The Line of Actual Control seems to have become a tinderbox with China keen to keep India on its toes. This could be a calibrated strategy by China, may be to deflect attention from its internal issues, but in these trying times, no nation can afford war. This jaw-jaw is likely to stay for a long time. To rein in a rogue neighbour, an economic strike more than a military move is the answer.

Chennai

That China has again upped the ante betrays its expansionist designs at the cost of peace and tranquillity with its democratic neighbour, India. While China wants India to isolate the border issue from broader bilateral relations, India does continue to see the border issue as an important component in its bilateral relationship with China. The potential negative fallout in terms of widening distrust between them does not augur well for peace and stability in Asia.

Sholavandan, Tamil Nadu

The role of the Attorney General of India, K.K. Venugopal, in opposing the sentencing of lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan cannot be minimised. As a constitutional functionary and as a leader of the Bar, Mr. Venugopal stood out for larger institutional values of democracy, free speech and the rest of it. In my opinion, initiation of contempt itself against Mr. Bhushan was patently wrong. Convicting him is to silence dissent which is the essence of democracy, in which case the question of convicting him and sentencing a fine man, be it ₹1 or ₹1 million does not arise. One hopes that Mr. Bhushan’s case would see its logical end and the glory of the Supreme Court of India restored.

Chennai

Urjit Patel, the former RBI Governor, has spoken through his heart on the various challenges (Inside pages, ‘Interview – Urijit Patel’, “Current banking challenge most intractable one, even before COVID-19”, August 31). Unless a permanent solution is found to do away with the mounting non-performing assets in the banking system, banks are not going to become healthy and cost productive. Even pumping in new capital will prove a waste. The best solution would be to float a new company, transfer the entire lot of NPAs of all public sector banks to this company and cleanse the balance sheets of all banks. Once there is a clean slate, banks can function freely with a strong capital base, lend judiciously and become competitive and profit-making entities. They would also be relieved of making provisions for NPAs and wasting their time in the day-to-day follow-up and initiation of legal measures for recovery. Selected officers from every bank from where the NPAs are transferred should be posted and entrusted with recovery, initiating legal actions against defaulters and taking action to sell all realisable assets. An incentive-based recovery mechanism would give impetus to officers to speed up their work. Their performance should be monitored by the management of the new company which should comprise bankers of impeccable record.

Chennai

Teachers’ Day

September 5, every year is celebrated as Teachers’ Day in fond remembrance of Dr. Sarvepalli S. Radhakrishnan who had created a niche for himself in the field of education with particular reference to philosophy, indeed his first love. He saw light on September 5, 1888 in Tiruttani, a small town in the then Madras Presidency, where the ruling deity is Lord Murugan who had blessed our young Radhakrishnan to earn many laurels in his career dotted with splendiferous achievements.

I wish draw the attention of the powers that be to declare September 22 too, as another Teacher s Day to pay homage to another gargantuan son the date of birth in 1869 in Valangaiman a tiny village, near Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu. He is none other than the Rt. Hon. V.S. Srinivasa Sastri whose achievements are endless and still remembered with awe and admiration till this day.

First, let me indicate the noteworthy work done by Dr. Radhakrishnan who shredded his mortal coils on April 17, 1975.

Dr. Radhakrishnan was the Vice President of India from 1952 to 1962 and then our President from 1962 to 1967. During his glorious tenure he had visited many countries and spoke at length on the ethics of philosophy which permeated and percolated throughout the places where people were mesmerised with his stentorian voice and scintillating lectures delivered extempore in his inimitible manner much to the admiration of the listeners. How can one forget Radhakrishnan whose voice was his asset? It is a pity indeed that the Information and Broadcasting Ministry is not advising the Akashvani to broadcast the speeches of Dr. Radhakrisnan even on important days like The Republic Day or the Independence Day when the younger generation can hear the electrifying speeches by our great statesman for his oratorical excellence none can forget till eternity.

Dr. Radhakrishnan had authored unputdownable books aplenty on philosophy. He had held coveted positions like the First Indian Professorial Chair at The University in 1936, Spalding Professor of Eastern Religion to quote a few. His Upton Lecture at the Manchester College in 1926, 1929 and1930 Haskill Lecture on Complete Religion at the University of Chicago are shining examples of his galvanising lectures.

He was the Vice Chancellor of Andhra University from 1931to 1934 and in 1948 he adorned the Banares Hindu University utilised his services as its Vice Chancellor. In both the Universities, his work was lauded.

The Centre conferred the ultimate honour of Bharat Ratna on Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan in 1954 and for all his meritorious services rendered in the field of education and encomiums earned, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan remained humble always and as a great admirer of his unrivalled and unequalled excellence thank the government in declaring his birthday as Teachers’ day.

Now let me return to the Rt.Hon. V.S. Srinivasa Sastriar who stood on the same pedestal akin to Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. Both were stars which shed light in India.

I am giving the list of the endless list of the singular services rendered by V.S. Srinivasa Sastri who was 19 years elder to Dr. Sarvepalli in that the former was born on September 22, 1869 in Valangaiman , a tiny village, near Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu. Sastri grew up from humble beginnings. Born into an indigent family he had to struggle hard right from his entering the portals of The Town High School, at Kumbakonam, in the then Madras Presidency. His academic excellence was perceived during his scholastic career itself in that one of his school teachers was spoke highly of his proficiency in both written and spoken English even as a lad. After completing his graduation, Sastri joined the Hindu High School, at Triplicane in Madras and gradually became the Headmaster of the institution.

It goes to the credit of Gopalkrishna Gokhale, the President of The Servants of India Society, headquartered at Poona to spot out the ingrained skills of Srinivasa Sastri, who foresaw that there was a bright future for Sastri. Gokhale enrolled Sastri as a member of The Servants of India Society. The rest is history for everyone to espy.

Srinivasa Sastri was appointed by the then British government as our Agent General at South Africa where he thrashed out the issues of the black people with the ruling British. Accolades started flooding in for Sastri. He joined the Council of States and later on became a Member of the Privy Council.

Between 1920 and 1922, Sastriar toured Canada, Australia and New Zealand as a Representative of the Government and sorted out the issues the concerned countries had with the British Government. The splendiferous, scintillating and soul stirring address delivered by V.S. Srinivasa Sastri at The League of Nations is a stellar example of how English should be spoken flawlessly and impeccably and those who had the good fortune of hearing this lecture were rather flabbergasted and flummoxed that a person whose mother tongue was Tamil, hailing from South India, could deliver such a stirring address.

Sastri became a Member of the Council of States and Member of The Privy Council, as well. A rare thing indeed in those days when Indians however highly qualified or placed in society were looked down upon foreigners who were harbouring under the mistaken illusion that they alone were entitled to hold coveted positions.

Sastri had an uncanny knack in is oratorical skills which had galvanised millions of his listeners for his indubitable diction and weaving out phrases and glittering idioms. Europeans, particularly public speakers including Sir Winston Churchill were astonished to witness Sastri speaking extempore without any notes in hand.

Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of our Nation used to address Sastri as Big Brother called on the latter, at The General Hospital where he was critically ill and wished him speedy recovery but Nemesis plucked away a fragrant rose which always exuded an agreeable in 1946. The obituary of Gandhi on the demise of his Big Brother was touching indeed. He quoted in his message that the world has lost its learned son who can never be replaced. I t would be interesting to note that Gandhi and Sastri differed widely in many issues but remained friends, till the end. Had Sastri been alive he should have been our first Prime Minister and things could have changed changed for the better. But that was not to be. God had a different notion. It will be interesting to mention here. that Nehru did not see eye to eye in many political issues about which Nehru had written in his Autobiography. Sastri for his part ignored Nehru for picking holes often in the policies of the former but Gandhi always patched up the misgivings of both since he needed both his Big Brother and Nehru for different purposes.

Sastri delivered some awe inspiring and soul stirring lectures on The Ramayana at The Sanskrit College, at Mylapore, Madras in 1934 which are worth reading for those discerning readers who long to hone up their skills in written English. He had given in an All India broadcast several years ago on The Books that influenced me which makes interesting hearing. But, alas, it is a thousand pities that Akashvani makes it a point not to telecast such speeches. Maybe our Information and Broadcasting Minister will ensure the enlivening speeches of Sastri be broadcast periodically, for lovers of English, which melancholically they miss.

Even it is sad to know that not even a statue of Sastri is found anywhere in the city of Madrid’s and I would request the Chief Minister to do do the needful in this regard. When one finds many a statue of different personalities, some known and many unknown even to old timers, in the metropolis, it behaves on the higher ups to ensure that personages who have left their imprints on the sands of time are suitably remembered by one and all and the best thing to do is to erect statues of such gargantuan sons of Bharat.

Both Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and the Rt.Hon. V.S.Srinivasa Sastri stand on the same pedestal

In that vied with each other in making India proud. All it not be in the fitness of things to dedicate September 22 too as Teacher Day along with. September 5, and celebrate it?

Maybe my humble plea is perceived in the proper perspective by our pragmatic Prime Minister who has erected a monumental and memorable statue for our Sardar Vallabhai Patel?

Mani Nataraajan,

Chennai