‘To have a dignified life is a basic human right, and so is having a dignified death’ – 30 quotes from India’s COVID-19 struggle
In this compilation, we present thought-provoking quotes from the week of May 24-30 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 primary defensive wall of our fortress remains our healthcare facilities and their infrastructure. - Parikipandla Narhari, Government of Madhya Pradesh
It is important to look at different stages of the disease progression and look at options that can reduce a patient's suffering and discomfort. - Sharvil Patel, Cadila Healthcare
The only way to halt the ongoing growth in infection is by vaccinating a maximum of Indians. - Rajat Gupta, TESSOL
We are witnessing a lot of people unassumingly becoming the virus’s carriers, and that explains the much sharper spike in infections. - Vaibhav Tewari, Portea Medical
The community has and will always play a strong role. A pandemic of this magnitude can be combatted only with community efforts. - Gaurav Gupta, BBMP
Where people in Singapore followed every government rule and safety norms to a tee, most people in India were not taking the precautions seriously. - Sushi Krishna, Nyrrvana
There are also many black marketeers who are trying to sell these essentials at 20x-30x price, taking advantage of people’s helplessness. - Ramanuj Mukherjee, Lawyers Against COVIFRAUD
There is an urgent need to de-stigmatise mental health through talking about it and circulating information on media. - Garima Juneja, Lightroom Therapy
Future corporate employee wellness solutions must address mental health as much as they prioritise physical health. - Anjan Pathak, Vantage Circle
The lack of social engagement and a sense of isolation have also accentuated the importance of companies going the extra mile to ensure a more inclusive and stimulating work culture to provide adequate motivation for their employees. - Mitalee Dabral, ShareChat
Music can be therapeutic to address the physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals. - Vishala Khurana, The Sound Space
Several COVID-19 cases are also being treated and handled remotely over calls or WhatsApp. Due to this, it becomes difficult for the doctors to keep a tab on every patient’s data. - Atul Gupta, Inspiria Knowledge Campus
The pandemic has only further accelerated the adoption of technology, making automation integral to facilitating competent and well-organised supply chains. - Saahil Goel, Shiprocket
Not only has technology begun playing a greater role in the way users are engaging with brands in the post-pandemic landscape, but many are also more willing to communicate with brands on digital channels. - Harsha Solanki, Infobip
Cloud kitchens are mushrooming everywhere. In fact, the pandemic has only pushed more competition into the market as food deliveries are the most preferred mode of consuming outside food. - Porus Arora, Enoki Hospitality
While the pandemic brought to the forefront the digital divide as far as K-12 education is concerned, the worst impact is on kids who have lost their parents or an earning member of the family. - Pulkit Jain, Vedantu
As is with any other natural disaster or pandemic, the children are disproportionately affected by the pandemic. It has resulted in an increase in poverty, internal migration, closure of schools, and loss of livelihood for millions. - Shivani Bhaskar, Save The Children India
As we saw during the first wave as well, the larger companies were able to come out of it much faster. We are seeing that MSMEs are facing the brunt of issues now. - Vineet Agarwal, ASSOCHAM
Although India's second COVID-19 wave has started to recede, the related economic costs have been larger owing to the more stringent lockdowns. - Rahul Bajoria, Barclays
Like MSMEs, India’s $854 billion retail industry was also badly affected last year. Therefore, retailers will benefit from working in tandem with MSMEs. - Akash Anand, DEERIKA
The second wave and related lockdowns and curfews and their impact on the economy have once again brought along very high levels of uncertainty, struggles, and challenges for MSMEs and startups. - LocalCircles survey
The pandemic has made women look at alternative modes of investment due to the spread of information by media and the availability of online education material. - Satvik Vishwanath, Unocoin
Complex problems like pandemics, climate change, and political polarisation call on us to stay mentally flexible. - Adam Grant, 'Think Again'
This pandemic has shown us the truth of the old cliché that change is the only constant, and so, we as entrepreneurs need to ADAPT to that change. - Vijay Sambamurthi, Lexygen
COVID-19 has allowed us all to look beyond and explore radical ideas which seemed irrelevant at a point in time. - Abhishek Chandrashekar, Royal Brothers
History is replete with examples of adversity and crisis, but human resilience ensures that we grow despite odds stacked against us. - Kayzad Hiramanek, Bajaj Allianz Life
Our human compassion binds us the one to the other – not in pity or patronisingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future. - V K Paul, NITI Aayog
To have a dignified life is a basic human right, and so is having a dignified death. - Akshaya, Here I Am Last Rites and Funeral Squad
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