Urdu-soul in words and love in expressions

Magicin every word, emotion in every tone — that is Urdu. In whichever place the shadow of culture and refinement falls, there blooms Urdu, which is not merely a language, but a spiritual heartbeat, infused with the fragrance of love, the gentleness of courtesy, and the warmth of humanity. Words like “Jaan-e-Man” (beloved) do not merely pass through the lips; they emerge from the heart, and that is its uniqueness.

November 9, celebrated as World Urdu Day, is dedicated to the great language and its rich heritage. The day also commemorates the birth anniversary of Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, who awakened humanity to the realization of selfhood and famously said, “Elevate your selfhood to such heights that before every destiny, God Himself will inquire of you: what is your will?”

The story of Urdu begins on the soil of Hindustan. It took its first breath at the confluence of the depth of Sanskrit, the delicacy of Persian, the illumination of Arabic, the elegance of Turkish, and the simplicity of Hindvi. This is why it is called the language of the “Ganga-Jamuni culture” — a tongue that broke the walls of religion, caste, and borders to unite human hearts. It is a language of emotion, not politics; it is guided by love, not authority.

Every word of Urdu seemsto emerge from an artist’s brush. Lines like “Zindagi Gulzar Hai” (Life is a garden) or “Dil-e-Nadaan Tujhe Hua Kya Hai” are not mere words; they are emotions. This language has given birth to great poets like Mir, Ghalib, Faiz, Josh, Iqbal, and Sahir.

Even in today’s digital age, the beauty of Urdu remains alive. Social media, films, ghazals, and literary platforms preserve its magic. Bollywood’s romantic songs reveal its roots clearly.

Today, when languages face pressure from technological advancement, preserving Urdu is our responsibility. Teaching it in schools and universities is not merely about knowledge but about reflecting civilization itself.

World Urdu Day is not just a date; it is a tribute to the language that, for centuries, has given words to love, a voice to humanity, and taught the art of connecting hearts. When words flow in the cadence of Urdu, they are no longer mere words — they become souls, and it is this very soul that makes the world beautiful.

Prof RK Jain,Barwani (MP)

Sulakshana Pandit leaves behind timeless melodies

Known for her soulful voice and grace, Sulakshana Pandit was a cherished name in Bollywood’s musical era, remembered for her contributions to the world of films and music. In her passing away, she leaves behind a golden legacy of timeless melodies and memorable performances. She came from a family deeply rooted in music — she was the niece of Pandit Jasraj and sister of Jatin-Lalit and actress Vijayta Pandit.

Sulakshana Pandit began singing at the age of nine and made her playback debut in 1967. Her song “Tu Hi Sagar Hai Tu Hi Kinara” from Sankalp (1975) remains unforgettable. The soulful rendition earned her the Filmfare award for the best female playback singer. She later turned to acting and shared screen space with Sanjeev Kumar, Rajesh Khanna and Jeetendra. Her personal life was marked by her deep affection for Sanjeev Kumar, which remained unfulfilled. In a poignant coincidence, she passed away on November 6, the same date Sanjeev Kumar had died in 1985. Her loss leaves a deep void in the world of Indian cinema and music, in particular. Sulakshana Pandi’s songs and performances will forever keep her memory alive.

Jubel D'Cruz,Mumbai

Strive to restore vision in people with corneal blindness

Ourpopulation is in crores, while the corneal blind are in lakhs. But the ground reality is that corneas are collected only in thousands. This is the most disheartening and pathetic news, which is a major cause for worry.

Towards addressing this lacuna, we must add zest to our efforts and aspire to collect more corneas. Some of the measures include conducting awareness campaigns at regular intervals across schools, colleges and universities, besides publishing articles in all languages, especially regional. This will ensure that the outreach will be significantly higher and thereby more voluntary donations.

Meanwhile, those who wish to donate should make their noble gesture clear to their family members; there is an urgent need to increase eye banks and cornea collection centres across locations, while Lion Clubs, Rotary Clubs and Red Cross should intensify their initiative and help in ending corneal blindness. The efforts can be made more far-reaching if Prime Minister Narendra Modi gives a clarion call for eye donation in his popular Mann ki baat’ broadcasts.

The government ought to motivate cornea transplanting surgeons by way of incentives and giving huge publicity to the contact numbers of eye banks and cornea collection centres so that donors can approach them directly.

Lakshman Rao Kantamsetti-Eye donation campaigner,Visakhapatnam

Empowering youth with legal literacy

NationalLegal Services Day (NLSD) is observed every year on November 9. This makes for an important day as regards highlighting the importance of legal literacy. Children and adolescents can truly protect their rights only when those rights are explained to them in a clear and understandable manner. A lack of legal literacy often leads youth toward wrongful behaviour, while awareness of the law helps them avoid unlawful actions and safeguards them against violence, fraud and exploitation. Understanding how to act in legal situations—whether personally involved or affected by others’ actions—is crucial for every person, more so for the younger generation.

Initiatives such as UNICEF’s “Children’s Legal Website” provide children with accessible and engaging legal information, nurturing values like courage, responsibility, and respect for justice from an early age. In India, legal education has historically received limited attention in schools, leaving many generations with only superficial knowledge of the Constitution, civil rights, and the legal system. Strengthening democracy requires citizens to understand law, justice, and responsibility equally.

CBSE’s inclusion of legal studies in school curricula, including constitutional principles, fundamental rights, cyber laws, and consumer rights, is a significant step toward mainstreaming legal education. Students must learn values like justice, equality, and accountability through practical exposure, legal awareness clubs, and platforms such as the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and Development of Information, Security, and Awareness (DISHA). Key aspects of legal awareness include constitutional rights, understanding the legal system, consumer protection, cybersecurity, child protection, and human rights. Early understanding of these principles empowers youth to know their rights and responsibilities, and help them make informed decisions, and contribute to a just and democratic society.

Dr Krishna Kumar Vepakomma,Hyderabad-45

Atheist Forum gathering momentum

Ina climate of escalating religious polarization across India, a counter-movement is gaining ground in West Bengal, where hundreds are uniting under the banner of atheism to champion rationalism, scientific temper, and constitutional rights. On November 5, more than 500 people from diverse walks of life, who describe themselves as atheists and rationalists, gathered in Kolkata for a conference, marking a significant consolidation of non-religious thought in the state. This assembly was organised by the Atheist Forum, a platform launched in Nabadwip (incidentally, the birthplace of Gaudiya Vaishnavism-founder Chaitanya) that is now establishing a regional presence in six additional districts, with thousands across the state reportedly embracing the atheist worldview. A touching poster features Gauri Lankesh, Narendra Dabholkar, M M Kalburgi and Govind Pansare, whose voices were silenced for rationalism. Religion is now being used to suppress all burning issues and legitimate demands, hence the growing importance of atheism. According to the 2011 Census, about 2.9 million Indians (0.24 per cent) reported having “no religion.” A 2022 Gallup International survey found that 18 per cent of Indians identified as non-believers, which roughly comes to 200 million people.

Bhagwan Thadani, Mumbai

Kerala's poverty eradication model is a beacon of hope

Kerala'sremarkable achievement of eradicating extreme poverty is a shining example that not only deserves attention nationwide but also is worthy of emulation. By bridging the gap between the haves and have-nots, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government has shown that poverty eradication is possible through people-centric, decentralized governance. Kerala's approach is like a whiff of fresh air, focusing on ground-level enumeration, micro-planning, and concrete support for the poorest families. This bottom-up approach has ensured food security, housing, health, and livelihood aid for all. In contrast, the BJP's double-engine government in Gujarat has widened the chasm of inequality, prioritizing corporate welfare over poverty reduction. The writing is on the wall for governments that neglect the poor and marginalized. Kerala's success proves that with a human-centred approach, poverty can be eradicated. It's time for other states to prioritise the welfare of their citizens. I hope this achievement inspires policymakers to break the mould and work towards a poverty-free India.

Raju Kolluru,Kakinada

Towards a healthy diet and ecosystem

TheEAT-Lancet Commission, a global panel of 37 scientists from 16 countries, promotes a “planetary health diet” for people and the planet. Its report warns that food systems cause nearly 30 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions and drive environmental damage.

Animal foods emit most gases, whole grains overuse water and fertilizers. It calls for reducing food waste, improving farming and diversifying diets. For India, adding fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes to cereal-heavy meals can improve health and ensure sustainable food security.

R S Narula,Patiala

Mamdani’s election is a wake-up call for Trump

Theresults of New York mayor polls and of other cities clearly reflect the disillusioned mood of American voters towards their President Donald Trump and his policies. In a landmark verdict at New York, the voters have placed their trust in the coalition candidate Zohran Mamdani. His becoming the mayor of New York is significant on many accounts, including for being the first South Asian, Indian American and Muslim holding the coveted position. Meanwhile, the verdicts in elections of other cities indicate a clear anti-establishment mood. Trump should draw lessons from these elections and try to modify his policies especially regarding immigration, unemployment and tariffs.

Dr DVG Sankara Rao,former MP Vizianagaram

The world needs more progressive leaders like Mamdani

Theelection of Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist as the 111th mayor of New York has been greeted as a major triumph for democracy and socialism across the world. A socialist at the helm in a citadel of capitalism is quite interesting. The new kind of politics that Mamdani represents seems to have appealed to the voters. His affordability message resonated with the voters of New York, which has shown that it is truly a cosmopolitan city in which religious and ethnic identities are no impediments to assuming leadership roles. Even those who do not agree with the 34-year-old, admire Mamdani for his willingness to take a stand and defend what he believes in. He has taken a principled stand in support of immigration. His assertion that “New York will remain a city of immigrants, a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants and as of now, led by an immigrant” lends an unambiguous legitimacy to the phenomenon of immigration globally. His rise augurs well for democracy and humanity. More and more progressive leaders should rise to the top breaking barriers as Mamdani has done.

G David Milton,Maruthancode (TN)

Mamdani dared and triumphed

Zohran Mamdani’s election as mayor of New York marks the formation of an island of socialism in the vast ocean of staunch capitalism. For the entire world, America is the capital of capitalism and a socialist activist like Mamdani assuming the charge of Mayor is a revolutionary turn of events in recent history. His having been elected as the first citizen of the City in the background of the national President's open threat to face financial strangulation if Mamdani is voted to power adds to its significance. Of late, in several countries, those who do not subscribe to the mad course of capitalist economic order are being chosen to power. Even in countries staunchly committed to capitalist order the things are not that good.

Incidentally, elected leaders are leaving their post in months and weeks as witnessed in France and Japan. In some countries a spark of protest is utilised as an opportunity to ventilate the victims' violent reactions, and the rulers are violently thrown out of their seats also. Today's capitalism is not what was envisioned by Marx, though he could visualise stages of assuming new colours and tactics. The new system multiplies money at a faster rate, and it also seeks to multiply its victims also at the same speed. Finding a viable remedy is nothing but a struggle between two unequals. Mamdani has identified the issues of the people and has placed his proposals like increasing income by taxing the rich more and addressing the health issues and freezing the ever-increasing rents. He deserves appreciation as he will do some good for the youth, who are longing for a job and a simple means of life.

A G Rajmohan,Anantapur-515004