Anjali Bhatia: A True Role Model

I read the article on Anjali Bhatia, “Inspiring a Generation to Take Charge,”

in your November 2009 issue and was proud that this is yet one more of our youngsters, who is making us all proud. More importantly, she and her Discover Worlds is helping people across the US and Rwanda, whose people are being buried under the constant strife, genocide and HIV. It truly show that nothing can prevent anyone, even a single person from making a difference to the lives of the less fortunate better. It’s a lesson to all that in the end, only good works matter. And Anjali Bhatia is the proof. She truly is an amazing inspiration to all.
-Vinati Mehra Raritan, NJ

A family surname opens Doors in inDia

Nepotism is not unique to India. Just like the Kennedy clan, India has its share of the Gandhis, the Scindias, the Nehrus etc, etc. And this dynastic disease has crossed over from politics and business to Bollywood too – the Kapoors, the Bachchans, the Roshans.  The list is endless where well-to-do parents carve out a path for their kids before they can even walk. In short, a family surname opens doors for some, while others more deserving and talented languish in vain. I agree with Dev B Vishwanath’s Oped “Keeping it in the family…”, where he asks us to question “whether these people and their families are being elected back into office just on name alone or is just the will of the people based on the candidate whom they choose?”

-Manjit Dhingra Brattleboro,VT

A lesson To invesTors All hedge fund investors should learn from the Galleon scandal.  They should take a hard look beneath the performance and portfolio composition. Weaknesses in the infrastructure — internal checks and balances, outside verification, depth of leadership and investors’ rights — can sink a fund group. Many managers could do a better job. Investors should insist they do.
Nilesh Trivedi Chicago, IL

A GreaT Day for indian science

It was great day for Indian science when it was announced that an Indian scientist, Professor Venkatraman Ramakrishnana, was the joint winner of this year’s Nobel Prize for Chemistry with Thomas E Steitz and Ada E Yonath for their work in the study of the structure and function of the ribosome. Ribosomes produce proteins, which in turn control the chemistry in all living organisms.  The ribosome is found in all living cells, including those of bacteria. Human and bacterial ribosomes are slightly different, making the ribosome a good target for antibiotic therapy that works by blocking the bacterium’s ability to make the proteins it needs to function. With his work, it is possible, that sometime in the future, there will be a cure for those incurable bacterial infections that plague millions of people worldwide. 
-Venkat Swamy Jackson Heights, NY

Global Warming:
Too DanGerous To iGnore  The real possibility of global warming is too dangerous to ignore. Also, it is time that we turn our attention to find alternative and renewable energy sources since we all know for a fact that the world will run out of fossil fuels.  The need to live responsibly and minimize our environmental footprint is now. We can only benefit from high-value environmental conservation steps if they are applied universally – steps such as low birth rates, effective mass transit, rooftop solar arrays, organic farming, robotic waste recovery, and use of environmentally friendly materials. 
-Anusha Kumar Keene, NH.