‘Prepare yourself for the opportunity that is lurking right behind the corner’ - 30 quotes from India’s COVID-19 struggle

Launched in 2014, StoryBites is a weekly feature from YourStory Media, featuring notable quotable quotes in our articles of this past week. This special series of compilations focuses on India’s COVID-19 struggle (see last week’s post here). Share these quotes and excerpts with your networks, and check back to the original articles for more insights.

It is high time we move towards a scientific approach that recognises the unmitigated potential of assessing the state of human, animal and environment wellness. - Rajanikant Nayak, KASS

The sentiment towards nutrition has definitely improved in the wake of the pandemic. - Rishubh Satiya, Plix

There is more awareness for products which come in contact with food. - Shreevar Kheruka, Borosil

Because of the lockdown and lack of income, the underprivileged women found it extremely difficult to maintain menstrual hygiene. - Megha Bhargava, DITC, Mumbai

Increased concern for hygiene and safety post-COVID-19 has heightened the importance of process compliance. - Ashish Agrawal, Sequoia Capital India

Aided by automation technology, enterprises can tackle the pandemic in an effective and cost-efficient manner and reduce the risk of local outbreaks. - Kiran Dham, Globus Infocom

Computer vision gives a real-time scenario at any given point about the number of people wearing masks, whether people are following social distancing or not, etc. - Kunal Kislay, Integration Wizards

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For the craft beer industry at large, the pandemic has presented it with an opportunity to build loyalists due to at-home drinking and also offered newer options to consumers to experiment. - Prabhtej Singh, Simba Craft Beer

People have shifted towards OTT platforms, which has also impacted the demand for television. - Avneet Singh Marwah, Super Plastronics

The rapid influx of technology in the education system amidst the crisis might give rise to a new era wherein the students will have access to the best of faculty from across the globe. - Saiju Aravind, EduBrisk Knowledge Solutions

Educational institutions have closed in 107 countries, affecting more than 860 million students and counting. The edtech sector has leapt to a prominent position. – Barclays, ‘Education Technology’

COVID-19 has impacted the way businesses operate globally and has generated headwinds and tailwinds for sectors. The one positive for Indian startup ecosystem is that it has levelled the playing field for enterprise solution providers. - Abhi Kumar, M12

India is witnessing one of its toughest challenges owing to the recent job losses that have impacted a large section of the workforce. - Parul Gupta, Springboard

There is a real danger that the number of people below the poverty line may double, creating a social and economic problem. - Paul Alapat, Acuity Knowledge Partners

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There has been a paradigm shift in the prices of tea after COVID-19. Due to a shortage in the supply side and increased demand for the beverage amidst the lockdown, the wholesale price and the retail price index increased. - Punit Poddar, Udyan Tea

Through digitisation, MSMEs can come into the fold of the formal economy, enabling them to get access to formal credit and other financial services. - Vikas Varma, Mastercard

This time, the funds available is almost one-fourth of the funds available last year. These are the times in which investor attention is more binary than ever. - Kashyap A Chanchani, The RainMaker Group

The more you save, the better it is to weather the storm. - Rohan Arinaya, Merican Consultants

In good times, people forget the bad. And in bad times, people forget the good. Memories are very short. - Ashish Hemrajani, Bigtree Entertainment

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The pandemic challenges the status quo. We don’t know what the new normal will look like, so it really brings out our creative and entrepreneurial skills. - Bala Girisaballa

You must now experiment, for the cost of failure cannot be any lower. No one would mind you failing. - Pavan Soni, Inflexion Point

Many will fail. And this is not the end of the world. Prepare yourself for the opportunity that is lurking right behind the corner. - Abhishek Rungta, TiE Kolkata

In the short term, build features or functionality, which a customer will pay for. - Vijay Menon, TiE Global

From waste management organisations that have continued to collect and manage waste through the lockdown, to clothing companies that have repurposed fabric to make face masks, entrepreneurs are rising to the occasion. - Aarathi Kumar, WRI

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An emotional support network is one of the most significant social capital an entrepreneur will ever build. - Amit Bose, Emotionally.in

Today the government understands it needs access to innovations that only startups can bring to the table. - Narayana Birakayala, AISPL

The new home-office paradigm can make employees feel disconnected as in-person office interactions have come to a zero. - Fathima Farouk, AMD

We need to think beyond reskilling and create systems which can absorb such surprises and abrupt changes. - Subramanyam Sreenivasaiah, AscentHR

YourStory has also published the pocketbook ‘Proverbs and Quotes for Entrepreneurs: A World of Inspiration for Startups’ as a creative and motivational guide for innovators (downloadable as apps here: Apple, Android).