Saluting our
dear teachers
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It’s not just on Teachers’ Day, but always that we need to remember our dear teachers for the role they play in shaping our future. All through school and up to the very completion of my Law degree, I was tremendously blessed by caring and loving teachers who taught with a dedicated sense of hope, passion, motivation and focused direction. Throughout the student days they always encouraged me in extra-curricular activities paving my way to participate in elocution, debating and essay contests all along.
Great teachers can make a big difference in our lives, for besides making a lasting impression in the classroom they can cast a very positive influence on our life. Our teachers are more than mere educators. They also play that vital role as a dear friend, counsellor and mentor.
A regular teacher may merely direct us along the right path, but great teachers inspire and challenge us to carve out our right path in life.
We should always remain heavily beholden to all our dear teachers who imparted to us all their invaluable knowledge and guidance that has immensely helped us in life. Thank you, teachers, for spending your time and effort in your noble profession to bring out the best in all of us. No words are enough to express our gratitude to you.
As Henry Brooks Adams, historian and politician once observed ‘Teachers affect eternity. No one can tell where their influence stops’. Bill Gates accurately opined that ‘Technology is just a tool in terms of getting the kids working together and motivating them, but that the teacher is the most important’.
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
Once again a politician heads AIFF
Once again it has shown that politicians rule the roost practically in all the fields including top positions in sports associations.
Bhaichung Bhutia, a well known and widely respected personality in the world of football in India and abroad and second most capped Indian football player, was routed when the results were declared for the post of AIFF President by his rival candidate Kalyan Chaubey, a former goalkeeper who played for the top Indian clubs Mohun Bagan and East Bengal.
Chaubey, a BJP supported politician hailing from West Bengal, won convincingly by a margin of 33-1.
Chaubey’s victory was never in doubt. However, the presence of Bhutia in the fray had added more light and colour to the contest, even though for obvious reasons his chances of winning were very slim, inspite of his popularity as a successful top class footballer.
It’s to be seen now, how Chaubey is going to navigate successfully the tough job he has in his hands. AIFF that until recently was banned by FIFA for several administrative lapses and violations, has to be set on the right course to avoid any further problems with FIFA, by observing rules and regulations and restoring administrative normalcy as well as also get set to host the U-17 Women’s World Cup starting in October.
Best wishes to the new president of AIFF, may Indian football flourish and reach new heights under his watch, without letting any politics interfere with its normal functioning.
Antonio Diniz, Fatorda
Cyber crimes
against children
The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has come out with a worrying report: cyber crimes against children are on the rise. Prolonged Covid-19 pandemic forced youngsters to cool their heels at home hoping against hope that attending physical classes, from the unending and monotonous virtual ones, would become a reality sooner than later. Study from home through e-classes also meant unbridled, and unrestrained, accessibility to smartphones.
Many parents were, and are, at a loss to understand the complexity of these sophisticated gadgets. Therefore, parental guidance to children was not forthcoming or was little. This, by all means, emboldened cyber tricksters. The NCRB report has said that in 2021 there were 1,081 reported cybercrimes against children. Unreported incidences may be much more. Karnataka, Delhi, Kerala topped in cyber crimes against children. According to the bureau, phishing and sexual harassment were the most common cyber crimes that occurred against unsuspecting children.
Broadly, pornography, cyber stalking, cyber bullying, defamation and identity theft are regularly used by the cyber frauds. The cyber gang liberally employ emails and texts to allure children to reveal their secrets. When trapped, children do a great disservice to themselves by not confiding in their parents their predicament. Parents need to keep an eagle’s eye on their children’s behaviour.
Children themselves must be conversant with the latest cyber security modalities. Present-day children are smart enough to swiftly spot mistakes in grammar, misspelt words, unusual content and urgency in messages common errors committed by cyber criminals. Children should wear their thinking caps on apart from being alert to ward off fraudsters. The government, on its part, should strengthen the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act to tighten the screws on the criminals.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
Keep a check on piggeries
It is learnt that a viral infection is believed to have caused the death of pigs in the Modsai area of Fatorda in the last few days. Officials of the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Hospital, Sonsoddo have reportedly said that preliminary inquiry revealed that the pigs have died due to viral infection, however, the owner should get the pigs for post-mortem examination if they suspect poisoning.
It is understood that deaths of pigs were reported in Maina-Curtorim last month and the cause of the death according to a veterinary doctor was viral infection. Pork meat is a delicacy among the Catholic community in the State and is consumed regularly as also during feasts and other occasions. Hence it seems absolutely necessary for the authorities to conduct a random check on pigs at various piggeries.
It is understood that with antibiotic-therapy the secondary infection in pigs can be prevented. It is also necessary to verify if the viral infection in the pigs can be transmitted to humans. If there have been cases of death of pigs due to a virus it would be prudent to stop the piggery activities in the locality till such time officials of the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Hospital clarify that the virus is no longer active among pigs there.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Sati in history books
On September 4 1987, 18-year-old teen Roop Kanwar had to jump into the funeral pyre of her husband in the state of Rajasthan. She had been married for just eight months with Maal Singh (24). They had no children.
The practice of Sati was first banned in Portuguese Goa (on the Indian Sub-continent) in 1515 by the Portuguese Governor Albuquerque who came to Goa at the invitation of locals Timoja Naik and Mhalu Pai Vernekar.
Three centuries later, Lord William Bentinck banned Sati in all jurisdictions of British India on December 4, 1829
While the statue of Afonso de Albuquerque was removed from the Miramar circle, the statue of Lord Bentinck still stands tall at Kolkata.
History text books across the country do not give recognition to Afonso de Albuquerque for the abolition of Sati. Could this be because of a few Supreme Court rulings that Goa is a territory acquired by Military Conquest only in 1961?
Antonio Alvares, by email
