`Respected' is nice way of ministers' correspondence

The Times of India online survey on Dear for Smriti Irani, Union Human Resources Minister, has come out with interesting details. Q. Smriti Irani recently objected to being addressed as `Dear Smritiji' by a minister (of Bihar). Is using dear when writing to a woman sexist? Eighty-two per cent people said no, 18% said yes. Asked how good to address a woman, 31% said `Hai', Dear 35%, 30% said `Hello', and `Respected' 14%. How to end a letter, email? `Yours sincerely/faithfully ' 16%, `Regards' 69%, and `Best' or `Cheers' said the rest. Smriti has raised a pertinent point. When formal letters to ministers are begun with `Respected' or `Sir/Madam', the Bihar Minister could take a leaf out of the survey.