OPINIONS

By: Dr Vinod Kumar A lot has been written and said about the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the economy, mental health etc. Majority of these conversations are laden with negative effects. There are silver linings in this storm as well. As, a mental health professional I have had numerous, in-depth, conversations with my family, friends...

The rising score of Covid-19 across the world implies that no single organization can work in isolation in responding to the pandemic and its consequential impacts. Hence, governments must collaborate with a wide range of agencies, including NGOs and social enterprises to facilitate behavioural change and build social cohesiveness. In India NITI Aayog appealed...

Have you heard of Victory Gardens? During the Second World War, folks were encouraged to create backyard vegetable and herb gardens to have local produce when German bombing and blockades stressed the supply lines. Canada had created these too during WW1 — these were called Victory Gardens or food gardens for defence which defined colonial...

By Vieshaka Dutta, Director, Inclusion & Diversity, Publicis Sapient A woman in an elite urban apartment complex in India suffers domestic violence in silence. Or nearly as silently as she can. She is married and has two children. Never has she dared to try calling up the police. She has hardly even spoken to her...

The current pandemic is an unprecedented calamity — none of us has faced a similar situation in this lifetime. We don't have earlier experiences on which to draw upon for handling it. The economic and social pain of the pandemic is immense. The worst affected are the populations who subsist on daily wage or...

Exactly a year ago Odisha witnessed one of the deadliest cyclones in recent history. Dozens died, lakhs of people were rendered homeless from Cyclone Fani. It was a rare summer cyclone (cyclone season usually begins in October) and the state saw an outbreak of water-borne diseases, which further increased due to the acute shortage of...

In the times where food and shelter have transformed from basic necessities to a luxury and people are locked in any shelter they can afford, NGOs have taken the driver seat to help millions of empty stomachs. In this battle against the COVID-19, it is not just providing the medicine and cure and stopping...

After covering the two P’s – Periods and Pedestals, my third article is on Parity. Like most of the important things in life, parity too begins at home. While I took the liberty of saying that it begins at home but by “home” I actually mean it in the broader sense of society. The parity...

  As people around the world deal with the COVID-19 crisis, we must keep reminding ourselves that in times of heightened anxiety and stress, we must change the way we live.  Governments, institutions and businesses are jostling to cope with a highly uncertain and rapidly evolving landscape with varied approaches and results. Even countries with well-established...

A few months ago, climate change represented one of the biggest threats to the planet. The coronavirus pandemic has not really changed that. Yes, the COVID-19 outbreak has broken the back of many economies - developed and emerging - and left entire sectors like aviation, tourism and hospitality looking at bleak prospects. In the...

By: Nicole Schlabach Man-made structures should co-exist with their surroundings. Ecosystems thrive because of the interconnected nature of natural systems. Similarly, architects can harvest rich, free benefits from their surroundings by building in harmony with their environment. Too often, buildings are constructed by altering the landscape to fit pre-existing needs. Instead, you should approach your landscape with an...

By Vieshaka Dutta, Director, Inclusion & Diversity, Publicis Sapient The International Women’s Day 2020's theme, Each for Equal prompted corporates to take the opportunity to celebrate the women workforce and discuss equality at workplaces. A large section of society, mostly women, also celebrate this day with flair. We find a not so small group of...