Shobha Katuru became the first woman in her village to bag an IT Job as a Data Engineer. Her determination to decide the course of her life was stronger than all hurdles that came her way.
In 2017, Midhun registered as a potential blood stem cell donor. Cut to May 2020 and he received a call about being a match for a blood cancer patient. Just before he was slated to travel to Bengaluru for the procedure, he came down with COVID but refused to be bogged down by it. After making a full recovery, he finally made the journey from Kerala for the procedure.
Arshad Ahmad Pandith was hit by three bullets in his spinal cord, in the year 1995, which left him paraplegic for a lifetime. Today, Arshad works at the Advanced Centre For Human Genetics, SKIMS, drives his own car, and instills hope in the young generation.
Suyash Jain, who is an entrepreneur, started the ‘Feeding Ones In Need’ initiative to help blue-collar workers’ families by providing them ration kits during the second wave. Jain has been awarded ‘Humanitarian Award 2021’ by Global Mental Health Association (USA).
From being unable to walk 50 steps in one go, Jaishree Shinde now runs marathons with crutches. She has been an inspiration to people who think that physical disabilities can define one’s mental ability.
Dr Jagriti Varshney has been working on the frontline since the pandemic situation began. She says that as doctors they are doing as much as they can to help the situation. Staying away from their families, putting the interest of our patients above anything else; the journey has not been easy so far. She requests everyone to follow COVID related norms and stay vigilant.
Hemanshi Kamani works as a freelance photojournalist with Reuters. She is one out of the six females working as a photojournalist in print media in Mumbai. As the nature of her work assignment demands her to be out on the field, she is constantly hustling. However, she is now used to the nature of her work and wants that photojournalists should also be treated as frontline workers.
Being away from home was particularly difficult simply because this is the first time, she went through such a situation. “The youth demands to be independent. However, when you are sick and in need, you crave parental and emotional support,” said Ardra.
Vritti Narula, a resident of Chandigarh, along with her brother started strawberry farming during the lockdown. However, with abundant fresh produce and an overwhelming response, the siblings decided to take it up full-time.
Jyotsna Bhardwaj, a journalist, has been spending her waking hours, every day, trying to coordinate with the people across the country on social media, verifying the leads and arranging for crucial medical supplies for the deprived amid the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
