Archive · 22 Aug 2026
Readers Remember Sowcar Janaki, Demand Safer Schools and Investing
Readers shared their opinions about three different issues.
They remembered actress Sowcar Janaki as a very important film star.
She acted in more than 400 movies over seven decades.
Some readers said she should have received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
Other readers discussed the death of a six-year-old child at a school in Visakhapatnam.
They said children should never be physically punished and should not receive too much homework.
The letters also asked investing apps to explain risks clearly and help people when technology fails.
They said investors and companies should both understand their responsibilities.
Readers mourned veteran actress Sowcar Janaki, who died in Chennai at 94 after a career spanning more than 400 films.
They highlighted Janaki’s work in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam cinema and said she deserved the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
Two readers condemned the alleged corporal punishment and harassment linked to the death of a six-year-old UKG student in Visakhapatnam.
They called for legal action against those responsible and urged schools to reduce homework and improve teacher training.
Readers said digital investing platforms should provide clearer guidance, fraud protection, grievance mechanisms and stronger regulation.
- Who
- The letters were written by readers, including Gemini K Maniam, Seshagiri Row Karry, Ranganathan Sivakumar, Pratapa Reddy Yaramala, K Sakunthala, Durga Arunkumar and A C Vineeth Kumar.
- What
- The submissions addressed Sowcar Janaki’s death and legacy, the alleged death of a UKG student after punishment at a Visakhapatnam school, and safeguards for technology-based retail investing.
- When
- The reader views were published on August 22, 2026; the actress died on Friday and the student’s death was reported on Thursday.
- Where
- The actress died in Chennai, the student’s death occurred in Visakhapatnam, and the letters came from several places in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.
- Why
- Readers sought to honour Janaki, condemn alleged mistreatment of a child, and ensure that digital investing is safer and more accountable.
Stronger Safeguards
Shared Responsibility
Digital investing accountability
Stronger Safeguards
Brokerage platforms should provide clear records, human assistance, fraud protection and possible compensation for proven technological failures.
Shared Responsibility
Investors should remain responsible for decisions they knowingly make, while companies and regulators address failures and unclear accountability.
Technology and trading risks
Stronger Safeguards
Artificial intelligence, automated trading and easy digital access require stronger regulation and investor education to prevent manipulation and speculative behaviour.
Shared Responsibility
Technology can broaden market participation, but its benefits depend on informed decision-making and clear awareness of the risks of products such as futures and options.
School discipline and workload
Stronger Safeguards
Readers said corporal punishment has no place in society and urged swift legal action against the responsible teacher and school management.
Shared Responsibility
The letters offered no defence of corporal punishment, but one reader focused particularly on reducing excessive homework and improving teacher preparation as preventive measures.
- Sowcar Janaki
- Veteran South Indian actress who died in Chennai at the age of 94.
- Film career
- She debuted in the Telugu film Shavukaru and appeared in more than 400 films over seven decades.
- Languages of cinema
- Her career included Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam films.
- School incident
- A six-year-old UKG student died inside a private school classroom in Visakhapatnam after allegedly being subjected to punishment and harassment by a teacher.
- School concerns
- Readers called for an end to corporal punishment, less homework for kindergarten students and better teacher training in child psychology.
- Investor protection
- Readers proposed plain-language explanations, regional-language support, human assistance, fraud prevention and grievance mechanisms.
- Regulation
- One reader urged the Securities and Exchange Board of India and brokerage firms to regulate technology, artificial intelligence and automated trading tools.