Apropos of the news story “Bid to pass Medical Education Bill fails” (THT, October 13, Page 1), Maoist Dr Paudel is rooting and hooting for more colleges ‘to enable Nepali students to get affordable medical education in the country. Earlier our communists are believed to have jointly put a spanner on the bill in the parliament, which was reportedly the main demand of the fasting Dr. KC. Going by our communists’ wishes we should make it easy for anyone, who can put together a building and a few beds, nurses and doctors, syringes etc, to procure permission for hospitals in every nook and corner of Kathmandu. I understand from a new doctor that they have to carry their personal white coat and stethoscope. It is obvious that despite and in spite of federalism, nobody wants to open hospitals in Bajura, Bajhang, Baitadi, Bhadrapur etc., which Dr KC and many other forward-looking citizens would have no beef with. So, the republic must either regulate medical education or make it free for all of 30 million Nepalese people to enjoy a share of the pie. TU must readily grant affiliation, on demand, to all kinds of education to all those interested so that everyone can enjoy the fruits of Nepalese democracy. I was told that TU and scores of other universities in the country have put moratorium on affiliation on even such large-scale employment generating subjects like tourism and hotel management. Can we afford to deprive our youths of education in tourism and hotel management, and rob them of opportunities to go and work abroad where tourists swarm like flies? We cannot and should not go for our own good. TU must, therefore, start giving out affiliations for medical and other colleges at a drop of a hat to anyone and everyone that wants to put up a school or college. It should learn from the ‘jhole’ hydropowers - it would be nice to have jhole medical colleges as well. Manohar Shrestha, Kathmandu Bhai Tika Bhai Tika is a monumental aspect of our socio-religious traditions as it highlights the closest and deepest ties between siblings; more precisely among the brothers and sisters in our South Asian society and culture. However, it is more important due to the fact that this particular festival also brings different extended family members close; not just siblings but first, second and even third cousins in a closely knit traditional family structure. It is true that our South Asian society is now transforming rapidly and is being seriously influenced and impacted by Western values and cultures where self independence is the core of the societal values. In spite of that, Bhai Tika has stood the test of time and has been successful to put forward the great morals of our socio-religious traditions and in uniting family members spread far and wide. Saikat Kumar Basu, Canada