‘The pandemic has been a great teacher’ – 25 quotes from India’s COVID-19 struggle
In this compilation, we present thought-provoking quotes from the week of March 22-28 that frame India’s battle with the COVID-19 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 focus 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.
Personal hygiene is no longer a choice, but a necessity. It is essential for our safety and the well-being of the people around us. That’s the biggest lesson the pandemic has taught us. - Kavin Kumar Kandaswamy, MY
Vaccine partnerships are the only way to overcome the pandemic. - Kirill Dmitriev, RDIF
The biggest lesson learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic is that compounded global supply chains can grind to a halt by even a single broken chain. - Manish Bhatnagar, SKF India
The pandemic broke the music industry worldwide and demolished the systems in place. - Sonya Mazumdar, EarthSync
Understanding the altered needs of customers in these times and adapting to the change with a little help from technology might accelerate the recovery of the overall restaurant industry. - Kushang Kumar, Supplynote
In the light of the pandemic, the mall experience has changed considerably. Patrons entering the mall are now mandated to temperature checks, mask checks, and sanitisation protocols. - Mukesh Kumar, Infiniti Mall
While no business could safeguard themselves against the pandemic, the smaller businesses were impacted far more. - Sandeep Singh, Spayee
The office of the future will be a network of smaller, flexible, and safety-driven places that benefit both the employees and the company. - Amit Ramani, Awfis
The pandemic has put the spotlight on sourdough bread, with home kitchens abuzz with more activity than ever before. - Aditi Handa, The Baker’s Dozen
The pandemic has probably taken the Internet from a "nice to have" to a core utility for a large proportion of the population and businesses. - Deepak Gupta, WEH Ventures
2020 saw the mainstreaming of online education. People had looked at online as somewhat inferior to classroom education across categories. 2020 busted that myth forever. - Ashwin Damera, Eruditus Executive Education
Customer retention by online platforms has improved as these platforms have emerged as one of the lifelines for consumers during COVID-19. - Saurav Chachan, RedSeer
Post the pandemic, faster delivery, zero shipping charges, ratings and review information, and broader selection will be the key drivers of ecommerce growth. - Sachin Taparia, LocalCircles
The adoption of new technologies (in logistics) was further propelled by unprecedented developments over the past year. - Avinash Raghav, Shift Freight
The combination of the uncertainty of 2020 and the accelerated digital adoption in the year saw Indians leverage their time spent online for the determined pursuit of progress. – Google 'Year in Search' report
It is no surprise that many consumer services and product companies are realigning their online strategies to achieve long-term strategic goals impelled by the pressures of the pandemic. - Amit Srivastava, Nutrify India
If COVID-19 starts spreading at a higher rate, the bull market may become cautious. In that case, IPOs may have to be postponed. - Chandra Gupta Subudhi
Despite challenges in terms of logistical lockdowns and operational instability, French companies invested heavily towards COVID-related CSR initiatives in India. - IFCCI
In this new world, investing in innovation to adapt to a dynamic environment isn't just recommended but is essential to survive and thrive. - Vivasvan Shastri, Cisco
We’ll soon be looking back on this crazy time and appreciating the strength we didn’t know we had. - Deepthi Ravula, WEHub
In a world where everyone likes to be in control, it’s tough to give that sense of surety up. - Sanjana Shah, Tao Art Gallery
Life is challenging and unpredictable, but we cannot afford to stay in our comfort zone. So be ready to face anything. - Elizabeth Rani
It remains to be seen whether we will learn from what nature is teaching us about our arrogance. - Jee Yuan Lim, Chitra Santhe
The pandemic has been a great teacher. We grew better at listening, not assuming that everyone’s realities are the same, and focusing on things that truly mattered above all. - Mankiran Chowhan, SAP Concur
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 Suman Singh
