COVID #VaccinesSaveLives #VaccinesWork

In January, India started vaccinating frontline workers. My brother, a practising physician, told me that I only needed my medical council license to get the shot. After asking him to call me when he was going to get vaccinated I decided that I didn't need it on priority then. I was not at risk of serious disease because of my age and health and I always wear a mask.

In a few weeks, the misinformation on vaccination started. So did the jokes on the Prime Minister for not vaccinating himself. As a leader, PM Modi should have vaccinated himself first. I am sure his team must have evaluated the pros and cons. If he had vaccinated himself first he may have faced criticism for being selfish. But, the delay allowed political opponents to sow seeds of doubt that he was waiting due to fear.

Again, I evaluated, whether to get myself vaccinated and influence people around me. Or, to wait my turn. I felt conflicted about taking up someone else's turn. I was also confused about whether I was up in my head over-rating the influence I had. I decided to wait. In the meanwhile, my parents got vaccinated and the second wave started showing signs. I started urging people to go vaccinate themselves, their parents, and grandparents.

Recently I came to know I had to travel for work and went and got myself vaccinated immediately. I thought with over 10 crore people vaccinated in India there was no need to take a #VaccineSelfie. This morning, an alarmed friend pointed me to a series of posts by a former colleague. The posts reeked of irresponsible misinformation, conspiracy theories, and 'expert' opinions. I have been deeply troubled since.

In India, we know 1.5 crore people got affected by COVID-19 of whom over 1.77 lakh have lost their lives. At the end of March, there were 180 deaths due to AEFI Adverse Events Following Immunisation (AEFI). While India had vaccinated 6 crore people then, now it's at 12 crores. Do the math for yourself you are 4,000 more likely to die of COVID compared to vaccination. The benefits of vaccination greatly outweigh the risks, and many more illnesses and deaths would occur without vaccines.

In the next few weeks-months, vaccines may become more widely available. If you are lucky, you may come to know of vaccines available at the end of the day at a vaccination centre near you. Or if you live in a city that's silently vaccinating everyone (ref) go get yourself vaccinated.

Trust in science, don't believe in fake news. Be responsible, don't spread misinformation. I am #Covishielded. Get Vaccinated when your turn comes #VaccinesSaveLives #VaccinesWork

Also, you will find this short video informative on #Covid vaccines #MustWatch

If you are cynical about data from India, please do note that Covishield is manufactured in India under license from AstraZeneca. The vaccine is administered in other countries as well, I will be updating this post with further references

Canada has reported 2 AEFI after 700,000 injections - Reference

Lead Read by Give India

Quick catch-ups with thought leaders in the social sector. Original Post

STARTED by a small group of friends in 2006, Bhumi provides the youth with a platform to serve the society and bridges the gap between the educated and the uneducated. Bhumi today is one of India’s largest independent non-profit organisations for youth volunteering.

It enables a pool of about 25,000 volunteers who educate and mentor children from orphanages, slum and village community centres across the country to give them a better future. The learning experience is mutual – volunteers gain perspective and the experience to mould themselves into tomorrow’s leaders.

In this first of a new series of quick catch-ups with thought leaders in the social sector, we had a chat with Bhumi co-founder Dr. Prahalathan KK to know what makes him tick as the head of an NGO  – and as a person:

Q. Share one of your first experiences of being involved in the social sector? A moment that is significant to you in some way

I still remember my first class as a teaching volunteer in 2006,  what I experienced shocked me into continuing what we started. 

We were allocated a group of middle school kids at a shelter home in Chennai, where we divided the kids into groups and split ourselves to ‘teach’ them. The first class was an ice breaker – we introduced ourselves, why we were there. When we asked them what they wanted to learn, they asked for lessons in English, Computers, Maths & Science.

It was a two-hour session, and we found that some children were struggling to write their names in English, so we helped them. One of the children gave up and said she could not do it!

To ease the mood we then switched to a small pop quiz on general knowledge – Who is the PM of India, who is the President, the national anthem, father of the nation, etc. When one of the children said she did not know the capital of Tamil Nadu, I felt incredulous and refused to believe her. I then realised there were a few others in our class who did not know it either.

The class soon got over, we bid goodbye promising to return next week. We had a debrief in the portico in front of the house where I shared my disbelief at what happened with the group. 

I left the place ruminating about the kind of education I had received and the gap these children had to fill. I felt grateful, committed, and motivated. In the next few weeks, Bhumi was born.

Q. What is the biggest problem you face as an NGO working for Education?

Inequality in access and opportunities to receive quality education resulting in sustainable livelihoods is one of the biggest problems. We at Bhumi have taken a multi-pronged approach to address supplementary education, scholarships, school transformation, and promoting admissions under Section 12(1)(C) of Right To Education, to name a few.

What I am most passionate about is getting more young people into the education sector to solve this challenge – both as volunteers to provide supplementary education and as a Bhumi Fellow.

Q. When would you say that you have accomplished what you set out to do? As in what goal would you have to get to?

I am extremely optimistic, but I do not think the goal I strive for will be achieved in my lifetime. An ambitious goal is to get every Indian volunteering and make volunteering a national habit. People should be able to volunteer for civic issues that connect with them the most. India will be a more equal, influential, and socially conscious society.

Q. Can you tell us of three changes you will make or have made to your life because of the pandemic

I have rediscovered my love for reading. I have completed over 40 books since the lockdown began. This is what stands out for me when I think about the pandemic pause.

Apart from that I have been able to manage a very regular sleep pattern now – I wake up around 4.30 AM, start my day with black coffee and The Hindu E-paper, I complete my walk and emails before the day starts. I have dinner around 7.30 PM and hit the bed by 10 PM. I have even started doing more household chores and have cooked a few times to surprise my wife, Vaishnavi.

Q. If you could invite three famous people, living or dead, to dinner, who would they be and why? What would you speak to them about?

I would invite Mahatma Gandhi, I have been deeply inspired by his life, how a seemingly flawed person went on to inspire a whole nation. I would also invite Aamir Khan and Rajinikanth to try to convince them to promote volunteering and the Right To Education like how actor Siddharth did.

Interviewed by Abhishek Pde———————————————————————————————————–

Established in 2000, GiveIndia is India’s most trusted giving platform for donors. Our community of 1.5M+ donors and 150+ corporate partners have supported 1,800+ nonprofits, impacting 10M+ lives across India.

God & I

 Unedited text of the column in the New Indian Express on Jan 2, 2013

1. What is your understanding of God?

The mythological Prahalathan believed God is Omnipresent whether it was a pillar or a fiber, my beliefs are not very different. Hence, I don't believe in Idol worship, if God were indeed so powerful enough to create this universe, god ought to be everywhere.

PS: It's very hard for a true student of science... biological evolution to not believe in that.

2. What are your spiritual beliefs?

I personally do not have any spiritual beliefs. I don't believe that we should not do wrong or do good things to others only because I will get something in 'the end'. I live my life the way I do because it's the right way to do it.

That said, Spiritual beliefs are good for the world, while some fear the law, some fear god to do the right things and they balance out those who fear neither to do the not so right things.

3. What are your spiritual practices?

I visit the temple once a year on my birthday because my Mother expects me to. When I pray I pray for everyone and I don't feel the need to stand in front of an idol.

4. What is your take on miracles?

If you want something strongly enough you are bound to get it or make it happen because there's nothing stronger than human will. If humans haven't made it happen, the 'miracles' can probably be explained by chance.

5. Have you been to any pilgrimage sites? Are you planning to? What are your experiences with them?

During school holidays, I've visited every major temple in Tamil Nadu because the other members of my family, especially my Mother, are extremely religious.

I don't have any intention of visiting any pilgrim sites unless someone I care about makes a reasonable request.

I used to visit old temples around Madurai during college because I found the experience very peaceful and calming.

On the contrary, I avoid going to crowded temples like Tirupathi... Apart from the claustrophobia because of the crowd, I was also afraid of the hairpin bends the last time I visited Tirupathi as a 10-12-year-old 🙂

Happy New Year 2021 - A new hope for a decade of transformation and renewal

Travelling makes the world seem smaller. The #Covid19 pandemic in spite of restricting travel globally and locally has reminded us about humanity in spite of restricting travel.

There are certain islands that may have surmounted #Covid; there will be countries that vaccinate their entire populations even before poorer countries get a single shot. Through second waves & third waves amidst a false sense of security; throughout most of 2021, the virus will continue to remind us that we live in this shared home, planet earth.

Hope the start of a new decade followed by the #PandemicPause will cause self-reflection propelling action among the leaders, elite, and citizens of the world. Like the seemingly invisible virus, we face other seeming invisible challenges like growing inequalities and #ClimateChange. None of us are safe until all of us are

Here's to a #DecadeOfHope, #DecadeofTransformation, #DecadeOfRenewal. I wish you all a #HappyNewYear2021