Lockdown Diaries

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

Lockdown Diaries: Reflections In The Wake of COVID-19

Most of us Indians across the globe perhaps share a similar story at this juncture. We are in the same boat, stranded mentally if not physically. For those of us whose families are far away in India, the question that has inevitably crossed our minds is: “When will we get to go home next?” It's my 83rd day today,...

Lockdown Diaries: Sumit and Apurva of Cafe Guftagu appeal to raise funds, feed the needy in Mumbai during lockdown

The adverse impact from months of lockdown following Covid 19 and the hardships faced by thousands in one of the worst-hit cities in India, Mumbai is now a growing concern. While many have lost their livelihood opportunities, start-ups and businesses are struggling to stay afloat, certain vulnerable communities like the transgender people, sex workers, daily wage earners and other marginalised queer individuals...

Lockdown Diaries: My fight with coronavirus boredom

My name is Ishaan Saxena and I am a student of year 5 in an international school in Hong Kong. My school has been closed since January end amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Home learning is one job to do but once you finish it, it gets boring. So I thought I could use this time to explore my interest and do something...

Rhona Tasmia Rabbani – The bright, young FedEx-pert of the APAC region

People are the core of any business and those who are in charge of driving the people policies, hiring, development and engagement of talents, are the gatekeepers to that resource. Meet Rhona Tasmia Rabbani, the Managing Director of Talent & Learning for FedEx Express in the Asia Pacific region, one of the youngest directors in the region of this...

Lockdown Diaries: British Asian Trust’s emergency COVID-19 appeal for South Asia

His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, Royal Founding Patron of the British Asian Trust, gave his support to the British Asian Trust’s COVID-19 Emergency Appeal on Friday 24th April via a specially recorded video message. South Asia is home to 27% of the world’s poorest people with 750 million people surviving on less than $2.50 per day. Now...

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...

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,...

Lockdown Diaries: Saurav Dutt, author of ‘Dear Mr Bachchan’ talks about the joys of lockdown creativity

Now is the time to take the magic of words, music, art, and creativity and to allow them to inspire, comfort and empower you during the mental tests of Lockdown. There is joy in finding magic and solace in the written word, and the most testing of times empowers one to find enchantment among sentences, to flesh out the fabric of...

Alka Bagri shares her excitement as LIFF’s title supporter for the seventh year

The Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival (LIFF) 2021 is set for it's Gala Opening Night on the 17th June in London, with a positive, power-packed documentary Women Of My Billion (WOMB); in a back-drop of a rather grim Covid scenario in India. LIFF this year is poised to premiere the very best of new indie films from the Indian subcontinent with...

Lockdown Diaries: Ashish Pandya, Sukhdeep Singh, Anwesh Sahoo continue their work for LGBTQ+ communities from their homes

The coronavirus lockdown in India, that has been carrying on from 25 March, is nearly four weeks old as we go to print. While this has been quite an anxious time for everyone, the situation has been especially tough for the LGBTQ+ individuals living away from home. Their family, work, and personal lives have come to a halt, affecting...