permanent interests and no permanent friends.

China is enjoying its release from the shell of isolation, thanks to the policy of Deng Xiaoping, and its growth path is notable. India has come out of the Hindu rate of growth after the liberalisation crafted by Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh. In the aftermath of the World War II, for more than two decades, the US, the erstwhile USSR and China played self-serving roles, at the expense of many colonial underdeveloped countries. Much of that has changed. America is now a declining power.

In such a scenario, India’s foreign policy pursuits are found hamstrung by our communists, whose ideas are anything but realistic.

— M.K.D. Prasada Rao

Ghaziabad

Saving lives

•This refers to ‘Save lives, not laws’ by Bibek Debroy. He has put the issue of human organ transplantation in the right perspective. It’s a fact that “enforcement is easiest when the law makes sense and is, therefore, almost self- enforcing”. The laws should be patient-friendly, as it is a question of life and death. But in the absence of extremely low number of eligible organ donors vis-a-vis the huge number of needy recipients, the law ought to be thoroughly amended in tune with the need of the hour. There can’t be any straightjacket approach in health related matters.

Saving a human life is the key issue and the laws should play a supportive role to combat the growing menace of illegal human organs trading. The government must provide the necessary infrastructure and ensure genuine donations. The health ministry should come out with a comprehensive proposal.

— S.K. Gupta

Delhi

Gandhi tribute

•Mahatma Gandhi, a great humanist and a champion of human rights, is one of the greatest moral and ethical forces in India. His visions of love, non-violence and a new social order based on charity, compassion and universal brotherhood are more relevant today than ever before. Our present day world is full of violence, cruelty and utter selfishness. In such a dismal time, implementation of Gandhian philosophy will help to create a better world.

Unlike our present day leaders, he never divided society in the name of caste and religion. Gandhiji willingly took upon himself the burden of the suffering humanity. Of him Edward Thompson writes, “His humanity is one of the profoundest things that history has seen. He has pity and love for every race, and most of all for the poor and oppressed. He is genuinely ‘nishkam’, desireless... He is without fear or care for himself.”

The best way to pay tribute to such a noble soul is to follow his teachings honestly.

— Hitesh Parmar Rajkot

Adam’s example

•It is refreshing to know that Adam Gilchrist planned his retirement because he missed a couple of catches in the recent Test series and felt that it may be time for him to bid adieu to the game so that more spirited younger players may play for Australia. This was despite the fact that he was still in excellent form in the batting department. By comparison Indian cricketers are found wanting. Their hearts seem set on personal records.

— Mohd Salahuddin

Mumbai