‘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.

‘You can’t predict or control the future. You can only adapt’ – 30 quotes from India’s COVID-19 battle

Monday July 06, 2020,

5 min Read

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 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.


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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).