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Not a tribute

Sir, — Apropos the article "She ignited aspirations" by Kalpana Sharma in her column "The other half" (Magazine, Feb. 9): Was this supposed to be a eulogy to the astronaut Kalpana Chawla? If this was the purpose, how has Ms. Sharma had the presumption to state: "At the time, the technology to detect and abort female foetus had not been common currency in her home State. As a result, she had a chance in life because she was allowed to be born". This does not make the article a eulogy to a remarkable woman, but has been used by Ms. Sharma as a peg to hang her pet theories of female infanticide. It completely negates the possibility that Dr. Chawla's parents were glad of her birth, since Ms. Sharma implies that it is only due to the lack of technology for foetus sex determination that she managed to be born at all.

Indira Rai,
New Delhi

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