Opinion Original skill
The editorial,Work Better, embraces an opportunity for national well-being
Original skill
The editorial,Work Better,(IE,April 28) embraces an opportunity for national well-being. The systematic de-skilling of craftspeople is endangering an industry second only to agriculture as a source of Indian livelihood. Most craftspeople comprise those supposedly at the forefront of official concern: SCs,STs,Dalits,minorities and women. Current estimates dont take fully into account the fact that in some regions (the Northeast and J&K),the adult population is comprised largely of skilled artisans. Skill-formation through NREGA and the National Council on Skill Development would be a great opportunity to bring design,technology and marketing know-how to a sector that has remained invisible,despite its huge scale,because it is dispersed and organised through traditional knowledge and structures.
Ashoke Chatterjee
Question of belief
Pratap Bhanu Mehta’s reflections on Sathya Sai Babas power and following (With a pinch of ash,IE,April 29) are brilliant. As he pointed out,it is important to realise that the trajectory of life is a mystery,and it cannot be reduced to a reason vs faith dichotomy. No wonder there is always a human quest for the inexplicable,the magical and the divine. Charisma,as Max Weber says,defies the structure of reason,and possibly enables us to realise how godmen continue to charm us.
In our act of surrender before their miracles,we realise that humility is also a purifying process. But,as Mehta analysed,we have to take the invincibility of these godmen with a pinch of ash.
Avijit Pathak
New Delhi
U-turn ahead
It seems no one can beat our politicians when it comes to taking U-turns. The Congress,which had earlier proclaimed in the loudest possible voice that the Public Accounts Committee has the power to probe into all aspects of the 2G spectrum scam,has started creating a ruckus and questioning the PACs authority. One loses faith in the process and it seems nothing is going to come out of either the PAC or the JPC.
Pramod
Ahmedabad
Nuclear questions
The PMs statement that the government would set up an independent nuclear regulator outside the purview of the department of atomic energy is welcome (Govt. wont halt Jaitapur,pledges autonomous and free n-regulator,IE,April 27). After the Fukushima nuclear catastrophe,people have been gripped by fear. It needs to be allayed.
J.V.R. Gopal
Navi Mumbai
Directors cut
This refers to Coach Fletcher (IE,April 29). A coach is like a movie director who needs to be in the background. We know what happened with Greg Chappell,who tried to become the lead actor and lost the plot. Fletcher has big shoes to fill,but hed do well to stay away from the limelight and focus on man-management and nurturing younger players.
Bal Govind
Noida
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