Sir — Nine decades ago, no one — including Walt Disney — would have imagined the social influence that Mickey Mouse now wields. The mischievous, yet the rustic mouse has become a brand unto himself, raking in billions of dollars for Disney worldwide. Mickey is loved by one and all. He makes adults nostalgic and acts as an accessible role model for children, reminding them of benefits of laughter, optimism and hope. As Mickey’s inventor, Walt Disney, had famously put it, “It all started with a mouse.” Luckily, there seems to be no end in sight.

Ayesha Mariam,
Calcutta

Pristine beauty

Sir — The chief minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, and the state tourism ministry should be lauded for their efforts to promote Gajoldoba as a tourist spot. The beauty of this pristine place in North Bengal is incomparable. The verdant landscape of the area is perfect for bird-watchers. Little-known but beautiful places in the state are perfect opportunities to attract investment. The chief minister recognizes this. She spares no effort to improve amenities in parts of the districts that have unique attractions to pull crowds of tourists.

Samir Chakraborty,
Howrah

To mark the first anniversary of the geographical indication tag for Bengal's rosogolla, November 14 was declared Rosogolla Day Telegraph file picture

Evolving taste

Sir — The famous sweet, rosogolla, is almost synonymous with Bengal and the sweet tooth of its people. It was a proud moment when Bengal secured the geographical indication tag for the sweet.To celebrate the first anniversary of this success, November 14 was declared as Rosogolla Day. This is heartening. The state government should take steps to promote this sweet.

Sourish Misra,
Calcutta

Sir — The declaration of November 14 as Rosogolla Day is welcome. This will undoubtedly make future Children’s Days sweeter. But it must also be ensured that along with the traditional version of this sweet, newer forms are invented and the sweet evolves with the times. For, instance, K.C. Das — the successor of Nobin Chandra Das, who is credited with inventing the rosogolla — is said to have first made what is now known as rasmalai. This was his take on his father’s creation. Similar efforts must be made by confectioners around the globe. The state government could help by setting up competitions with a token prize money for the same purpose.

Shreya Basu,
Calcutta

Sir — The rosogolla is one of the most over-rated sweets of Bengal. The state can stake a claim over far more delicate and tasty sweets like jolbhora, mihidana, lyangcha and so on. The publicity gimmick around rosogolla is nothing but an attempt to lighten the wallets of consumers.

Rima Roy,
Calcutta

Save a life

Sir — It is a matter of great pride that many Calcuttans have signed up to donate their organs after their death or the organs of their kin who have either passed away or are brain dead. The medical fraternity deserves a lot of credit for this. Hospitals and doctors have tirelessly tried to spread awareness about the importance of donating organs.

Another round of applause should be given to police officers who successfully create green corridors that help in the transportation of these organs on time. No organ donation can be successful without such teamwork between the healthcare professionals and the law enforcement officers.

Ashok Ghosh,
Calcutta

Sir — No amount of praise is enough to thank the parents of a 25-year-old brain dead woman who donated their daughter’s organs to other ailing persons. They have set a stellar example. Their noble deed will increase social awareness about the significance and benefits of organ donation.

Amaresh Paul,
Bandel

Sir — A 30-year-old woman was given a new lease of life when doctors performed a successful heart transplant on her. The sight of the patient, Tanaya Pandit, giving bhai phonta to the doctors immediately after regaining consciousness goes to show her will to live a good life. This makes one all the more glad that Pandit, who was suffering from a heart problem from 2010, received a heart on time.

There is an acute shortage of organ donors in India, primarily owing to a lack of awareness. It has been reported that nearly 50,000 heart patients require an immediate transplant. People can donate their hearts up to the age of 50 years. Organ donation should thus be promoted by conducting awareness campaigns in schools and colleges, thereby encouraging the younger generation to become organ donors.

Promoting organ donation must go hand in hand with improved infrastructure and capacity of government hospitals to undertake organ transplantation at nominal rates. The Centre and the state governments should also ensure that people know about how to go about donating their organs. One way would be to advertise the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization.

Kiran Agarwal,
Calcutta