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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle

A snapshot of the photographer Raghu Rai

Photographer Raghu Rai at Punjab Kala Bhawan, Chandigarh, India on 4 February 2019
Raghu Rai in 2019. ‘I somehow acquired his phone number in India and called from the UK,’ recalls Gabrielle Palmer. Photograph: Karun Sharma/Hindustan Times/Shutterstock

When writing my book The Politics of Breastfeeding in 1987, I wanted to use a photo taken by Raghu Rai (Obituary, 4 May) of nurses bottle-feeding babies in a Singapore maternity ward. I couldn’t afford the £200 fee. I somehow acquired his phone number in India and called from the UK. He answered the phone himself. I briefly explained my work and asked if he were willing to reduce his fee. He immediately said he would waive the entire fee, adding warmly, “and good luck with your noble cause”.
Gabrielle Palmer
Cambridge

• Thanks for shooting down some pathetic male beliefs around vasectomy (Opinion, 11 May). After mine, I had a supposedly intelligent friend seriously tell me he wouldn’t want anything that “messed with his boys”. But aside from a painful week doing a John Wayne walk, what a pleasure to be firing blanks.
Norman Miller
Brighton

• Regarding paperwork strategies (Letters, 13 May), I survived most of my 39 years with TfL’s predecessor, London Transport, by using a basket designated “Leave it alone and it will go away”. It usually did.
Warwick Hillman
Pinner, London

• This Labour leadership fandango has gone on long enough. Could it be settled in a scientific way now, like an arm wrestling match or a round of cards? Best of three, of course.
Les Bright
Exeter, Devon

• Have an opinion on anything you’ve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.

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