‘You can’t predict or control the future. You can only adapt’ – 30 quotes from India’s COVID-19 battle
In this compilation, we present inspiring quotes from the week of June 29 – July 5 that frame India’s phased emergence from the coronavirus 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 focusses 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.
Productivity is not hit by working from home. In fact, burnout is a greater concern. - Anuradha Bharat, Razorpay
You can’t predict or control the future. You can only adapt. You can, however, live in the present. - Raghav Mathur, RPM Euro Games
The migrant crisis has been burgeoning at an unprecedented scale. A clear notice by the government a few days before the lockdown would have really served the cause. - Swara Bhasker
Local businesses that offer impactful solutions and support communities are making a case against the sustainability of purely price-led consumer decision-making. - Aarathi Kumar, WRI
COVID-19 did not destroy the economy, it was the disruptive catalyst that highlighted the weaknesses in this unsustainable system. - Arthur Shelley, Intelligent Answers
Unless the platform you make connects with the people, you will not succeed. Make platforms that resonate with the common man. - Union IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad
The ongoing business disruption requires an urgent response. - Avnish Sabharwal, Accenture Ventures
Thermal imaging cameras can monitor moving crowds and scan their temperatures, thus eliminating the need to check individuals separately. - Amol Boyatkar, Tuchware Systems & Solutions
Companies, restaurants, housing societies, and manufacturing plants need effective screening solutions. - Sushant Reddy, Arvi
The increasing focus on following physical distancing and maintaining cleanliness in the wake of the viral outbreak will outlast the lockdown. - Anindya Dutta, Stanza Living
People who are going to thrive are those who can compartmentalise their life and bring in self-discipline. - Raj Raghunathan, University of Texas, Austin
The pandemic has been an opportunity that has brought the PPE industry to the fore. - Rajesh Nigam, Karam
We need to adopt a holistic and participatory approach to mental health. - Siddhika Ayyer, Gleneagles Global Hospitals
Immunity building is not a one-day task, it has to be a habit. - Ameve Sharma, Baidyanath
The pandemic has shown us that despite the constraints on interaction, it is highly important to stay connected, for all of us are social by nature. - Khushal Katara, MotivatedSteps
In the current fast-paced business environment, taking your business online is mandatory and no longer optional. - Anurag Avula, Shopmatic
The DNA of a company will define how fast they will recover and how they use data to lead in their business. - Subram Natarajan, IBM India
Technology helps MSMEs to be competitive, more productive and efficient in a global environment. - Vivek Bindra, Bada Business
Video conferencing has become an integral part of our daily life. - Manodh Mohan, Skyislimit Technologies
Digitisation is very important for MSMEs. - Union Minister for MSMEs Nitin Gadkari
Investing in an affordable home is a viable option that is sure to be a financially sound move. - Deepak Goradia, Dosti Realty
Customers are looking for brands that can convey simple stories and connect to their thinking in the post COVID world. - Durga Madhab Dash, Styched
Doorstep delivery of diesel has boomed during COVID-19 because people don’t want to venture out and expose themselves. - Sanya Goel, Humsafar
We will see a ‘stop and start’ for the whole entertainment ecosystem. - Parikshit Dar, BookMyShow
The demand for commercial spaces and willingness to create differentiated spaces will bounce back in a couple of quarters. - Kunal Sharma, Flipspaces
Opportunities exist for both David and Goliath in this new world order to streamline their operational mediums to achieve seamless objectivity. - Sandip Chhettri, TradeIndia
It is heartening to see Indian startups continue to prove their resilience by developing innovative solutions, that would help society cope with the pandemic on a daily basis. - Debjani Ghosh, NASSCOM
Businesses need technology to improve. Entrepreneurs must have a vision and understanding of how their business will be a year down the line. - Gaurav Khatri, Noise Audio
Investors are pushing startup leaders to keep a close tab on business expenditures and find out ways to optimise their resources and extend their runway. - Abhay Vohra, Burgeon Law
The big investors are waiting in the sidelines as nobody is sure how Covid-19 is going to evolve. - V Balakrishnan, Exfinity Ventures
Internet-based ecommerce startups need more regulatory and policy support than economic packages. - Rameesh Kailasam, IndiaTech.org
Everyone needs to go back to the drawing board to see how they could tweak their business models to do things differently. - Harshala Chandorkar, TransUnion CIBIL
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).