Crisis in the hills
The recent cases of flood-related disasters in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, which include flash floods, cloudbursts and landslides, demand urgent attention. The great damage being caused is a warning sign of converging environmental and developmental missteps. These are States that are the indicators of ecological health. What is worrying is the frequency and the severity of these events.
Baani Bhabha,
Ambala, Punjab
Groundbreaking device
The portable handheld devicem, ‘Cerebo’, which scans the brain using infrared technology, can be useful in detecting intracranial bleeds and edema, in ambulances and trauma centres where CT scan machines are not available (Inside pages, August 24). This relatively cheap and non-invasive tool will improve patient outcomes and can be used in emergency and military settings.
Dr. Thomas Palocaren,
Vellore, Tamil Nadu
Pujara retires
Cheteshwar Pujara’s retirement brings to an end the career of one of the grittiest batters to play for India. He will be remembered along with greats such as Rahul Dravid. He was one of the key players responsible for the team’s wins in the Australian fortress.
Subash Balakrishnan,
Bengaluru
All good things have to come to an end. With 7,195 runs at an average of 43.60, Pujara stands tall in the all-time leading run-getters from India. But it is also the time that he spent at the crease and the innumerable number of balls he faced — 16,217 balls of the total 97,884 deliveries — that make him so special and unique.
His post on X says it all: ‘Wearing the Indian jersey, singing the anthem, and trying my best each time I stepped on the field…” Pujara was also one cricketer who stood out for another reason — his immaculate dress sense.
A.P. Thiruvadi,
Chennai
Published – August 25, 2025 12:24 am IST