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- Denis Giles
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By- Aditya Khatana
With over 207,722 number of deaths all over the world and over 887 number of deaths in India as of 27 April 2020 Covid-19 has spread a sense of fear, uncertainty, anxiety, depression and much more all over the globe.
With W.H.O. i.e. World Health Organisation declaring Covid-19 as “PANDEMIC” on march 11,2020 many countries took precautionary measures to contain its spread.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared nationwide lockdown on 24th march for the then next 21 days as a precautionary measure among many.
But soon after the lockdown people started facing some mental issues due to the sudden change in their environment and more precisely their lifestyle. People started getting negative about the situation which according to our human nature is quite obvious.
But here are some positives we should consider side by side.
Degrading Air pollution and revival of fresh oxygen:-
Just few months back before the lockdown governments of different states were playing “Blame game” for the pollution caused by stubble burning.
According to a report of Lancet study 350,000 children in India were reported asthmatic due to pollution 2015 and air pollution alone contributed over 1.2 million deaths in India in 2017 as per the reports by State of Global Air 2019.
But due to the lockdown as we all know industrial companies are shut and very less number of vehicles are on road resulting in giving fresh air to all.
Rivers are been cleaner and making habitable for marine life.
Several newspapers have reported about the reviving of Yamuna in Delhi and infact I.A.S. Deepak Rawat released a video on his Youtube channel about the current condition of rivers in his district.
Discovering inner self:-
Before lockdown each one of us used to complain about the lack of time for our hobbies but now as we have got it people are passionately following their hobbies. Many people have started doing painting, reading books and many have started trying their hands at Yoga.
It is said that painting reflects the inner condition of a person hence people are using different colours to bring joy in their lives. Yoga at this time is proving its worth. Yoga not only keeps us physically fit and flexible but mentally strong too. Performing yoga on daily basis and at such difficult time will reduce anxiety and depression which many of us are going through.
Moreover it will help us in concentrating which is very useful for the students who are among the ones who are mentally affected the most.
Plenty of time for family:-
According to a recent census around 1.36 million people in India are divorced and there are more than 100 old age homes in India. The main reason I consider behind this is lack of understanding which is caused by the lack of time.
We in our daily life are so busy that we forget that we have a family too, we forget that our time is also meant for them.
This lockdown has given us all time to press that restart button of our relationships be it with anyone. We should start it by helping each other in different household chores, we should surprise each other by making different food items.
And how can one forget to take out those old photographs and relive all those memories again.
The unsung heroes:-
We have always thought of rude, corrupted etc whenever the word Police or Collector came up to our mind. But now the scenerio is totally different Police and Administration along with Doctors are the one who are at the front foot in this fight against the COVID-19.
All of them are working day and night to safeguard us from this deadly virus and it becomes our duty to help them instead of pelting stones or cursing them.
The best way we can help them is by staying at home as much as possible and going out only for any emergency or purchasing essential commodities.
I’ll end it by saying- No doubt the fight is long but our morale is strong too.
Jai Hind!
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- Denis Giles
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It was after one of the recent G4, G8 or G20 summits, world leaders stood together for their final photo, all wearing COVID-19 prevention masks. But as the photographer with the biggest mask on his face, adjusted his camera, he saw a yellowish- green, six or eight legged monster ambling up to him, and taking hold of his camera, “Whoa, whoa!” he shouted as the world leaders pulled up their masks, “Who are you?”
“I’m Coronavirus!” said the six or eight-legged monster.
“Security!” shouted a flaxen haired President, “How did this creature get in!”
“The same way I got into your country!” smiled the Monster Virus, “With your border security force unable to detect and stop me!”
“What do you want?” quivered another leader, a prime minister shaking with fear, his beard twitching.
“To ask a few questions!” said the virus, “Here’s the first!” he said looking at the president, “Did you notice I climbed over every wall you built: Your medical drugs, your social distancing? Just look at me prancing on top of your research scientists, whooping over their heads! Did your walls succeed with me?”
“No!”
“And you still want to build them? And you sir!”
“Me?”
“Yes you! Heard you can make out who’s doing what by the clothes they wear? Did you notice I didn’t care less who was wearing what, as I made mincemeat of everyone? Did you notice?”
“Yes, please leave me alone, please!”
“And you Boris, with the funny hair, I know it’s all messed up more, after the time we spent together in the London ICU!”
“You’re not very good company, you quite roughed me up, you know?”
“Did I? Well, gave you some time to ponder on whether I differentiated twixt you and them others you wanted to exit from, social distancing from your neighbours across the Channel huh?”
“I’m sorry!”
“Listen world leaders! You, who use every opportunity to rule by division, do you realize I can do everything but cannot discriminate between any of you? Whether you be black, white, bearded, clean shaven, have sweet shapen, slanted eyes or myopic ones, that to me Sir Coronavirus, you are all the same!”
“Yes sir! May we go?” asked the President nervously.
“Not before a photograph!” said the yellowish- green six or eight legged monster gleefully, as he sang to the world,
Come Mr Photographer from wherever you have fled,
And let us send a message, a different one instead.
For I am going to stand with them, and when you shout out, ’Cheese’
I’ll put a hand on each of them, and their bodies I will tease!
And then the world will see and say, that if Corona cannot discriminate,
Then who are we to do so, with racist and communal hate?
And the world understands as the Monster Virus continues to drive home this message ..!
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I did not know his name.
Everyday, I went up to my terrace and smiled back as he gave me a smile. I looked at his work as with skill and dexterity, with sharp eye and nimble hand, he shaped and moulded my once broken terrace wall, into straight lines, strict and exact! With a quick turn of hand, his little spade lifted slurry cement from rusty basin, then with fluid flow and flourish, the cement flew, and with careful use of precise force, it gripped fast on roughhewn wall, fighting gravity, yet settling meticulously!
I watched his skill each morning, and knew his little team called him their mukadam, their leader: His work told me why!
But..
I did not know his name!
Then yesterday I saw his picture. Wasn’t that him? His little team, their wives, their children? He stood at Bandra bus-stand with other thousands, protesting, pleading, petitioning the police, to let him return home.
Was it him again in another newspaper pic, another state, UP? Police lathis mercilessly falling on his pleading palm? The very hand I’d seen wielding artistic spade!
Did I see him again, walking, hundreds, nay a thousand kilometres, holding pathetically skinny child in equally wasted arms, while his woman, eyes downcast walked behind, beaten!
I did not know his name! Sometimes, at his lunchtime, I’d come up in the blazing sun, and see him laughing as his companions talked to their wives and family on whatsapp. I’d surreptitiously peep and see a pretty village belle, laughing to her man, and in his eyes I’d see love.
Did I see same man rushing, that day, holding in his mind, that precious, pretty woman, he wanted to get back to? Thinking I don’t want to die in this unwelcoming city, I want her arms around me, for which I’ll pay a price, to hell with this new word, the police are brandishing, ‘social distancing!’ What social distancing was there in the nakas, the street corners where they jostled with each other every morning to be picked for work? What distancing in the nights, in a room, where twenty slept, spooned into each other? Not for love or intimacy, but to use each available square inch to fit themselves to sleep!
I did not know his name! But now I know! The city gave him one: Migrant Labour! I cannot stop the tears that gush out, had he none other? Was that all we knew of him?
Was that all we could give him, besides lathi lashes, no transport to his home, and empty plates with videos taken when unripe banana was handed out?
The work has stopped. The cement, dried in buckets, they did not come back for. On walls, on nails they’d hammered, hang work clothes. I look sadly at rags, the wind makes alive as it flaps, frayed pants and shirts around. A faded shirt, flaps lifelessly, then stills itself, just like Migrant Labour, either lying still, filled with the deadly virus, or stilled by starvation, somewhere, on some highway!
I did not know his name! Do you?
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Scholarship Name 1: Burning Questions Fellowship Awards 2020
Description: Tiny Beam Fund’s Burning Questions Initiative (BQI), a non-profit foundation has announced this scholarship for doctoral and post-doctoral researchers around the world. The fellowship aims at addressing the negative impacts of global industrial food animal production especially in low and middle-income countries.
Eligibility: PhD degree holder or enrolled for PhD from around the world can apply for this fellowship.
Prizes & Rewards: Selected fellows wil get financial award up to USD 25,000.
Last Date to Apply: 11-05-2020
Application mode: Apply online
Short Url: www.b4s.in/ac/BQF5
Scholarship Name 2: YLAC Counter Speech Fellowship with Instagram 2020
Description: Young Leaders for Active Citizenship (YLAC) has announced this fellowship for the Indian children in Class 8 to 12. The fellowship is a platform for exceptional teen leaders to use the power of visual storytelling to drive change.
Eligibility: Indian students in Classes 8 to 12 who are aged between 13 and 18 years can apply for this fellowship.
Prizes & Rewards: The selected fellows will have an opportunity to attend a fully-funded 2-month training program.
Last Date to Apply: 10-05-2020
Application mode: Apply online
Short Url: www.b4s.in/ac/YLA4
Scholarship Name 3: Empowerment and Equity Opportunities for Excellence in Science 2020
Description: Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), India is offering this award to Indian researchers belonging to SC and ST categories. This scheme aims to provide research support to them and facilitate their equal participation in research and development in the field of Science & Technology. The selected candidates will receive financial benefits.
Eligibility: Indian active researcher from the ST or SC community, holds a PhD degree and is working for at least four years on a regular basis in academic institutions/national lab or any other recognized R&D institutions in the field of Science and Engineering, can apply for this scholarship.
Prizes & Rewards: Selected stdents will get funding up to INR 50 Lac, equipment, manpower, consumables, travel and contingency allowance and other benefits over the period of 3 years.
Last Date to Apply: 06-05-2020
Application mode: Apply online
Short Url: www.b4s.in/ac/EEO5
Courtesy - buddy4study.com
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- Denis Giles
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Scholarship Name 1: NIT Warangal Junior Research Fellowship 2020
Description:
National Institute of Technology (NIT) Warangal in colaboration with Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Government of India has offered this scholarship for the BE/BTech and ME/MTech students. The fellowship is applicable for a sponsored research project titled - 'Non-destructive damage detection and damage quantification on composite (HAP) panels'.
Eligibility:
Indian BE/BTech and ME/MTech students with 60% aggregate or 6.5 CGPA on a 10 point scale can apply for this scholarship. ME/MTech degree holders in specializations of Structural Engineering or Applied Mechanics or allied specializations from a recognised university/institution are also eligible. Applicants should be under the age of 32 years.
Prizes & Rewards:
Selected students will get a monthly allowance of INR 31,000 for the first 2 years and other benefits.
Last Date to Apply: 23-04-2020
Application mode: Apply online
Short Url: www.b4s.in/ac/NWJ3
Scholarship Name 2: Sardar Patel Scholarship for Students Pursuing Graduation 2020
Description:
Buddy4Study India Foundation invites scholarship applications from students studying in the 1st/2nd year of graduation. The scholarship programme is meant to support the higher education of deserving underprivileged students.
Eligibility:
The scholarship is open for students studying in the 1st/2nd year of a 3-year graduation programme (in any stream) from a recognised university/institution. The annual income of the family should be less than INR 6 lakhs per annum.
Prizes & Rewards:
Selected students will get scholarship of INR 15,000
Last Date to Apply: 31-05-2020
Application mode: Apply online
Short Url: www.b4s.in/ac/SPS1
Scholarship Name 3: Keep India Smiling Foundational Scholarship Programme
Description:
Colgate-Palmolive (India) Ltd. is giving young students an opportunity to pursue their academic/career aspirations by providing them with scholarships for education. This scholarship program provides financial aid to students pursuing studies at various post-matric and undergraduate levels to continue their education and proceed towards a career of their choice.
Eligibility:
Students who have passed Class 10 with at least 75% marks or Class 12 with at least 60% marks in 2019 board exams are eligible to apply for the scholarship program for pursuing their higher secondary, 3-year graduation, 4-year engineering, Diploma programme and 1-year vocational course studies respectively. Annual Family income of all applicants must be less than INR 5 Lakhs per annum.
Prizes & Rewards:
Selected scholars can avail scholarship award of up to INR 30,000 per year for up to 3 years of studies depending on their current level of education
Last Date to Apply: 30-04-2020
Application mode: Apply online
Short Url: www.b4s.in/ac/KISSP01
Courtesy - buddy4study.com