Lockdown Diaries

Our series of articles all about how people are making the best of the situations caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Concerns are growing over the ‘deep’ racial inequality that the spread of the virus has exposed in Britain

Black and Asian people are more likely than white people to be fined in London under coronavirus laws, official data showed on Wednesday, as tens of thousands gathered in the British capital to protest against racism. More than half the penalties issued by London police between 27 March and 14 May for breaching new laws created to stop the spread...

KASHISH 2021 rescheduled to August due to the pandemic

The 12th edition of KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival, South Asia’s biggest LGBTQIA+ film festival which was to be held online in May has been rescheduled from August 19th to September 5th 2021 owing to the current situation of the pandemic in the country and across the world. In a statement released recently the organizers of the film festival said “considering the...

Lockdown Diaries: Explore new-age Indian classical music learning with Harmoniverse

COVID-19 has brought about a massive transformation in our day-to-day lives. We are not only losing precious time, but also opportunities for exploration, creativity, and transformation, which are essential for a high standard of life. Music - a healer Amongst all the gloom, social distancing and isolation, it has once again proved that music is a healer. Communities around the world...

Lockdown Diaries: The Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe remember VE day in London

The Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe (ZTFE) commemorated the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day or VE Day in London, by following the national two minute silence at 11am on 8 May. At 11.15am, the resident priest at the Zoroastrian Centre, Ervad Yazad T Bhadha commenced reciting the Stum-no kardo in front of the fire in the Setayash Gah,...

UK project Mission Shramik Sahyog reaches out to feed migrant workers in India

When lockdown hit India it didn't hit the whole population equally, there were those who were in a much more tenuous situation than others. Although millions around the world were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Indian migrant workers found themselves amongst the worst affected. Due to the lockdown, hundreds of thousands of Indian workers were unable to leave their workplace....

Lockdown Diaries: Arya Taware of FutureBricks shares her hands-on attitude to success

I love to start my day properly by making sure I’m awake at 6am. I’ll either go for a morning walk or run everyday before I sit at my desk. I find that routine is everything right now and can help everyone mentally separate the very thin line between personal and professional life. Remaining positive As an entrepreneur and founder, it’s...

Lockdown Diaries: Reflections of an Oxford shut-in

Something lockdown has given us all, in perhaps more quantities than we know how to deal with, is time. And as I find myself currently living alone, with my housemates having returned to their family homes, I have had all that time to myself. I had expected this to attract some sympathy - but the more sympathy I received,...

Ketan Dattani speaks on how to rebuild in the post Covid economy

No event in recent history has affected us as profoundly and pervasively as the pandemic. It signifies a completely unprecedented circumstance, as novel as it is life-changing. The virus has not only infected thousands, but has thrust us into an economic recession. How long, how deep and how many are impacted by the recession will be influenced not just by the...

Not Namaste Trump but Phir Milengey: H-1B visas suspended, what now?

It looked like things were getting as close as could be between US President Donald Trump and Narendra Modi but a worldwide pandemic and a scourge of resulting unemployment in the States has put a spanner in the works of ‘Namaste Trump’, as an executive order signed this past week will suspend new visas for foreign workers, including the...

Lockdown Diaries: Apsara Reddy fights against heightened abuse and vulnerability during curfew in India

Apsara Reddy is the first trans-gender Indian politician, who has led the way and been an inspiration to thousands in the community in India and across the world. The inspirational leader was appointed the National General Secretary of All India Mahila (Women's) Congress, in January 2019 by the Congress President Rahul Gandhi. The lockdown period imposed by the government of...