Editor,
The CNN-IBN & Reliance Foundation’s Real Heroes Award to Kong Bertha G Dkhar is something that should make us all proud, as much as it should equally challenge all of us who grumble and complain about life and its limits. The Shillong Times of course deserves to be appreciated for giving a front-page importance to this award conferment, even as most local dailies failed to highlight this proud achievement of the daughter of the soil.
Kong Bertha, reminds us of the 30 year old motivational speaker, Nick Vujicic of North Australia, a renown guest speaker all over the world, who was born without arms and legs, and defines disability as something that hinders us from achieving something. These are people who consider their life a gift even as the world considers it a disability. They really are people who are differently-abled; they are living examples of what can be achieved if a person focuses on the inherent human strengths, thereby crossing all limits and turning their lives into an inspiration for others.
Hats-off Kong Bertha, we salute your commitment, sacrifice and undying fighting spirit. A monument you are, for generations to treasure, making us all believe and convinced, that “Limits in life are only self-imposed”.
Yours etc.,
Wanshan.B.Khardewsaw
Shillong – 2
Motinagar has a history!
Editor
My attention is drawn to a letter published in your esteemed daily dated (ST March 31, 2012) where Mr. Macdonald Dkhar has appealed to preserve the local name Lumpyngngad instead of Motinagar. I agree that the error on the part of SPTS authorities should be corrected. But for his kind information I would like to mention that it was Motiram Bora, former MLA(1957-62) of Assam who was mainly responsible for distributing the land to the poor people of Assam who were working in Shillong (the then capital of Assam) and nearby. The place was named ‘Motinagar’ as a mark of respect and appreciation for him. Could Mr. Dkhar inform us what contributions Gandhiji and Nehru had made towards his society in
particular apart from the nation? Perhaps knowing the history of the place where one lives is a necessity.
Yours etc.,
Rishiraj Adhikary
Student, B.Tech
Gauhati University
NEHU is a safe place!
Editor
This letter is a reaction to the letter written by some concerned student (March 26, 2012) captioned, ‘NEHU unsafe for students.’ While it is regrettable that the incidents took place within or just outside the campus, to label NEHU unsafe is completely inappropriate. I have been a student of NEHU for the last seven years (M.A. and PhD.) and I don’t believe that NEHU is in any way unsafe. Incidents like these happen everywhere. My friends would usually spend late night in their labs and come back without facing any inconvenience. People would roam around the campus and nobody bothers them. For many of us NEHU is our second home where we are comfortable and feel safe. It is completely baffling when somebody says NEHU is unsafe. In many of the incidents sometimes it is nobody’s fault but just bad luck that the incidents occur. Instead of being an alarmist it is better if we try to look at the overall picture before giving our judgment. More importantly it is better not to give judgment in haste or lacking in information. NEHU is completely safe!
Yours etc.,
Bhogtoram Mawroh,
Research Scholar, Dept of Geography,
NEHU