Karandikar8217;s genius

8226; The conferring of the Bharatiya Jnanpith Award on Vinda Karandikar is a long overdue recogn...

8226; The conferring of the Bharatiya Jnanpith Award on Vinda Karandikar is a long overdue recognition of one of our most eminent Marathi poets. I had the privilege of studying English under him in Mumbai8217;s Ramnarain Ruia College almost 50 years ago. He taught us Shakespeare8217;s Merchant of Venice and Macbeth. How the characters would spring alive! Macbeth brooding in high tension and remorse, and Portia becoming a Daniel come to judgement for the bloodthirsty Shylock. Karandikar8217;s lectures held us spell-bound and he inspired a generation of students. It is quite rarely that we come across instances of eminence being achieved simultaneously in two languages. He strode like a colossus the twin worlds of Marathi poetry and English prose. His translation into Marathi of King Lear is rated as outstanding.

8212; P.P. Ramachandran Mumbai

OCI nightmare

8226; The Indian media has signally failed to highlight why only 8,000 NRIs, as announced by Oscar Fernandes, actually got the Overseas Citizenship of India OCI 8212; despite numerous applications. OCI is an Indian babu8217;s crafted nightmare. Why can8217;t India just follow other countries like Australia, Britain, New Zealand and Canada, which allow dual citizenship? Why should we hand over our passports and get OCI passports which can8217;t be used for travel? As it is, NRIs can8217;t get a simple thing like a credit card linked to their non-repatriable Indian rupee accounts which can be spent without any limit or a mobile phone number unless he produces residency support evidence. India is full of rituals, with no practical wisdom.

8212; G. Nookayyasetty Sydney

No votes

8226; This refers to Manmohan Singh8217;s decision to give voting rights to NRIs. It is a very welcome step if he wants to get their confidence in making investments here. But if it is for getting their votes, remember that it is rural India that goes out and votes, not these so-called millionaires.

8212; Bal Govind Bareilly

Judiciary8217;s check

8226; On the issue of expulsion of MPs, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee has said: 8220;Courts can8217;t rule on MP8217;s expulsion8221; IE, January 10. His stand only reasserts the misplaced notion that Parliament is supreme. Yet the judiciary has to protect the Constitution and has to see that no institution, including
Parliament, violates it.

8212; M.C. Joshi Lucknow

Sachin 038; Ricky

8226; Will the record of the highest number of test centuries 35 created recently by Sachin Tendulkar survive for at least as long as his predecessor8217;s did? This question comes to mind because of the rapidity with which Ricky Ponting is piling up hundreds. He has already belted 28 hundreds out of which five came last year. He is in terrific form and unless our master blaster lives up to that reputation, his stay at the summit of glory may well be in danger. Though Sachin has averred more than once that he does not play for records, he savours challenges and is too competitive to yield his crown so soon. We should expect a battle royale involving the two gifted players now.

8212; Y.G. Chouksey Pune