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Mountbatten & Jinnah

Lord Mountbatten was no doubt the last Viceroy of India but Karan Thapar is wrong when he calls him the first Governor-General of India (“Gandhiji, Jinnah, and Mountbatten in 1947,” July 20)! Lord Warren Hastings was the first Governor-General of British India. Mountbatten was the first G-G of Independent India.

I, for one, cannot suppress my admiration for Jinnah for his steadfastness in refusing to be swayed by Lord Mountbatten’s winsome personality which could so easily charm not only many of the tallest Gandhians of the day but even the Mahatma himself!

K. Vedamurthy,
Chennai

One thing I cannot understand is the judgment and wisdom a 17-year-old could have had on the various issues discussed — from personal relationships in high places to international diplomacy.

As for Lord Mountbatten being repulsed by Jinnah, it just shows how clear Jinnah was in his mission. Was not Gandhiji also a failure vis-À-vis Jinnah? It is heartening to note that August 15 is the most important day in Lady Pamela Hicks’ life. It is indeed — in our lives too.

S.R. Badrinarayanan,
Chennai

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