‘A namaste will work for the time being’ – 40 quotes from India’s COVID-19 battle
In this compilation, we present inspiring quotes from the week of June 22-28 that frame India’s phased emergence from the COVID-19 lockdown.
Launched in 2014, StoryBites is a weekly feature from , 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.
In a crisis, one definitely has to be calm... The leader who panics in a crisis won't be able to do anything. - Deep KalraMake,
If you can navigate these times, where everything about your model is tested, the future can be attractive. - Lizzie Chapman,
Instead of complaining and questioning, when we are faced with such an unprecedented crisis, go and make that six degrees of impact. - Poonam Paul, ApnaMask.org
Paint every day as your masterpiece. - Kaustubh Sonalkar, Essar Foundation
In this time, if one does not have a digital mindset, irrespective of the size, your organisation will be a thing of the past. - Abhijit Kishore, Vodafone Idea
This crisis has made it imperative to digitally transform our places of work. - Manish Dalal, Endurance Group
Enterprises are looking at how the level of human interaction can be future-proofed. - Ajith Nayar, Camcom
Most organisations will need to provide a remote-first employee experience for the foreseeable future. - Sheetal Nair, DSS Group
Many organisations have now implemented collaboration technologies, and this will pave the way for a more fluid knowledge-sharing experience. - Balaji Iyer, Grant Thornton
We recognise that recovery will come in different stages for different businesses and navigating the digital world can be a daunting experience for many. - Shalini Girish, Google
The cloud stack is proving to be a critical tool for business continuity for startups and corporates. - Gokul Tandan, CloudConnect
The bigger challenge is that SMEs expect you to be their one-stop solutions provider. - Thomson Skariah, Rapidor
India is home to 30 million small and medium enterprises, with many of them at the nascent stage of their digital transformation. - Aravind Sanka, Rapido
Revenue sharing partnerships should be arranged to get through these times. - Darshan Hiranandani, ASSOCHAM
The crisis has stimulated the consumer’s awareness of a restored immune system and how holistic wellness can boost immunity levels in the body. - Natashya Phillips Coutinho, LCHHS
With the anxiety around the disease, people are seeking “back to roots” or “traditional” remedies, such as immunity boosters to seek comfort. - Ayush Verma, Anthill Ventures
We all wear social masks but often there is a gulf between who we are with others and who are alone. - Dhawal Trivedi, TERI
Today, masks available in the market only cover the nose and mouth. But as per research, the virus can enter the human body through eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. - Hetika Shah, SISE
Telemedicine can expand the reach, yet it cannot replace a solid healthcare framework, which is subject to skillful doctors and suppliers. - Ruchir Mehra, Remedo
Patient consent is mandatory for any telemedicine consultation and may be implied or explicit. - Sharda Balaji and Amol Chitnis, NovoJuris Legal
The world needs people who save lives. - Frederick Buechner
A clear case is to be made here for collaboration — the speed of early-stage healthtech startups coupled with the sheer scale of healthcare incumbents makes for a formidable match against this invisible enemy. - Zaran Bhagwagar, A-Scale
Medical visas should have zero fees for the next six months to one year; this will be an incentive to medical tourism patients to visit India. - Dalip Chopra, FHP India
Employees often start feeling demotivated as the whole lockdown situation becomes very exhausting mentally. - Divij Bajaj, Power Gummies
To increase footfalls, retailers may have to offer discounts while also incurring higher costs to ensure adherence to social distancing. - Gautam Shahi, Crisil
What we have seen is a behaviour shift from ecommerce being just a convenience to a necessity. - Vineet Rao, DealShare
The challenge going forward would be to focus on developing a more local and flexible supply chain while ensuring price competitiveness. - Akshay Hegde, ShakeDeal
Safety from coronavirus is the topmost concern of commuters. - Amit Gupta, Yulu
There will be a need for overhauling infrastructure, working closely with startups and private organisations, and a push towards electric infrastructure. - CN Ashwath Narayan, DCM, Karnataka
As COVID-19 leads to an increase in unemployment and as companies turn to freelance and part-time staff in favour of full-time ones, we may witness an increase in demand for flexible working spaces. - Tanya Aggarwal, Anthill Ventures
Mobile phones have become a new mask, almost, enabling people to socially connect without the risk of catching the virus. - Devendra Chawla, Spencer's
We are witnessing a huge demand and traction for virtual technical events and conferences as they are great platforms to learn from experts. - Hari Kiran Kumar G, Konfhub
This crisis has brought online learning to the forefront and has helped parents, teachers and students alike to experience and understand the value of it. - Byju Raveendran,
Schools will have to re-align their functions and strategies in order to address safety concerns and anxiety of parents in sending children back to schools. - Vibhuti Taneja, EDCel Consulting
With domestic travel opening up first, content in the travel space will need to get more local. This will necessitate a shift from content focusing on dream destinations. - Joseph Khaw, Anthill Ventures
Masks and hand sanitisers will become common and you’ll see social distancing protocols being implemented not just within buses but at boarding points and rest stops too. - Prakash Sangam, redBus
Thermal scans, temperature recordings, facial and heartbeat analysis may just become part of the new normal. - Shashwat Das, WOW Design
Hygiene and safety will be key differentiators in post-pandemic restaurant operations. - Anurag Katriar, NRAI
There are restaurants in other countries that are using empty tables as a showcase for artists to display their work. - Visakh Viswambharan, Cuppa
This year, delivery will be normal. - Sagar Daryani, Wow! Momo
Companies are also installing a digital infrared thermometer, which displays real-time body temperature of delivery executives in mobile apps for ensuring better safety and customer trust. - Saahil Goel, Shiprocket
People will shift majorly to food delivery with big brands that they can trust for safety and hygiene. - Kaushik Roy, Biryani by Kilo
A namaste will work for the time being... hugs and handshakes can wait. - Meenakshi Vijay, Blue Ocean IMC
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).
(Edited by Teja Lele Desai)
