As an Indian, I feel humbled that we can honour Anuradha Koirala with Padma Shri award for her noble and highly risky job of fighting against trafficking of women and children in Nepal “Award for Koirala” (THT, January 26, Page 2). But actually she resides infinite times higher than any award the global society can envisage for her.

We should always remember that God has not sent us to this planet as Indian or Nepali, Bengali or Tibetan, Hindu or Muslim, Brahmin or Dalit. In the eye of the Almighty, we are all children of his/her. Humanity is supreme and the last word of the globe. And our innocent flower-like children resemble the icing on the cake of humanity. When it remains the greatest responsibility of the State and all members of society to love and protect the children and ensure a platform for them to grow, prosper and realise the Himalayan potential embedded within their fertile souls; the shameless cruelty within us often leave them at their own mercy. Brute exploitation, ruthless trafficking and barbaric child labour are simply ruining the future of this world.

We all are aware about this hard reality. Still we either encourage child labour directly or indirectly or simply overlook them as if they do not even exist! And also we are engaged in promoting our career and immersed in rampant consumerism. And in this indifferent scenario, miracles happen and none other than God descends upon this beleaguered planet in the guise of Kailash Satyarthi or Anuradha Koirala with pots of balm in their hands to apply it on the bleeding hearts of the grieving children and also to teach the selfish lot within us the true essence and purpose of life and humanity.

Kajal Chatterjee, Kolkata

Troublesome

It is a frantic crowd on the either side of the road; the number expands rapidly each moment to a breaking point i.e. restlessness and quite a huge amount of frustration among silently waiting people.

However, even after a heavily wide eyed traffic police in the middle signals to passing by vehicles to stop, people do not relax. Instead one can witness close to a hysterical or altogether tensed scenario where agitated pedestrians are seen crossing the road almost in one run as the whistle blows.

Nevertheless, the whistle blows and sadly many more again have to wait for another war like confrontation. Unfortunately, it continues throughout the day, every day all over the city. Had there been overhead bridges, half of the traffic problems would have cleared up. Moreover, the burden of traffic police would have lessened with the responsibility of pedestrians. Thereby most important of all lives would not be at risk. However, such a major problem has been neglected as many others. As a result, the daily lives of the commuters have stuck somewhere between a run and a whistle.

Shiksha Karki, Kathmandu