Survive, revive, thrive – 35 quotes from India’s COVID-19 battle

Launched in 2014, StoryBites is a weekly feature from YourStory, 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.

COVID-19 is still a threat, and until a cure or vaccine is developed, it is important to flatten the curve. - Prasanta Dash, UNICEF

Currently, there are very less ambulances for non-COVID patients, but it’s important not to forget those who are in pain because of deadly diseases like cancer. - Pooja Kumari, UberMedic

There has been a slew of successful endeavours wherein diseases and infections were diagnosed by examining the condition of a person’s lung using AI. - Rahul Panicker, WIAI

Mental health has come to the forefront with the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, and the space has seen a huge surge in demand. - Pankaj Chaddah, Mindhouse

With social distancing norms in place, many women are unable to contact their regular support systems. - Rekha Sharma, NCW

Regular physical activity has always had a profound positive impact on relieving stress and boosting our overall mood. - Akash Raghavan, COVID Fit Club

Yoga is giving us not only the physical strength, but also mental balance and emotional stability to confidently negotiate the challenges before us. - PM Narendra Modi

During this quarantine period, the relationship between your interiors and its influence on your body or mind can be worked upon to create an energetic and healthy environment. - Parul Mittal, Greenlam Industries

To prevent any sort of communication fatigue from view yourself, simply turn off the camera feature whenever you’re not presenting or not expected to talk. - Bhavin Turakhia, Flock- #1 Team Messenger

ALSO READ

This mother-son duo provides free masks to the underprivileged through their mask vending machine in Delhi

Technology’s biggest irony is that it has isolated, connected, and unified mankind simultaneously. - Sharad Mehra, Global University Systems

India is also ruminating about the potential of cleaning robots in combating the pandemic. - Apoorv Ranjan Sharma, Venture Catalysts

Cybersecurity has become a ‘must have’. It’s a minimum hygienic must-have. If you don’t have that, your survival is in question. - Saket Modi, Lucideus

With people preferring digital transactions over venturing out of their homes, there has been a spike in demand for online bill payments and recharges, especially in Tier-II and III cities. - Aloke Bajpai, ixigo

During the COVID-19 crisis, there is a lot of liquidity required in the MSME sector. - George Alexander Muthoot, Muthoot Finance

In addition to MSMEs, sectors like aviation, hospitality, automobile, and real estate are suffering a lot. Except for MSMEs, the government has not provided any industry specific stimulus to revive these industries. - Vikas Wadhawan, Housing.com

ALSO READ

Father’s Day: This father-son duo built a Rs 1,200 Cr coaching institute, produced two lakh doctors and engineers

The startup ecosystem is always doing interesting things and collaboration is the key because agility and innovation is their forte. - Ramnath Venkataraman, Accenture

Ultimately, it's a combination, short spurts of war and long spurts of peace in startup world. - Avnish Bajaj, Matrix Partners

Edtech and healthtech startups have been recording positive growth since the coronavirus pandemic. - Saji Gopinath, KSUM

As the industry starts tightening its expenses and investments in a world post-COVID, fintechs will be a catalyst to faster digitisation and hence financial inclusion. - Shailesh Paul, Visa

Angel investors will see an exit when large companies come in and invest in a startup. - Rohit M A

All entrepreneurs have a strong vision and a weak sense of purpose. Staying rooted to that is going to be important. - Roopa Kudva, Omidyar Network India

Relook at the model, and if need be, look at pivoting it at a fast pace to cater to current restrictions and working format. - Anurag Jhanwar, Fintrust Advisors

ALSO READ

Rock concert initiative WE, led by 19-year-old Mrinalini Somani, raises over Rs 70L to help underprivileged youth

Challenges or ideathons can be organised for employees to come up with innovative suggestions and tools to cut expenses and increase revenue from new segments of the operating market. - Rama Iyer, T-Hub

With the market situation slowly heading towards normalcy, PR strategies will give the companies the much-needed boost. - Tanusree Gupta, Brancon Communication

A crisis is the perfect time to let the business grow, and explore avenues that company leaders have been apprehensive about. - Ar. Himani Ahuja, One Digital

The only way to overcome the impact of lockdown is to focus on leading by example. - Yukti Nagpal, Gulshan Homz

It is vital to remember some important things might always be cast in stone. And it is in respecting their resolute nature the pathway to success is laid. - Vinay Kanchan, ‘Sportivity'

Co-working spaces are all poised to be re-programmed in a post-COVID scenario with a prudent utilisation of space, resources, and technology. - Chulamas Jitpatima, MQDC India

While protecting employees and the public is on everyone’s priority, it is also crucial for the fleet managers to handle their assets remotely, take business risks, and monitor budgets. - Vikram Kumar, Letstrack

The demand for private jets has been flourishing at a time when the overall industry has been engulfed by the maelstrom of the COVID-19 pandemic. - Abhishek Kulkarni, Urbane Luxury Ventures

ALSO READ

Safe hygiene practices can protect you from coronavirus

Now more than ever, online education is a critical need for millions of young children who do not have access to regular classrooms. - Adarsh Nair, Bharti Airtel

The ongoing global crisis calls for evolution on a recurring basis, especially amid the online education space which seems to be the only way forward, owing to its robustness and accessibility. - Ronnie Screwvala, upGrad

It is important to introduce skill development opportunities and training to potential individuals in areas where existing players don’t go beyond the curriculum. - Amit B Wadhwani, SEMSI

Due to the COVID-19 lockdown, most of the institutes are currently facing a lot of difficulties from conducting online classes to getting students for their new session. - Ravi Nishant, Edvizo

No one should be forced to go to sleep on an empty stomach. - Prakash Bhardwaj, WeCare

It is very hectic, but also gratifying and satisfying to feel that you are able to make a difference in the lives of people rather than watching from the sidelines. - Kanika Goyal, IIM Women for Social Action

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).