‘Innovation is no longer an option, but a necessity’ – 30 quotes from India’s COVID-19 struggle
In this compilation, we present thought-provoking quotes from the week of November 23-29 that frame India’s battle with the coronavirus pandemic.
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.
The universe is sending us a message: that if we mess with nature, there is a price we all have to pay. If there is a way when we can coexist with nature, include a way to care for nature in everything we do, it would go a long, long way. - Alia Bhatt, Ed-a-Mamma
People are concerned about health now. Going forward, there will be an increase in demand for medical devices of all types. - Vinod Kohli, Allied Medical Limited
The possibility of a release of several highly-effective vaccines soon gives us hope that there is an end date to the pandemic, even if it may not be immediate. - Rumki Majumdar, Deloitte India
Innovations in foodtech that can meet consumers’ increasing needs of convenience, health, the freshness of the products, and environmental sustainability will define the future of the foodtech industry. - Sarthak Gahlaut, Feastly
A large number of Delhi Police officers and subordinates after recovering from coronavirus have gone beyond the call of duty in saving the lives of COVID-19 patients. They donated plasma. - Eish Singhal, Delhi Police
Business Continuity Plan (BCP) is important from three different perspectives: customer retention, cost-effective product, and cash collection. - Padmaja Ruparel, IAN Fund
In today’s market, negative cash flow game is no longer attractive. - Kiran Hiriyanna, Schoolay
The COVID lockdown showed us that whopping amounts of money can be earned by skilled gamers even through participation in online-only multiplayer e-sports tournaments. - Parth Chadha, EWar Games
With default rates touching 60 percent in India due to COVID-19 pandemic, lenders are looking to contain/manage collections effectively. - Rishabh Goel, Credgenics
There has been a massive rush in the number of people getting into equity as an asset class over the recent years, and this number has further got a violent exponential push during this pandemic. - Rahul Ghose, MoneyFlix
Working capital and credit has traditionally been a constraint for small and medium businesses as they are often unable to access formal channels for loans. The pandemic has only exacerbated the issue. - Noopur Chaturvedi, PayU India
In conducting appraisals during this pandemic, there is no right or wrong option. You are going to face detractors, whatever option you choose. - Kumar Mayank, Zimyo
Most industries have shown tremendous agility in leveraging technologies and adapting to the new normal. The digitisation will grow further and create demand for electronic products. - Vijay Kumar Sachdeva, LRIPL
COVID era has changed the way businesses used to function and has shaped a new marketing framework for them. - Harsh Agrawal, ShoutMeLoud
Men sharing the household work and advanced technology and stable infrastructure enablement are bringing in change. - Radhika Ramesh, Capgemini
The pandemic has enhanced the need for flexibility, secure living, and the importance of communities. - Aditya Virwani, Embassy Group
Since most of our time is spent indoors glued to our respective screens, it is as important to have a clutter-free, cheerful, and inviting space to work along with an ergonomically appropriate chair and maintain a fixed schedule for work. - Pooja Narayan, NBMA
People are now trying to avoid community contact as much as possible and this has also reflected in consumer behaviour where consumers are leaning towards home deliveries from hyperlocal and ecommerce players or local stores equipped with delivery options. - Akash Gupta, ZYPP Electric Mobility
The public transport system in India is broken and overstressed. The pandemic has made the situation more delicate with heightened apprehensions around safety, hygiene, and sanitisation. - Siddharth Talwar, Lightbox Ventures
Social media community has seen a number of homegrown businesses emerge, especially during the lockdown – from gourmet foods, art and craft products, clothing, decors and what-not. - Akash Gehani, Instamojo
The COVID-19 situation has spurred contactless payments across all segments. Today, you see small merchants and grocery stores owners accepting digital payments. - Amitabh Kant, NITI Aayog
Due to COVID-19, many local offline news publications from rural and semi-urban areas have started turning to the online medium, but are not able to create an impact due to lack of right knowledge and resources. - JITO Angel Network
Small and medium businesses are among the most impacted by the pandemic across the world. This segment contributes to almost 40 percent of India’s GDP and it is essential that we make it simpler for them to make and accept payments, and access credit, in a seamless, digitised manner. - Shailesh Paul, Visa
The Indian startup ecosystem has set a global benchmark and remained resilient during this disruptive year. - Debjani Ghosh, Nasscom
The entrepreneurial mindset has come to the fore and reflects in the different tech-led interventions and solutions that have been introduced to address the social distancing challenges. - Amaresh Ojha, Gympik
With each challenge, comes a new opportunity to unleash our creativity and create something more beautiful than ever before. - Sanjeev Aggarwal, Orvi
The vision and courage of leaders shows up in times of crisis. - Manoj Kohli, SoftBank
You can't be panicking. If you're panicking, you're coming across as not leading from the front, you're not leading by example. - Rajesh Magow, MakeMyTrip
Ever since the lockdown in March, the pace at which founders have course corrected has been phenomenal. - Mukul Arora, Elevation Capital
Innovation is no longer an option, but a necessity. We have seen how the recent crisis has spurred the need for transformation; for organisations to adapt and innovate in order to emerge stronger. - Rajiv Sodhi, Microsoft India
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 Megha Reddy