Readers' opinion on articles published in previous crest edition.

Humble dye

I agree with Chidanand Rajghatta totally (' Schadenfareed and the humbling of hubris', August 18) on the hubris and humility thing among big achievers. I have a personal anecdote to relate too. My son needed help for going to study in the US some time ago. He works in New York now. I applied to a lot of famous Indian businessmen for financial help. Some did not even acknowledge my letters. Others gave formal replies via minions. Anand Mahindra, vice chairman of the Mahindra Group, was the only one who answered each and every mail with a personal one-liner. One can count the humble ones on one's finger tips. And they soar.


Joyshri Lobo, via email

Mary, full of grace

Mary Kom succeeded despite having few resources and little recognition for her initial achievements. She worked twelve years to lift Indian spirits and bring recognition to Manipur. Did it make her proud? She was probably the only Indian Olympic medal winner who apologised to her country for not bringing home a medal of another colour. Her humility and persistence have won her the love of her countrymen. What will this achievement mean for Indian sports? It may be a new epoch for women's boxing with Mary Kom as a role model for many young women. Or it may just be another brown girl who was once in the ring.

Tulika Saha, via email

Separated before birth

With regard to the interview of historian Roderick Matthews (' Pak got the worst of Jinnah, India got the best of Gandhi', August 21) and the extract from his upcoming book, I must say that what he says does indeed make for some brilliant commentary on the two very different founding fathers of India and Pakistan, and the tragic division of India in 1947. I also wonder what might have been if independence had come for our nations sans the birth pains and tragic holocaust that followed. But one should never overlook the fact that Pakistan is a largely a failed state today because Jinnah was a lonely crusader with no one to carry his dream.

Ranbir Singh, via email