Letters to the editor

Our play ways8226; THIS refers to Shekhar Gupta8217;s 8216;Mourning? Or just kidding?8217; IE, March 31. One big reason for India146...

Our play ways

8226; THIS refers to Shekhar Gupta8217;s 8216;Mourning? Or just kidding?8217; IE, March 31. One big reason for India8217;s dismal performance in the World Cup is the extremely high levels to which other teams have raised their performance. In anticipation of the World Cup, and with the help of sophisticated sports technology, professionalism and emphasis on impeccably high fitness levels, our competitors have stolen a march over us. Natural ability and talent has lost out to a scientific and clinical approach. Even our fledgling neighbours, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, seem to have modernised their outlook and the results are there for all to see. Our cricket officials should take a lesson from this shameful episode and thoroughly overhaul the way this extremely popular sport is being administered in India. Otherwise we may soon find Indian cricket losing out in the supremacy race and meeting a fate similar to the one that met our hockey.

8212; S. Chattopadhyay, Mumbai

Empirical trump

8226; I AGREE with the positive aspects of Islam, as described by the writer of the article, 8216;Who8217;s responsible for the stereotype of Islam?8217; The Sunday Express, April 1, but it is difficult to digest the fact that Muslims consider themselves more than equal throughout the world based on their belief that their religion is the only true religion in the eyes of God and that God will never accept any religion other than Islam. Such a mindset can only lead to conflicts. The Sanatana Dharma is ageless having originated from the teachings of various intellectuals over a period of time and then synthesised to demonstrate a way of life, which goes by the name of Hinduism now. The truth was left bare for all to see and was left to the onlooker to accept or reject it. There were no coercions or conversions into its fold as seen in more recent prophet-based religions.

8212; N. Jayaram, Mumbai

Finally nil

8226; OUR Sachin Tendulkar has often been compared to the great Don Bradman. Now destiny has stepped in to create one more bond between the two greats: Bradman was out for a zero in his last Test; Sachin scored nil in his last World Cup ODI innings! Is fate being cruel?

8212; Sultan Fazelbhoy, Mumbai

Letter of the Week Award

The 8216;newspaper-active reader relationship8217; is of enormous significance for a serious publication. A good letter, especially a good letter that critiques us, is of immense value. It is to recognise this and to encourage quality reader intervention that The Indian Express is instituting the Letter of the Week Award. We now announce and publish every Saturday the reader intervention our editors deem the best. Selection will be from letters received that week. Letters should be e-mailed to letters.editpageexpressindia.com or sent to The Indian Express, 9038;10, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi -110002. Letter writers will have to give their postal address with every contribution.

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