Kudos to e-tailer Flipkart for setting the bar high and making history by raising $1 billion (₹6,000 crore) in the largest-ever fund-raising by an Indian internet company. This comes at a time when the company is facing cut-throat competition from other online retailers. It is heartening to note that big investors have put their faith in Flipkart. The fund infusion should enable the online retailer to meet the competition head on.

NJ Ravi Chander

Bangalore

It’s sporting to speak up

It is unfortunate that the ICC banned England cricketer Moeen Ali from wearing “Save Gaza” and “Free Palestine” wristbands. Ali did what any concerned person would do: asking the world to save innocent people from being killed by Israel. The words,“Save Gaza” transcend “politics, religion and race” and cannot be construed as a violation of the ICC Code of Conduct. Sport cannot be delinked from the realities of the world. Was not South Africa left out of global sport for its practice of apartheid?

On the day Moeen Ali wore the wristband, Israeli bombs claimed more than 100 Palestinian lives. He showed moral fibre to speak up for the victims of an avoidable war and urge the world to prevent further loss of life.

G David Milton

Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu

Great idea

The report that Bangalore scientists are planning solar panels on train roofs is out-of-the-box thinking. Moving to solar energy as an alternative instead of depending upon conventional sources will go a long way in achieving self-sufficiency.

HP Murali

Bangalore

Freedom comes with patience

With regard to “Money power in Indian elections” by Michael Collins (July 30), the accusation that India is enacting a tamasha every five years and for that it spends billions of rupees is an illogical argument. What is the use of development if there is no freedom? What is the use of growth if there is no space for public opinion?

Yes, the elected representatives may not be the perfect people to fulfil the needs of the common people. Yet the system of electing public representatives through the ballot must continue.In a democratic set-up reforms cannot be ushered in overnight. People must have patience to ensure development for all.

All the pillars of Indian democracy must work in unison. All the stakeholders must continue to contribute their share towards better reforms in our parliamentary democracy. A day will come when the world will want to emulate India in every aspect of life.

A Prabaharan

Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu

Big price for loans

The Central Government and the high cost of higher education are responsible for the exponential growth in NPAs (“Failure to repay an education loan may cost you dearly” by R Ravikumar, July 30). Only numbers are increasing, both in qualification and loan defaults. What is required is quality education at a reasonable cost.

The Government has allowed private business and engineering colleges to loot students by discounting their assumed future income in their cost estimates. As a result, both banks and students suffer. Why not impound the educational qualification certificate till the bank loan is cleared?

RS Raghavan

Bangalore

There are ways to retrieve the situation. Ensure that beneficiaries who are now defaulters, with repaying capacity, repay the loans without delay. Those who have borrowed in lakhs should be targeted first.Banks should be ‘directed’ to share information with credit information agencies and the educational institutions should be asked to publish the names in their publications. The new generation private sector banks should diversify their priority sector advances. There is a bias towards educational loans for professional courses, car loans and housing finance.

Provide incentives for timely repayment. Even public recognition of prompt repayment will help. Ensure that support from the proposed Education Credit Guarantee Fund does not go to wilful defaulters.

MG Warrier

Mumbai

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