At the break of dawn, Nikesh Usha Pushkaran made his way through the crowd and nervously waited at the Guruvayur Shree Krishna temple, located in the Thrissur district of Kerala.
It was July 5 2018, and after three months of dating, Nikesh was finally going to tie the knot. As eyes wandered, he noticed several brides and grooms who were also there for the same reason as him. And then he saw Sonu, his beloved, and his heart skipped a beat.
The priest started the ceremony, and the couples in the temple exchanged rings, garlands, and vowed to be together forever.
Nikesh and Sonu stood a distance but followed the same rituals, and soon enough, under the beautiful blue sky and with God as their witness, they were ‘secretly’ married. The secrecy was not because they had eloped, in fact, both their parents had given their blessings beforehand.
The fact was that, their wedding was a crime.
Nikesh and Sonu’s Kerala wedding was probably India’s first same-sex union and was announced publicly only two months later when the Supreme Court struck down section 377 of the Indian Penal Code and decriminalised the LGBTQ community.
Earlier this year, the couple filed a writ petition in the Kerala High Court (HC) demanding the recognition of same-sex marriages to enjoy civil rights like marriage, adoption or inheritance.
Speaking to The Better India, Nikesh, an entrepreneur, says, “We were turned away when we went to register our marriage under the Special Marriage Act of 1954. Since we did not have any official documents legalising our marriage we are denied several privileges–like being able to open a joint bank account or apply for medical insurance–that heterosexual couples can easily access. In the eyes of the law, we are still single.”
The petition filed by their lawyer, Manu Srinath, underlines an attack on their fundamental rights like equality, equal protection before the law, liberty, freedom of expression and non-discrimination.
“Though the text of the Act (Special Marriage Act 1954) does not exclude homosexual unions from its ambit expressly, Section 4 and Schedules 2-4 to the Act carry a heterosexual undertone in its language as it shows marriage as an affair between a male and a female or between bride and bridegroom,” it reads.
The HC has asked Centre and state government to respond to the petition, and the couple now awaits a hearing.
If the writ petition is successful, it will be a pathbreaking victory for a community which continues to face discrimination, humiliation, psychological damage, mental torture and prejudice from the society.
“It Was Love At First Sight”
Nikesh was overcoming a terrible heartbreak from a 14-year-old relationship when he first met Sonu, an IT professional via a dating app.
Like most of the love stories, theirs too started in a restaurant in Kochi.
“It was love at first sight,” reveals Nikesh. “My heart was racing throughout the meal. His charm, wit and sensitivity floored me. By the end of our date, all I knew was I wanted to spend more time with Sonu. I did not want to end our conversations on the phone. It was silly considering we would spend hours together. I guess love does make you go an extra mile to see a wide smile on the special one’s face.”
By the time they started seeing each other, both of them had come out to their families. They consider themselves one of the few fortunate ones whose parents and friends understand and support all kinds of love.
Both Nikesh and Sonu are active and integral members of the LGBTQ community in Kerala. They are always at the forefront when it comes to pride walks, awareness sessions and extending their unconditional support for the community members.
“People who ridiculed or mocked our relationship were the ignorant ones. With the right awareness and sensitivity, homophobia can be eliminated,” adds Nikesh.
Accepting all kinds of love is the most crucial step for a healthier society, and we hope couples like Nikesh and Sonu get their happily ever after.
The newly identified coronavirus which originated in China has taken the lives of more than 800 people and has also spread to several countries including Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, the US, France, Australia and India.
In India, all three confirmed cases are from Kerala. As a result almost 2,400 people in the state are currently under surveillance, of which 100 are at the hospital isolation wards, and the remaining have been quarantined at home.
This level of preparedness is a lesson from the state’s previous experience with the Nipah virus outbreak of 2018, which claimed 17 lives, but was eventually contained and declared “over” in record time.
The government is banking on this very experience to tackle the current situation.
Kerala’s Multi-Pronged Approach
When the first case of the virus was confirmed in Kerala on the 30th of January, health minister KK Shailaja immediately set out a multi-tiered approach to deal with the crisis. These steps ensured the health of those who had returned from Wuhan and other affected areas, zero coronavirus deaths and the containment of the virus from the public.
Officers from the health department were assigned to airports, railway stations, and other public spaces to have an overall check on the travellers and tourists.
Doctors and medical professionals of both government and private hospitals were alerted to check symptomatic patients, and tracking systems were put into place at all five airports of the state to monitor everyone coming into the state from high-risk destinations.
Any passenger with signs of the virus entering from an airport or seaport is shifted to a linked hospital, and medical officers contacted, following which the family members are alerted.
The Kerala state police have also been instructed to not conduct any breathalyzer tests until the virus infections are over and in case of drunken driving, the suspects must be subjected to a blood test.
The state has also put in a great deal of effort to create awareness among the citizens. Besides conducting various medical campaigns, it has set up a 24×7 call centre across all 14 districts with a team including health inspectors and doctors. The Kerala state control room has also been replicated in all 14 districts for the collection and dissemination of information.
Image Source: Twitter/Sneha Koshy
“The team has dedicated themselves completely towards the plan. Including the minister, each and every person working across the state for this project has made themselves available throughout the day, keeping all personal commitments aside,” says Dr K Gopakumar, Private Secretary to the Health Minister.
“We have opened up the project to medical professionals from both the private and public sectors and getting all the help we can. Right now the only priority is to tackle this virus, and just as we tackled Nipah, we will overcome this as well,” he adds.
Image Source: Twitter/Sneha Koshy
In an extraordinary move, the health department of Kerala has also addressed the mental health problems that follow such outbreaks.
In a recent press meet, KK Shailaja said “ Those who are under home and hospital quarantine due to the coronavirus are suffering from stress, anxiety, and stigma. We have decided to provide them with psychological support under the mental health programme.”
The team of 191 counsellors that were employed as part of this programme have provided counselling to more than 1500 people till date.
She also addressed the spread of fake news through social media and other platforms about the coronavirus and how it should be contained through awareness.
Although no new cases of the coronavirus were reported in Kerala over the last week, the state government continues to be on high alert and the health authorities have strengthened the surveillance by tracking the details of all those who recently returned from China and other affected countries.
Coronavirus Helplines:
+91- 11-23978046 ( To report cases of the virus)
DISHA Helpline 0471-2552056/ 1056-Toll Free ( for guidance and support)
Like many girls her age in Mukkam, a remote village in Calicut, Kerala, Jasmine M Moosa had a fairly uncomplicated childhood. She belonged to a close-knit community, studied in a convent school and recalls that sipping on ice-candies on the way back home was the best part of the day.
But at the age of 17, Jasmine’s life changed forever.
“I had just returned from school and saw a few visitors at home. My mother asked me to serve them tea. Only after they left did I realise that they had come to ask my hand in marriage,” begins Jasmine.
It was a confusing day, and she repeatedly informed her family that she wasn’t ready to get married, but things moved fast. Within a week, she was engaged, and just three days after she turned 18, she was married to a man, who she met on their wedding day for the first time.
“The night after the wedding, when he walked into the bedroom, I realised that something about his behaviour seemed off. Soon, he tried to pin me down forcefully, and I screamed with all my might. However, in my area, this was considered common. Since many girls were married off at a young age, they assumed it was okay for them to scream on the first night of marriage,” she narrates.
Jasmine: Then and Now
This behaviour continued, and it took a few months for her to uncover the truth: her husband was autistic.
“One year later, I told both families that I wanted a divorce because this was not the relationship I longed for. Eventually, the marriage was called off, but this was hardly the end of my troubles. As soon as I returned home, people started tagging me as the ‘divorced girl.’ My family also informed me that I was a burden and that they wanted to get me remarried again as soon as possible,” she explains.
This time, Jasmine made her stand clear and told her father that she wanted to speak with the guy before proceeding with the marriage.
“To my surprise, the next alliance that came was exactly the kind of guy that I wanted. I openly told him that I was a divorcee, and he assured me that he was ready to accept me for who I was. I was honestly so happy to hear that. I felt like all the dark clouds in my life were moving away and this could be a brand new chapter in my life,” Jasmine says.
Jasmine—and her family—were thrilled.
“I couldn’t believe that everything was finally working out for me. But on the night of the wedding, he came into the room and slapped me right across my face. I froze; nothing made any sense. He then tied both my hands and feet and raped me,” she mentions with a quiet sigh.
The next few months went by in a blur for Jasmine. Her husband, a cocaine addict, would rape her every single day and warn her about the consequences of speaking to anyone, even her mother, about this.
So, she kept quiet.
“One day, I found out that I was pregnant. It was like a ray of hope for me. I felt like there was a sense of purpose again, a will to live,” she says.
But when Jasmine informed her husband about the baby, he flew into a rage and kicked her in the stomach. She started bleeding profusely and rushed to seek medical help. She also informed her parents about the incident.
“The doctors said that the tube of the uterus had been ruptured and that I would have to undergo surgery to avoid blood loss and to keep the baby alive. I got the surgery, but at five weeks, I lost my baby and soon after, my husband called me to file for a divorce. I was completely dead inside to process any of it. But I had decided that I wouldn’t let him get away with what he had done,” she adds.
Jasmine filed a case of domestic violence, and for a while, the police kept trying to settle things between the couple. However, she had voice recordings of the abuse, and they eventually had to arrest him.
“After all of this trauma, I wanted to leave the country, but my family was completely against it. They burnt my passport and all my documents so that I wouldn’t be able to go anywhere,” Jasmine says.
This didn’t stop her. She fled to Kochi and found a job as a receptionist at a prestigious fitness centre.
“I started building myself up both mentally and physically. The people at the fitness centre gave me all the strength and motivation that I had lacked my entire life. I made a transformation video which went viral, and the encouragement that I received from people who watched it further encouraged me to keep going down this path,” she explains.
Jasmine would eventually make her way to Bengaluru. “I wanted to become a professional fitness trainer, so I came to Bengaluru to do a certification course. At the same time, I worked part-time at restaurants and cafes to sustain myself,” she adds.
Today, Jasmine is a level-three fitness trainer at a reputed centre in Bengaluru.
While Jasmine had a very different idea of what her life would be like, instead of lying down and letting adversity take control, she decided to fight the odds and emerged triumphant. Today, she is a source of inspiration to many young women who are going through similar struggles and is secure in the knowledge that her inner strength and spirit will help her ride out any storm that life throws her way.
“I have a job, an identity and people who love and support me every day. If I had waited for things to get fixed on their own, I might not have been alive. But my decision to live my life for myself changed everything,” she concludes with an unmistakable hint of pride.
Every year, the Government of India honours 25 children from across the country for their “meritorious acts of bravery against all odds” with the National Award For Bravery.This year 22 children qualified out which Adithya became the first child from Kerala to receive the award. The award was definitely well-deserved as sixteen-year-old Adithya braved self-harm to save the lives of 20 people from a bus fire.
Here’s how it happened.
For Aditya K hailing from Ramanattukara, life in Kozhikode primarily revolved around school and football practices. That’s when Adithya’s grandmother received an invite for a tour to Nepal organised for the pensioner’s of Calicut University.
As most of the pensioners were senior citizens, their families decided to join the tour to make it more lively.
Aditya and his family set out on the tour on the 25th of April along with his parents and grandmother. “There was a total of 72 people travelling with us and we truly had an amazing time. We travelled to Lumbini, Kathmandu and Pokhara. I remember being awestruck by the Pashupatinath temple and the caves nearby. Everything was going well until the unfortunate incident,” recalls Adithya.
Adithya K.
“We started our return trip on 1 May in two A/C Tourist buses from Nepal to the Lucknow airport. The bus that I was travelling in had 43 passengers and we were 60kms from the Indian border and reached a place called Daunne. That’s when one of the aunties in the bus noticed smoke coming from the back.” he explains.
When the travellers pointed this out to the driver, he ignored it and said that it would probably be dust. But when the travellers smelt diesel, they began to panic and stopped the bus.
“My father, the tour operator and the cook who was travelling with us stepped out and went to see what was wrong. Suddenly, black smoke started entering the bus through the AC vent and the front part of the bus caught fire. I could only hear the screams and calls of help at that point. The situation was even worse because most of the travellers were senior citizens and I could just feel them looking around helplessly,” Adithya explains.
The bus caught fire within minutes.
Adithya’s father Anish, who was standing outside, recalls that he broke a few windows so that the smoke could escape but he couldn’t do much because by then the bus started burning even more.
“The place that we had stopped the bus was quite isolated and we couldn’t find any water nearby to extinguish the flames.” says Anish.
“The situation was getting worse and we were running out of breath because of the smoke. The front door was on fire and the visibility was very low but I knew I had to do something so I walked around the bus trying to figure out a solution. And like a miracle, I found a hammer. I didn’t think twice. I broke the biggest window using all my might and kicked off the rest of the glass pieces. At that moment, I felt like the hopes of all the passengers revived,” Aditya recalls.
Aditya helped each of the passengers jump out of the bus through the broken window and recalls that he even had to push some of the reluctant ones out of the window.
“I made sure that the entire bus was cleared out before I jumped out. It was truly a relief to know that everyone had been saved because just moments after we all got out, we saw the entire bus go down in flames. If we had been just a few minutes late, none of us would have survived.” says Adithya.
Insides of the bus after the fire.
“Besides a few bruises here and there, none of the passengers had been injured. It felt like a rebirth. After the bus went down in flames, I didn’t know what to tell my son. I just hugged him as tightly as I could,” adds Adithya.
“I’m not physically trained in any way but it was that moment of courage that gave me the strength to save the lives of so many people,” concludes Adithya.
For Rishikesh CS, a national award winning innovator, attending pre-university (PU) college (Class 11 and 12) felt like a waste of time.
Intensely passionate about electronics, the resident of Muhamma in Kerala’s Alappuzha district, wanted to go beyond the confines of his Physics textbook, where his passion was relegated to just a chapter.
So, he began skipping classes and attending degree classes in electronics, which did not last very long, and soon dropped out of the formal education system altogether.
“I also dropped out because political activities like regular strikes kept interfering with my studies. However, disaster struck in 1995 when during our final exams, the principal asked me to furnish a demand draft amounting to Rs 1,500 because of attendance shortage. Only if I paid this sum, could I write the exam. I was unable to do so, and thus could not attend my second-year pre-degree course exam,” says Rishikesh to The Better India.
Following this, he began to take up odd jobs that involved repairing electronic devices like fused tube lights, lighting circuits, induction cookers, security systems and electronic chokes.
As the son of Kerala Water Transport Department employees in a small town, the decision to give up a potential chance at a college education at the age of 17 was fraught with risk.
But this did not come as a surprise to those who knew him best. As a young child, he would play around with his parents’ transistor radio trying to understand how it worked.
“I never thought about becoming an innovator, but ever since I was a child, I always maintained a stirring passion for technology, particularly electronics. My mother told me that when I was six years old, there was a gasoline motor water pump at a nearby fish farm I would closely observe every day, and kicked up a fuss about getting that motor to our home. That was the first piece of technology that excited me,” he says.
As his curiosity grew, he began picking up books on electronics, and the hobby gradually turned to a deep and abiding love for the subject.
“My first innovation happened way back in 1991 when I was a school student. I had made a battery-less AM Radio which can catch the nearby AM Station. My classmates appreciated it and would play it in between classes. Unfortunately, one day our teacher saw my friends and I enjoying the music. She thought we were fooling around and wasting time. She scolded me and beat us with a stick. But within minutes, she realised I had made it using my innovative skills, and apologised,” he says.
After dropping out of PU college, he asked a few of his friends who had managed to attend universities abroad to send across a few more books on electronics, while scouring through the internet to mine additional material. Rishikesh read everything he could lay his hands on. Little did he know that one day his passion for electronics would one day save lives in times of natural disasters.
Rishikesh CS (Left) and Inside the Wireless electricity sensing machine (Right). (Source: Facebook & NIF)
Disaster Innovation
Located amidst the beautiful backwaters, Rishikesh’s hometown of Muhamma has witnessed multiple board tragedies and mishaps.
In 2002, one such tragedy took place in his neighbourhood when a boat capsized. What he did was develop an early detection sensor at the bottom of the boat that could help those on it gauge the level of water, keep them informed and send out wireless signals.
Fast forward ten years later, and the town was caught in a state of panic about what would happen if the ageing Mullaperiyar dam did burst. Experts have long called for its decommission because of its ageing structure.
“Only the government is aware if such a disaster is about to occur—they have the devices and data to measure any incoming danger. Meanwhile, people are made to wait until a red alert is declared to know if they are in any real trouble or not. I tried to deal with this by building a small wireless vibrating device that could be used by ordinary people. Of course, this cannot help you prevent a disaster. But often, the bigger danger is when a building collapses on unsuspecting people. So people have the opportunity to evacuate them before it’s too late,” he told Edex Live in a conversation published in October 2019.
However, the innovation that got him nationwide attention was inspired by another tragedy.
“In 2010, I made a wireless high tension electricity detector (11kv, 66kv, 110 kv 220kv). With this device, we can check whether the power lines are active (live) or not,” he tells The Better India.
“The sudden demise of his friend who was a lineman in the state electricity board due to electric shock while working on 220V line (power which surged through 11kv feeder line), left him at aghast. It was then he thought of making a device, which could prevent such incidents in the future. Conventionally, small testers are used for detecting electric current with direct human body contact. Rishikesh has come up with a handheld electricity sensing device, which is compact, portable and light in weight. This device is wireless and can sense electric current upto 11 KV from 11 meters away from (the) ground. It can check electric current in transformers and concealed wires too,” says this description by the National Innovation Foundation, a national initiative to strengthen grassroots technological innovations and traditional knowledge
Measuring 8 metres long, there is a button on the device you can click, and a beep will warn you whether a damaged electricity line still has power running through it. Rishikesh won a National Innovation Foundation award in 2015, which he received from the then President Pranab Mukherjee. This is an award given to original innovators at the grassroots, who don’t have any higher education qualifications.
But there was more to come.
Two years later, he was back at it when four people died on the railway tracks passing through Eramalloor village, when a train running on an electric engine ran over them. Turning on a rather sharp curve, villagers on either side never heard it coming.
So, what he did was build a wireless transmitter which can relay information of a train passing by every five seconds based on the signals it receives from the train.
Nonetheless, his most significant innovation arrived last year, and this addressed a major public safety concern.
Rishikesh demonstrating his device to former President Pranab Mukherjee.
Saving Lives
Many people in the state have lost their lives in the rainy season as a consequence of electrocution after power lines snap and fall on the ground.
In a bid to address this concern, Rishikesh has invented a device that uses wireless signals to automatically snap the passage of electricity when the power line comes crashing down.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, he says, “The device can be fixed on both ends of the electric line. A receiver can be fixed near the transformer unit, and a transmitter can be fixed at the end of the line. When the line gets severed, the receiver will get a signal from the transmitter within seconds, and the transformer automatically gets disconnected. The unit can be assembled for less than Rs 5000.”
At present, his patent on the said device is being processed and thus isn’t very keen on sharing any further details. But the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has expressed a real interest in adopting his device.
Rishikesh giving a presentation.
Beyond innovations
Rishikesh’s work isn’t merely restricted to exciting innovations and inventions. He has led a state-backed campaign in his town that strives for energy efficiency and conservation.
His inputs, which include advising residents to judiciously consumer power, played some part in helping the town receive round the clock electricity at a time when load shedding is a common occurrence in the state. He also conducts campaigns on energy conservation with schools, the local police and other self-help groups as well.
In many ways, Rishikesh is not just a man of science but also a man of the people. Using his in-depth knowledge of electronics and penchant for innovation, he has served them admirably.
Anabas testudineus is a fascinating fish species found in Kerala and other parts of India. Fascinating, because this fish can live without water for up to eight hours and is commonly known as the “climbing gouramis” for its ability to climb aboard fishing boats, exploring new territories!
A fish that can adapt to changing and stressful environments has successfully ventured in dangerous waters and boats? Sounds incredible, right?
But in recent times, it has met an enemy that it just cannot seem to defeat—detergents, that are flushed out into pipelines and ultimately into freshwater or marine water sources.
Indian detergents use 2.88 million tonnes of phosphate annually, and we are the world’s second-largest contributors of phosphorus pollution by human activity.
Phosphates, which lead to the abnormal growth of algae and the ultimate toxication of lakes, rivers and ponds also affect the climbing gouramis severely.
Divya S Rajan, a researcher from Kerala, has studied how detergents can stress out this fish species.
“The Anabas testudineus is known to be immune to stressful environments. If this fish is showing clear signs of stress, one can conclude that more vulnerable species of fish and plants are adversely affected too,” Divya told The Better India (TBI).
Divya has a PhD in zoology, and many of her studies are focused on marine or aquatic species. In 2015, she researched the effect of detergents on climbing gouramis and here’s what it says about our habits.
Kerala’s climber, stunted:
Divya collected samples of the fish and introduced them in waters that contained specific amounts of a popular Kerala detergent. The concentration levels began at 50 parts per million (PPM) to 200 ppm. Divya observed the amount of dissolved oxygen that the fish had consumed in an hour.
“With [an] increase in the concentration of the detergent, increased breathing and signs of distress were exhibited by the fish. Even though Anabas testudineus is very sturdy in tiding over [the] stressful environment, [the] presence of detergents proved detrimental,” concluded the study.
The researcher stresses the fact that phosphates are not only responsible for stressing the fish species but also lead to eutrophication—an excessive (and often artificial) richness of nutrients that accelerates the growth of plants and algae, unnaturally.
A study by IISc professors came to similar conclusions about the effect of phosphate detergents in Bengaluru lakes.
Whether in the shores of Kerala or lakes of Bengaluru, phosphates seem to have caused havoc. And why wouldn’t they? Anything in excess is always harmful, and our detergents alone are responsible for the dumping of 1.46 lakh tonnes of phosphate in water sources every year.
The very first step is to take responsibility for our actions. Opt for detergents that don’t react with their environment when released in water bodies, and are sustainable.
Phosphates, technically react positively and act as fertilisers (in fact, phosphate is used as a fertiliser in agriculture).
But when dumped indiscriminately in lakes and rivers, they over fertilise algae and plants, making them bloom unnaturally. It is surprising to note that world over, the domestic sector is the largest contributor of phosphate pollution (54 per cent) followed, not too closely by agriculture at 38 per cent and industry at 8 per cent.
The onus is upon us to change our cleaning habits before our surroundings are changed irreversibly by our actions. Go for a detergent made using plant-enzymes, one that does not have a long list of synthetic chemicals on its ingredients list and one that promises inaction when released in nature.
Such detergents are likely to be biodegradable and can prove quite safe if you water your garden with them. We have one such detergent for you.
A popular movie character once declared that “if you’re good at something, never do it for free,” but Saji Valasseri from Aluva in Kerala begs to disagree. While he works as a steel furniture manufacturer during the day, his true passion lies in swimming and in an effort to spread the joy, he has been giving free classes to school children, adults and the visually impaired for over a decade now.
“It all started when I was teaching my children how to swim, and watching them, my friend’s child also joined in. These three learnt swimming in 2 weeks, and the word spread. Soon children and elderly from nearby neighbourhoods started approaching me to teach them swimming,” mentions Saji.
Saji with Manoj, a visually impaired student.
Saji started taking summer classes in the beginning and was always keen that they would be free. “I believe that swimming is a life skill that everyone needs to learn, especially with all the drowning cases we see in the newspapers every day. And for the same reason, I don’t charge my students,” he adds.
Saji conducts classes from December to May every year, and has taught over 3200 people so far.
Saji with some of his students.
“From December to March, I conduct classes for the elderly and March to April for the kids because the senior citizens tend to take a longer time to learn,” he explains.
Saji’s classes start at 6 AM and go on till 9:30 AM. While beginners practice on the shore, students who have got the knack of swimming, practice in the Aluva river.
“I’ve made a steel frame for those practising on land. This is just so that they get an idea of the hand and leg movements before they move into the water,” he adds.
Weak or Strong, A Swimming Class For All
From 5-year-old Niveditha to 65-year old Sunny being the eldest, Saji’s swimming classes have a wide variety of students.
But he is justifiably proud of a few, and Manoj is one of them.
“Manoj was 11 when he joined my class and was the first visually impaired child to do so. I didn’t have to think twice when accepting him, because everyone deserves a chance to learn how to swim. Besides, I got to explore an entirely new teaching methodology thanks to him,” mentions Saji.
“I started the classes by telling him to feel the movements of my hands and legs. Once he got the hang of that, we moved into the water. Initially, I made sure that I held onto to him, but when he started swimming well, I let go. However, I continuously spoke to him so that he felt my presence,” he adds.
After months of training, Manoj became the first visually impaired boy to cross the largest river in Kerala.
People welcome Manoj and Saji after they cross the Periyar.
Saji also mentions Malu Sheika, a former student, who holds the record for being the first woman to cross the Vembanad Lake at its widest stretch. After training under Saji for eight months, Malu became the first woman to cover the breadth of the lake.
“I’ve also had students like 7-year old Krishna who underwent neurosurgery and lost the sense of touch in her left foot. In 2013, after a few months of training in my class, the senses in her foot were revived. It was truly miraculous. I didn’t realise that swimming could bring about such a huge change.” he explains.
Saji and Malu Sheika
Similarly, 51-year old Radhakrishnan who lost the sensation in his hand was also able to revive it in a few months of training in Saji’s class.
“Saji won’t let you give up at any cost. He is extremely patient, and it doesn’t matter how long you take to swim, there will never be a word of discouragement from his part,” says the Alappuzha Tahsildar James who also trained under him.
To ensure safety during practices, Saji has arranged a safety boat and an ambulance that are available at all times.
“My dream is to build a community of swimmers, and I try to do everything in my capacity to make my students feel comfortable and confident during the practice sessions,” he concludes.
The Kerala government has received widespread praise for how it has proactively handled the Coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic. From holding daily briefings on the virus, ensuring better access to practical information for the general public to inculcating best public health practices in times of epidemics like rigorous contact tracing and maintaining strict protocols for quarantining, the Kerala government has so far managed to keep the number of confirmed positive cases to 27, including 2 foreign nationals, with no fatalities.
Earlier this week, The Better India spoke to Dr Rajeev Sadanandan, the former Health Secretary of Kerala, who played a critical role in the government’s successful efforts to contain the Nipah virus, about the lessons learnt from previous disease outbreaks and how it’s implementing them in their current battle against the novel coronavirus.
Back in January, preparations to take care of the 26 medical students coming from Wuhan, China, the first major epicentre of the virus, had begun in earnest. The government knew who these students were before they landed in the state. These students were quarantined and regularly tested. Among them, three had tested positive and were treated.
Unfortunately, more epicentres emerged in East Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Suddenly, the number of people who could potentially carry the infection to Kerala went up exponentially. So, the State Health Department continued to track people coming in from this region, ensuring that they were isolated and treated.
In an act of carelessness, however, one family (a couple and their 26-year-old son) did not inform the health authorities about their recent trip to Italy. Even when they had the infection, they had failed to inform the health authorities.
After quarantining them, health workers in the state retraced their steps on war-footing and found 3,000 people who they had come in contact with since landing in Kerala. Among the 3,000, they found six more positive cases. Now, they are retracing their steps and their contacts are being identified.
In other words, the second wave of COVID-19 outbreak in Kerala began with the carelessness of that one family. With positive cases flying in from different corners of the world since, the total number stands at 27.
Coronavirus has not been contained, but governments must ensure that the number of those affected and casualties remain as low as possible. What the Kerala government hopes to do is ensure that peak numbers remain as low as they can. How is that being done?
“It’s by using classic public health techniques. Unlike Nipah, the epicenter of the epidemic was known. The advantage is that you know where carriers of the virus are coming from. People under low risk of contracting it can be put under home quarantine, while a health worker follows up with them morning and evening. This was a technique developed during the Nipah outbreak,” Dr Rajeev Sadanandan tells TBI.
Now, if a person tests positive, what ensues is the painful process of tracing and identifying their contacts for the previous 14 days. Their steps are retraced with answers to questions like: Which flight did they take, their seat number, the immigration officer they met, the taxi driver who ferried them, whether they stopped at a restaurant to have a cup of coffee or visited a shop, and who they meet and dine with, etc.
“Upon their admission in the hospital, we begin tracing their past movements by interviewing them, their relatives, mapping their movements by tracking their mobile phones using cell tower triangulation, Google Maps, identifying which places they visited and cross-checking it. We mark each and every point they visited,” says PK Sudheer Babu, the District Collector of Kottayam.
“And that cycle starts again because every person who the patient came in contact with could become the centre of the next cohort of potentially virus-affected persons. This could go on until a point where it impossible for the Health Department to keep following up. By then, the numbers are so large that you step away from prevention and immediately get down to mitigation. I’m not sure when that stage arrives, but I believe the government is ready for it,” adds Dr Sadanandan.
For representational purposes. Kerala did not underestimate the dangers of COVID-19.
Lessons learnt from Nipah
According to him, the first lesson the State apparatus learnt during the Nipah episode was to never underestimate the extent of a potential epidemic. “The reaction to the Nipah virus, for example, was way above the then available threat perception,” he says.
The second key lesson was establishing a robust contact tracing mechanism, which is something they learned during the two Nipah episodes. Contact tracing is a standard public health practice in managing any infectious disease.
The local Multipurpose Health Worker (MPHW), including Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) and multipurpose male workers, track down primary and secondary contacts, who are then home quarantined. The assigned MPHW calls them up in the morning and evening to ascertain whether they have developed any symptoms, while a trained psychologist inquires about any psychological issues arising from the quarantine.
Meanwhile, low-income families under quarantine receive free rations. If any patient under quarantine reports any symptoms, they are presumed to be a Covid-19 positive case. They are then transported in designated ambulances to the isolation ward in the designated treatment centres and tested. Until their test results are negative, they remain in isolation.
Taking all necessary precautions. (Source: Twitter)
“Over time, these MPHWs have learnt this process of how to conduct contact tracing, how to figure out the next potential cohort, how to follow up on them, and how to shift them to a medical centre if they transition from low to high risk patients. These health workers are trained professionals when it comes to dealing with these situations. They were first trained during the first Nipah episode, and ever since it has become part of the standard training given at the district level,” informs Dr Sadanandan.
Ideally, those with symptoms would normally report themselves to the authorities along with their contact number and their address. All that information is relayed to the said MPHW concerned, who tracks the quarantined patient.
Health workers following up on people under quarantine. (Source: Twitter/Sneha Koshy)
The process of contact tracing is incredibly difficult, and it is likely that some cases will get missed. But can they reduce the number of cases missed? If any of them tests positive, can they recover from a bad situation fast enough like in the case of the couple returning from Italy?
“Thankfully, it was an alert physician who picked it up not from the infected couple that flew down from Italy, but another person they had infected. To the credit of the Kerala government, they cracked down so fast that only six positive cases have emerged including the couple from that episode. Among the 6, one was 91 years old. The other was 86 years old, and it would have been very difficult to save their lives. Incredibly, they have recovered. That’s quite an achievement.
In fact, I was very surprised because if you look at cases from Wuhan and Italy, one would surmise that the probability of their survival was very low. Now, their contacts are being identified. The health department is now straining itself to identify all their contacts, monitor and check whether fresh positive cases are coming up to ensure the virus doesn’t set roots in the state,” claims Dr Sadanandan.
Another key lesson from the management of Nipah was the realisation that the State government couldn’t manage the response by itself. Support for contact tracing is largely mobilised by robust local self-government entities like Panchayats and urban local bodies. NGOs, meanwhile, have arranged for the supply of protective gear. Religious leaders, civil society members, media and opinion drivers in the state are co-opted to further the government’s efforts in battling the virus.
It was also during the Nipah outbreak when the State government really built up its presence on social media to not merely answer questions, but also counter fake news. Those intending to spread panic via fake news were subject to punitive measures.
“One thing we learnt from Nipah and the MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières) guidelines on Ebola management is to isolate positive cases at source. What we did during Nipah was to take a seperate building inside the Kozhikode Medical College premises, which was an epicentre of the outbreak. All suspected cases or those who reported respiratory distress or acute fever were asked to report to that facility rather than the general outpatient department of the hospital,” recalls Dr Sadanandan.
Any person with symptoms would be driven there directly on government expense. If these cases warrant admission into the facility, they would do it. There were four levels to this building inside the Kozhikode Medical College campus with each carrying different patient segments—suspected but not confirmed cases or confirmed but not serious cases.
“Now, the number of COVID-19 cases is going to be much higher than Nipah. They would have to look at alternative strategies like hiring a stadium. Each district may need a separate such structure to house patients. Also, based on their experience of the 2018 floods in Kerala, the State government realized that they need more boots on the ground in dealing with such emergencies. They have decided to recruit additional people, train them and keep them ready for any possible spike in the spread of COVID-19,” he claims.
Representational image of doctors wearing protective gear. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Another serious concern is the possibility of widespread community transmission.
“Since symptoms are indistinguishable from common conditions, cases would get ignored and till they become severe and the infection has spread to the larger community…Community spread would involve older patients who are at higher risk…Creating the facilities takes time. Government may need to identify buildings, procure oxygen cylinders, masks, cannulas and ventilators and recruit personnel immediately. This may at worst be wasted effort. But if support is needed and not provided, it could lead to avoidable deaths, loss of morale of health and anger in the community,” he writes for the Observer Research Foundation.
There is also the issue of mass testing, and many commentators believe India is not doing enough. However, earlier this week, R Gangakhedkar, the head of epidemiology and communicable diseases at the Indian Council of Medical Research told the press, “We have not yet reached the stage of mass testing, where the virus spreads unfettered in the community. We are at Stage Two of local transmission.”
The ICMR had also announced an expansion of their testing process, while encouraging private players to test patients.
Meanwhile, as responsible citizens, people must inform medical professionals if they have arrived from a COVID-affected country, be honest about whether they’re suffering any symptoms and take all necessary precautions to ensure they don’t infect others.
This will go a long way in helping health workers on the frontline.
(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)
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Back in 2015, Dr Surdas and his wife Dr Minu, wanted to rebuild their old house in the Ollur area of Thrissur, Kerala. They wanted a new home that was in perfect harmony with nature without being a threat unlike the homes built today. That’s when they approached PK Sreenivasan, a civil engineer, whose architectural firm Vasthukam specialises in building eco-friendly homes built with mud.
Within a year, the doctor couple were happily living in a unique and picturesque mud house surrounded by jack fruit and mango trees, alongside other beautiful flowering plants. Not only that, but nearly 80 per cent of the total materials like wood, mud, laterite and Mangalore roof tiles that were used to build the new house came from their previously demolished home. Everything from the doors, windows and wooden columns were sourced from the demolished house.
“But their main demand was to construct a mud house. While we sourced some of our mud from the basement area of the new house, we procured the rest from the surrounding region. Also we up-cycled whatever material was present in the old house after demolition,” says PK Sreenivasan, in a conversation with The Better India earlier this week.
PK Sreenivasan worked and learned from Baker and was inspired to build eco-friendly homes using mud
Legacy of Eco-Friendly Homes – Working with and Learning from Laurie Baker
Born and raised in Thrissur, PK Sreenivasan did not study architecture, but was a graduate (1987) in Civil Engineering from the Government Engineering College, Thrissur. Following graduation, however, he joined the Centre of Science and Technology for Rural Development (COSTFORD), a NGO in Thrissur in 1988 to work with the legendary Gandhian architect Laurie Baker on low-cost rural housing projects.
Playing an instrumental role in the introduction of exposed laterite buildings to the state in 1992, Sreenivasan, alongside Baker, worked on implementing cost-effective and eco-friendly housing projects. But his focus was on the importance of making a house more eco-friendly and greener by experimenting with other natural materials, particularly mud. However, he soon quit COSTFORD, parted ways with Baker and established Vasthukam in 1994.
“Nearly 25 years ago, I began using mud as a building material. When I worked with Baker, there was a greater emphasis on burnt brick, laterite and stone. He would rarely do mud construction, particularly in Kerala. After leaving COSTFORD, I started constructing mud structures. My first mud building was the Adishakti Theatre in Puducherry,” he says.
Spread across an area of 2,697 square feet, Dr Surdas and Dr Minu’s home in Ollur has three bedrooms, living and dining rooms, a kitchen with a work area adjacent to it. Hard rocks were used to construct the foundation of the house, while the walls were built employing rammed earth technology where the mud and slaked lime are mixed and stacked tightly. However, in the past, he has also used cob with mud plaster and sun-dried bricks. More importantly, he employs no steel and even the use of RCC is minimal.
Nonetheless, the specialty of any Vasthukam home is the use of mud plaster, which can be rough or smooth, but requires no coat of external paint, instead of a cement plaster.
“It was Vasthukam which reinvented the technique of smooth plastering of the walls using mud. This technique helps to reduce the use of 50 per cent of sand that is needed while plastering the walls. This technique also helps to avoid painting the walls and the unhealthy consequences of breathing toxins,” says the firm’s website.
There are multiple benefits to mud plastering. It is eco-friendly, requires no paints with toxic chemicals and these walls require no to less maintenance work, which in terms of overall cost is much less in comparison to painted cement plastered walls.
“In my structures, however, we need two layers of mud plaster. The first layer is done with a mixture of mud, a small portion of sand and rice husk as a fibre and an even smaller quantity of cement for stabilising purposes. The second layer comprises a very thin layer of mud plaster with sieved mud, lime, little cement and finely sieved sand that presents a smooth finish. The final layer can be smooth or rough depending on the client’s tastes. Mud plastering also has a real cooling effect inside the house and minimises the need for fans and air conditioners,” informs Sreenivasan.
Series of Eco-friendly homes: The Mud House in Ollur. (Source: Vasthukam)
And the doctor couple agreed. “Although we have fans and ACs installed, we hardly switch it on. Overall, inside the house the atmosphere is both pleasant and calming,” they said.
A significant portion of the mud is sourced from waste soil. Although these mud walls require no paint, the structures that Vasthukam constructs are of different shade depending on where the mud is sourced from and the soil type. Their differing shades heighten the beauty of the final finish, and there is no addition of any artificial pigment. The colours are natural.
“The walls of different mud houses are in different shades from deep red, soft yellow, yellow ochre, chrome yellow, muted brownish gold to many other colour variants. And we render the wall with various textures, motifs and impressions,” he says.
However, a very important element for any mud house is the need for protection from the scorching sun and heavy rain. These mud walls require proper shade.
“To protect the walls we build a proper overhang like a sloping wooden roof. Although we built a concrete roof with filler material like old Mangalore Tiles in the Ollur house, we often use wood from coconut or palm trees that are abundantly found in Kerala. Coconut wood, for example, is strong and very durable. It can last for over 100 years. Traditionally, people would use coconut wood from 60 to 70-year-old trees that were way past their fruit bearing years. Another option for roofing is bamboo, but the costs are high after treatment and also the availability is less.” he says.
For flooring, meanwhile, the emphasis is on using natural materials and traditional methods of treatment. Oxide floors in different colours are predominant in his structures. “Here (in Ollur), we used yellow ochre and black colour oxide, wood flooring which we reused from the old house and kota stone,” informs Sreenivasan. The total cost of constructing this house was Rs 46 lakhs.
Another fundamental facet of Vasthukam eco-friendly homes is the absence of glass windows. It’s a facet of modern day housing that annoys Sreenivasan. The emphasis here is the entry of natural light into the room and proper ventilation. “Back in the old days, our traditional houses hardly used glass because it absorbs more heat which then raises the temperature inside. We use simple and small and wooden window panels without any curtains or jaali that facilitates the seamless flow of breeze and fresh air,” he reiterates.
Challenging times
Despite the obvious benefits of such eco-friendly structures, Sreenivasan argues that making them is getting harder by the day because of rising costs. Back when he was working with Laurie Baker, the cost of labour was less compared to the cost for the material used like cement and steel. At the time, Baker insisted on labour intensive work without using cement and steel. For example, Sreenivasan says that he would insist on using lime mortar instead of cement mortar. However, today the labour charges are now more than Rs 1,000 per day, while the cost of cement is less than Rs 400 a bag. Eco-friendly architects like him cannot do the same things as they did back then.
Series of Eco-Friendly homes – Staircase inside the house in Ollur. (Source: Vasthukam)
“It’s very difficult now to do construction that is both low cost and eco-friendly, particularly because of high labour charges. Also natural materials are being overly consumed for bigger projects which is causing a rise in demand and thus resulting in higher cost. There is no question that people like us are suffering now,” laments Sreenivasan.
Nonetheless, it’s the type of architecture he abides by that could significantly reduce our collective carbon footprint. It’s a question of survival with climate change hovering above us. Many have spoken of sustainability, but few have done anything about it.
With 37 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Kerala and a total of 236 confirmed cases in India (as of 20th March 2020), the Kerala government has stepped up in ensuring that the citizens are aware of the intensity of the situation.
They have announced a Rs. 20,000 Cr special package for the State to fight the #COVID19 pandemic. The plan will cover health packages, loan assistance, welfare pensions, support people under MNREGS, free food grains, subsidised meals, tax relief and arrear clearance.
The state has also come up with many initiatives to make citizens aware of the COVID-19 virus and give them a better understanding of it.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Health Minister K.K.Shailaja
#BreakTheChain Campaign
One such initiative is the #BreakTheChain campaign which aims to raise awareness among the public on the importance of handwashing and personal hygiene in the time of the pandemic. As part of the campaign, the government is installing handwashing outlets in many public areas including bus stops, government offices and hospitals.
On 16 March 2020, the Health Minister of Kerala, KK Shailaja launched the #BreakTheChain campaign by stating, “The one way we can prevent the spread of this deadly virus is by following personal hygiene and making a habit of washing our hands and face whenever we are in public contact. By doing so we can break the chain of this virus.”
Hand washing outlets
This MIT study stated that ‘even small improvements in hygiene could make a noticeable dent’ and just the act of handwashing can make a huge difference worldwide.
Dr Divya S Iyer, IAS, who is currently heading the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS), Kerala has also actively joined the #BreakTheChain campaign and is spreading awareness to rural communities about the epidemic and the necessary precautions to be taken.
With almost 16.3 Lakh people who are employed as part of the rural employment guarantee scheme in almost 38,000 sites across the state, Dr Divya points out that many of the beneficiaries are above the age of 50 and are at a higher risk of being affected by the virus.
MNREGS workers washing their hands
“As educated citizens, there is a certain level of social commitment that we must all have. During crises like these we often forget the most vulnerable population – the one that has no access to information and is unaware of what’s going on around them,” she explains.
“On my visit to the Kallikkad village as part of the campaign, we demonstrated proper hand washing techniques to the workers and ensured that they had all the necessary facilities like soap and water. We’ve instructed them to wash their hands frequently and bathe before and after work,” says Dr Divya.
Dr. Divya S. Iyer, IAS with MNREGS workers
She also informed that wearing gloves has been effective for these workers. While taking feedback, the workers said that wearing gloves helped them avoid touching their face frequently.
“This kind of information from the people is very crucial and can go a long way. It can help control the virus and help us tackle epidemics that could affect us in the future,” she explains, “So the point of the campaign is not just to raise awareness and prevent the spread of the virus but to also cultivate a habit of personal hygiene among citizens.”
“The campaign mainly works on two important levels, to protect ourselves and ensure the safety of others. The #BreakTheChain campaign can only be successful if we work together as a community. What we can do as citizens is to stay informed, rely on verified sources for information and have a sense of social commitment and think of both our own and others safety,” Dr Divya concludes.
C E Chakunny from Kozhikode has taken on many careers in his lifetime.
Being a hardcore fan of cinema, Chakunny has enacted a range of side roles including that of a chief minister, an MLA and an opposition leader in many Malayalam movies.
But for the people of Kerala, Chakunny is not popular for the movies he’s acted in but the good deeds he’s done.
Chakunny with actor Pappu.
When the confirmed cases of COVID-19 shot up rapidly in Kerala, many shopkeepers experienced a severe loss in their sales.
Chakunny, who leases out more than a 100 buildings across Kozhikode to different shop owners realised that many of them were unable to pay the rent on time. So he exempted them from paying the rent for a month.
“I know the pain a person owning a business goes through during such trying times. I was in the same position a few years back and I realised that it was time for me to do whatever I can to help,” he explains.
After finishing his SSLC from his hometown in Chalisseri, Palakkad, Chakunny joined as a trainee at Vijaya Traders in Kozhikode.
After picking up the basics, he started ‘Chakunny and Company’ in 1968.
“I started off as a salesman and slowly started off my own business, so I’ve gone through my own share of struggles in the business world. So I couldn’t bear to see these shopkeepers go through such a great loss.” he explains.
“A few days back some of my tenants requested if they could pay the rent on a daily basis rather than paying at the end of the month. I was fine with that. But a few days later, when my son went to collect the rent, he said that some of the tenants couldn’t pay the rent at all. I went and spoke to them personally and understood that they were experiencing a serious dip in the sales.” says Chakkuny.
C.E. Chakkunny
“When I went to see them in the evening one of my tenants told me that he had only one customer come in throughout the day. I realised that many of them had been taking loans to pay the rent till then. They were struggling to pay even their own employees.” he adds.
Chakunny immediately consulted his auditor and other family members who had ownership over these buildings and exempted a rent of Rs 12 lakhs which he gets from over 100 buildings in key areas in Kozhikode.
From voicing the grievances of air passengers to bringing out the concerns of NRI Malayalis, Chakunny has fought for many causes for the society and is currently an active member of various organisations including Malabar Chamber of Commerce, Calicut Chamber of Commerce, All Kerala Consumer Goods Distributors’ Association, World Malayali Council and Malabar Rail Users Association (MRUA).
“I’ve been a trader here in Kozhikode for almost 57 years and what I’ve learnt is that at times like this we have to stop thinking about profits and losses and simply stand with humanity. If there’s something within your capacity to contribute, you must do it,” he concludes.
With an early closing for all schools and educational institutions, it’s an in house vacation for most children. While most kids are busy playing board games and annoying their siblings, for 4th grader, Alok Dev, a student of the Govindapuram Kendriya Vidyalaya, it was time to create a robot!
Alok who has been interested in robotics since the age of 7, has created a mini-robot that can automatically dispense hand sanitiser!
“I love robotics and have been passionate about it for a long time. That’s how I approached Savad sir who runs a robotics training centre called Rotech Edu near my house to learn how to create one on my own,” explains Alok.
After understanding the basics of robotics, Alok has created a range of robots that carries out various functions, out of which the EV3 hand sanitiser has gained popularity with the recent COVID-19 breakout.
Alok Dev’s Robot
“Right now everyone is trying their best to fight the coronavirus by keeping their hands clean. So instead of touching the bottle, I thought why not create a robot that can automatically sense the presence of the hand and dispense sanitiser for you,” explains Alok.
Alok’s dad, Danish, had got him a Lego Ev3 Mind Storm kit which he used to make this handy robot.
“An ultra sensor, an arm processor and my lego kit are all I needed to make this tiny robot. It didn’t take much time since I knew what I wanted to create beforehand. Regular experimenting with the kit can go on for hours though.” says Alok.
“It’s nice to see him make the most of this holiday time and create things that are useful. Moreover, he’s not up to any monkey business which is a great relief for me,” laughs mother, Poornima.
“He’s been watching the news with us for the past few weeks and understood that the coronavirus was a serious epidemic. That’s when he came up with the idea of making a sanitiser dispensing robot,” she adds. Alok also has a YouTube channel of his own called ‘AkkuTech’ where he posts videos of his new inventions.
Before this, Alok had created a ‘grab robot’ which can hold and carry things from one place to another.
Although his parents had sent him for dance and skating lessons alongside robotics, they eventually had to stop sending him for both because his mind was completely set on robotics.
“If he’s not seen creating robots, he’s probably watching others create robots on Youtube or watching gadget reviews. The passion he has for it is truly amazing to see,” says Poornima.
“Next I want to create a robot that can fold clothes and since it’s sort of a vacation now, I have enough time to experiment as well,” smiles Alok. “My dream is to become a robotics scientist when I grow up and create robots that can make life easier for humans,” he concludes.
In times like these when the whole world is looking for solutions, it is young minds like Alok that keep us inspired!
In this period of crisis, many amongst us have tapped into their compassionate side and become good samaritans for those in need. But if you speak to anyone in Kerala’s Kanjirappally village, they will tell you that Najeeb, a fish vendor and one of its residents, has always been one.
A former bus driver, Najeeb returned to Kerala a few years back to take over his brother’s fish business as he had fallen ill.
Alongside all his work, he always made time to help his villagers whenever they needed any help–whether it was providing water to those experiencing a shortage, palliative care to elderly patients, or distributing food to the hungry.
So, when he saw the number of COVID-19 patients escalating in the state, he immediately volunteered to help.
During Najeeb’s Awareness programmes.
“I knew I had to do my part. And when I heard that soap was the best way to tackle this problem, I came up with a plan,” says Najeeb, who made a portable hand washing unit attaching a water tank and a set of taps to an auto. Along with this, he distributed liquid hand wash soap to people.
“I went around almost the entire Kanjirappally town with this portable setup, so that people could understand the gravity of the situation and the importance of washing hands”, he explains.
Besides encouraging people to wash their hands and maintain proper self-hygiene, Najeeb also decided to clean all the vehicles passing through Kanjirappally town for free!
“After enquiring with the health officials, I created a disinfectant using bleaching powder, antiseptic lotion and lemongrass oil. After making this in bulk, I got some volunteers to help out, and we went around spraying it on vehicles, roads, stores, bus stands and other public areas,” he says.
Disinfecting the Kanjirapally locality.
Along with these activities, Najeeb also distributed pamphlets and conducted awareness programmes on COVID-19 for people to get a better understanding of the pandemic and its effects. His wife Beena and two children are his pillars of support and strength, and actively involved in all of his voluntary activities.
“A lot of people criticize me saying that I do all of this for publicity, but for me, it’s solely about the satisfaction of doing my part for the society,” he explains.
Najeeb also has a deeply personal reason as to why he helps the needy.
“Almost a year ago, I was hit by a lorry. The doctors had said that there was no hope, but after eight months of treatment, I can walk and do all physical activities without any assistance. So when you get a chance to live again, you might as well help save lives.”
In the past few days, several people have offered monetary help to Najeeb, but he insists that he is happy doing this work, and has no regrets in spending his own money for that purpose.
“I’m a small-town guy, and there are a lot of limitations to what I can do to help stop the spread of this pandemic, but I want to try my best,” he concludes.
Hannah Alice Simon, 15, had to face a lot of difficulties in her childhood. Being visually-impaired from birth, Hannah didn’t have many friends to play with and went through a lot of bullying from other children, being often called a ‘ghost’ or a ‘devil’.
“Infants would start crying because my eyes would scare them. This hurt me the most because I loved to hold babies and play with them,” says 15-year old Hannah.
Hannah was diagnosed with a condition called Microphthalmia where the eyeballs don’t fully develop or develop at all. Although her parents tried everything they could to improve her condition, nothing seemed to work.
Hannah as a child
But overcoming all odds, today Hannah is the youngest and sought after motivational speakers in Kerala. She has also written and recorded many songs for her YouTube Channel which has almost 1000 subscribers and has garnered over 20,000 views.
“I didn’t plan on becoming a motivational speaker at all. In fact I really didn’t think I had it in me to create an impact on an audience. But when I saw college students and professors approaching me and telling me how inspiring my story was, I realised that I was making a difference.” says Hannah who currently one of the youngest motivational speakers in Kerala.
Her Inspiration
Hannah, who hails from Perumbavoor, is the eldest daughter of Simon and Lija. The supportive parents have always stood behind their daughter at every step of the way.
Hannah with her family.
“My mother is my biggest inspiration. When I was just about six years old she approached a teacher and learnt the Braille language so that things could get easier for me. She always made sure that there was no difference between me and my younger brothers Hanok and Daniel, and I’ve never felt that either,” she shares.
“I decided to learn Braille first because, as her mother, I knew that it would be easier for her if I taught her,” says Lija.
Hannah, who is currently a 10th-grade student at Kakkanad Rajagiri school, says that without her parents’ support she would never have been able to come out of the dark space of loneliness and fear.
“Even thinking about the first few years after Hannah was born is difficult for me. I would see her struggling to make friends and mingle with the other children. But things became a lot easier when we had Hanok and Daniel. She developed a comfort zone with them and felt that she finally had someone to count on, other than us,” explains mother Lija.
Finding her Way Back to Music
Hannah at the recording studio
It was Hannah’s father who kindled the love for stories and music in her. “My dad would read stories to me every day and he’s the reason I was motivated enough to write stories and songs and even go for singing lessons,” says Hannah.
“But at one point in my life, the singing really got to me. My teachers used to ask me to sing at every other school program and I almost lost interest in singing. That’s when I met Radhika ma’am at the ‘Soul of Music’ school. Her passion for music rekindled the interest in me and there was no turning back from there. I continuously started writing songs and doing covers for my Youtube channel. It was from there that my journey truly started.” she adds.
People who heard Hannah’s music started asking her to come and speak at colleges and schools and share her story. She started attending a lot of programs and also had the opportunity to address the students at the Aluva School for The Blind.
15-Year Old Hannah giving a motivational talk at an event
“Today, I don’t feel the need to have my eyesight back. From my very childhood, my parents have instilled a confidence within me that always motivated me to live upto my potential. “ she explains. “Everyone will have to face a lot of difficulties and obstacles in their life, but it’s how we deal with it that makes us who we are,” Hannah concludes.
The Silent Valley National Park in Palakkad is one of the most well-known tropical forests in India and is home to a wide variety of rare species of flora and fauna including the endangered lion-tailed macaque.
In 1970 when the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) proposed a hydroelectric dam that runs through the Silent Valley submerging almost 8 KM of the forest, many environmentalists came together in protest and standing at the forefrunt of the protests were the tribal communities living in Palakkad. Eventually, the project was scrapped.
Maari, a Muduga tribal, grew up listening to his father standing in the frontlines, fighting to protect their green home. And it left a lasting impression on him.
It is no wonder then that Maari became a conservationist, dedicating his entire life towards preserving the environment. And for the same reason, he was bestowed with Kerala Chief Minister’s Forest Medal this year.
Early Life In The Silent Valley
Maari with Prince Charles
Maari has been a part of the conservation of the Silent Valley forests in Kerala’s Palakkad municipality since childhood. His father, Letchiappan, had helped numerous environmental scientists and conservationists from across India study the biodiversity of the Silent Valley during the late 1970s.
Maari had also accompanied his father on most of these guided tours where he would point out the peculiarities of each of the rare species found in the forest.
Discontinuing his formal education in the 7th standard, Maari joined his father at the age of 16, who was also assigned as a temporary ‘watcher’ at the Silent Valley.
“My father knew every single detail about the place since he was brave enough to go into the deepest regions of the forest,” explains Maari.
Silent Valley, Palakkad
Currently a conservationist at the Poochipara region of the Silent Valley, Maari interacts with eco-tourists and environmentalists on a daily basis.
He points out that he has had the opportunity to learn a lot from the researchers he’s guided in the past few years. He would point out rare species to them and they would teach him the name. Today, he can name 134 species of orchids in the Silent Valley along with the names of different birds and insects.
“In 2013, I had the chance to meet Prince Charles who had come to visit Kerala. I even had the opportunity to speak to him for a while with the help of a translator. At the time I didn’t know that it was a big deal, but now I do,” laughs the 48-year-old conservationist.
Besides conservation and being the ‘keeper’ of the Silent Valley, Maari also enjoys taking pictures of all the exotic creatures that only his eyes have witnessed.
A Picture captured by Maari
“I’m not a professional photographer, but I love to capture whatever I see in the forest as a form of documentation. A range officer that used to work here gifted me a camera in 2002 and I’ve been taking photos ever since. I don’t keep any of the pictures, I submit them all to the forest office,” he explains.
Encounters With The Wild
“Whenever I take tourists and researchers into the forest I tell them a few simple things. If you spot an animal, don’t get scared and don’t make noises or run. The key is to be silent. The second thing and the most important thing to remember is that this is the animals habitat, if you don’t do anything to them, they won’t do anything to you,” he explains.
“There are so many encounters that I’ve had with the wild animals. A few years back, I was guiding a few researchers through the forest and we spotted a lone elephant. Everyone hid behind trees on seeing the tusker. When the elephant heard our footsteps, I saw him reach out with his trunk to find us. But luckily, he couldn’t reach in completely,” he says, relieved.
But for Maari, the scariest encounter was with a wild tiger.
“I was alone that day and was trying to clear my path of the twigs and leaves in the forest. Suddenly, I looked up and right next to me stood a wild tiger staring right at me. Then for the next 15 minutes, both the tiger and I were imitating each other. When I sat down quietly, he also sat. When I got up, he also moved back. Then suddenly, when I made a loud noise, the tiger ran away. The next day when I came back to the same spot, I found the remains of a Sambar Deer lying there. That’s when I realised that I had encountered a hungry tiger,” he explains.
Leopards, bears, tigers, stray wolves, snakes, there’s a long list of animals that Maari has encountered. But rather than being scared, this man has embraced these experiences that have brought him closer to the wild.
Silent Valley Today
Life in the forest has been full of obstacles and difficulties for Maari. Even during the Kerala floods in 2018, Maari was forced to spend multiple days in the forest alone as all the paths and roads to the forest were flooded.
Furthermore, his visits to his home are limited to once every 15 days. Maari says that his wife Pushpa and his three children Mithun, Lakshman and Sreerag love life in the forest but don’t have the kind of passion that he’s developed for it.
Every year the Kerala government presents the Chief Minister’s Forest Medal for exceptional efforts by individuals who have worked for the development of the society and the conservation of the environment. This is one of the highest honours that Maari has received so far.
He has also won several other environmental awards in the past, including a conservation award instituted in memory of former Chief Conservator of Forests N Madhavan Pillai and also the prestigious P V Thampi environmental award.
Maari receiving an award
Maari’s selfless efforts and contributions to save the rare ecosystem of Silent Valley is unparalleled and we applaud him for being an inspiration to many forest officials and conservationists.
During this period of lockdown due to the COVID-19 outbreak, several states like Kerala, who are dependent on neighbouring states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu for vegetables and other produce, are striving to find a solution.
In such a scenario, 25-year-old Yadhu S Babu decision to give away all the produce from in his 1.5-acre plot, to daily wage labourers who are struggling to make ends meet. is indeed worthy of appreciation
“The vegetables are free of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and many vendors who were willing to pay twice the actual rate for the produce, had approached me. But I decided to give away all of the products to daily wage labourers through Ammakorumma, an NGO I’ve been closely working with throughout my life,” explains Yadhu, a resident of Anakkara in Kerala’s Idukki district.
Yadhu S. Babu in his farm.
“My father, who is a retired bank officer is also a volunteer at this NGO,” he adds.
On average, Yadhu harvests almost 100 kg of vegetables every week from his farm. Besides cardamom and pepper, which are the main crops, there is a wide variety of beans, beetroot, bitter gourd and brinjal on offer.
“This past week, we were able to gather enough vegetables for almost 40 homes. The volunteers from the NGO came and gathered all the vegetables that were ready and separated them into different bags so that the distribution would be easier, ” says Yadhu.
Volunteers from the NGO segregating the harvest
Ammakurumma has been working towards the betterment of the underprivileged, orphans and the elderly for more than 12 years now. With the lockdown being implemented, the organization has been working non-stop in providing food and necessary groceries to more than 100 houses in Kerala.
“People like Yadhu have been our driving force during times like this. When he could have easily gained profit, he decided to be a bigger man, and donate it instead,” says Sabu Kuttipala, the director of the NGO.
The Joy Of Farming
After completing a degree in Marine Sciences, Yadhu had many well-paying opportunities knocking at his doorstep, but he decided to follow his father’s footsteps and take on the risk of farming.
” I could have easily opted for a stable job with a decent salary, but my passion for farming didn’t allow me to do that. I know it’s a huge responsibility, but I know I won’t get this kind of satisfaction anywhere else,” Yadhu explains.
Although the market price for organic and regular vegetables is the same, Yadhu insists that the produce he goes will always be free from chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
Standing by his decision, he says, “When my own community is struggling to fight hunger, I can’t just sit here, and keep everything for myself. This is the time to come together and do whatever we can to overcome this crisis.”
If he’s not riding the auto, you will most likely find Sreekanth and his ‘Hello Buddy’ auto at the stand near Aluva Karothukuzhi Hospital. From long distance to airport rides, this auto is famous and one of the favourites for the people of Aluva, a suburb of Kochi, Kerala.
Wondering why?
Sreekanth’s Hello Buddy auto provides its users with phone charging facilities, free Wif-Fi, reverse cameras and even newspapers in English, Malayalam and Tamil. Incidentally, it is also India’s first ISO certified auto.
The Hello Buddy auto at the stand
“I wanted my auto to stand out from the rest and moreover, I wanted to make the commute of the passengers more comfortable,” Sreekanth explains. Sreekanth has also installed car seats in the auto to provide a luxurious experience for his passengers.
For Sreekanth, the primary motivation behind giving his auto an upgrade was to offer maximum comfort to the injured and the sick who hitch a ride with him from the hospital back to their homes. “I’ve mainly installed this because my auto was always parked outside the Aluva hospital. When people with injuries or difficulty in walking come out, I felt bad that they had to travel in a wobbly auto,” explains the 41-year-old who, incidentally, donates Rs. 5000 from his monthly income to the Aluva general hospital for those who can’t afford treatment.
“I also give free rides in my auto to cancer and dialysis patients, ” adds the philanthropist.
It’s only been a year since he bought the auto but for Sreekanth, who has 60 per cent paralysis in his spine and legs, ‘Hello Buddy’ is an unexpected turning point in his life.
The Accident that Changed Everything
After graduating from ITI, Sreekanth was on the lookout for a job. But one day on his way home, he lost balance of his scooter and fell onto the road. “I would have recovered from that accident but some of the medicines I took to relieve the pain led to ‘ankylosing spondylitis’ which leads to a long term inflammation of the spine and legs. I was left 60 per cent paralysed,” shares Sreekanth.
But soon after the accident, Sreekanth got a job as a clerk at a private Homoeopathic Clinic in Chottanikara. Although the clinic was quite far from home, Sreekanth would bear the physical pain and take the 40-minute ride to and from his office daily.
But after a few months of constant travelling, he was struck with oedema in his legs.
“I completely lost the ability to move. Then, after multiple treatments and a hip replacement surgery, the sensation in my legs revived. It took almost a year to recover but during this period I lost my job,” he explains.
Facilities in the auto
It so happened that the clinic where he worked had been taken over by the government during that period and most of the employees, including Sreekanth, were relieved from their jobs
“This led to a court case and the next few months went into multiple court visits to get our jobs back. Unfortunately, everyone except me got their jobs since I was paralysed. At that point, whatever faith I had in myself also left me,” he says.
Ever resilient, Sreekanth decided to take over the reins of his life again. “After a few weeks, I decided that I couldn’t just sit around feeling bad about myself. I had to find myself a new job,” he adds. Supporting him through it all were his parents, Ananth Naik, a retired superintendent of the Public Services Department and his mother, Shyamala Devi retired Assistant Controller of the agricultural university.
Making a Comeback with ‘Hello Buddy’ Auto
Sreekanth with the ISO certification
“I kept on trying for jobs and even worked at stores for a long time. Nothing seemed to work out, that’s when my family and friends suggested the idea of buying an auto. And this is how I finally I found my calling – ‘Hello Buddy’. This auto has given me the will to live and I’m completely happy with it,” he explains.
Today, Sreekanth has a stable income through his auto and is the owner of the first ISO certified auto in the country but he still remembers to do his part in helping the society.
“I’ve been through the same difficulties of trying to find money and I’ve had many people support me when I was struggling and now it’s my time to help others,” he concludes.
After working for ten years in the Middle East, Joy Vakayil and his wife, who was working there as a nurse, returned to their hometown in Kottayam, Kerala in 2004. The couple had just had their first child, Naveen Joy.
When asked about the reason for his return and what his plans were, Joy shocked everyone by stating that he was back to start his own farm and cultivate different vegetables and fruits there. Having grown up in a family of farmers, he wanted to return to his roots and create something of his own.
At that point, he only owned a few acres of a rubber plantation, but decided that he wanted to cultivate a wider variety of products rather than sticking to just a single cash crop. So, he weeded out all the rubber plants, and cultivated pineapples and easy-to-harvest vegetables like ladies finger and bitter gourd as well as plantain trees.
Today, the farm is home to a variety of fruits and vegetables along with cows, goats and fish, but for Joy, the biggest validation of his efforts is the fact that he gets to export his organic harvest to Europe!
The Initial Days
“I had to face a lot of criticism in the beginning because the people around me didn’t believe that I had the skills to follow through this plan. Additionally, many said that cutting down the rubber that I had was something I would always regret. But today, I’m glad I took that risk because now the farm has expanded to a level that I never anticipated,” Joy exclaims.
Finding the money to invest in the farm was the real struggle. Joy had about Rs 2 lakh saved, and with the help of the Kisan credit card, he took a loan of Rs 3 lakh. He used this money to procure land and materials required for agriculture.
The 14-acre farm is now spread out with almost 5 acres solely dedicated to the cultivation of ladies finger, bitter gourd and green chillies, 2 acres of paddy cultivation, 4 acres for the cultivation of coconut trees and the remaining land for the tubers and the rearing of the cows and goats.
“Soon, the farm started expanding and curious media persons and people started visiting it. I was even featured in an episode of an agricultural show,” says Joy.
On seeing the show, an export company in Kerala approached Joy and asked him if he would be interested in shipping his organic produce abroad. Joy agreed, and after sampling all the vegetables, the company started taking in his harvest for export.
“I have been exporting my vegetables to Europe for the past six years. Some months, I export almost 3/4th of the harvest. The international market is mainly interested in turmeric, ginger, tapioca which is not commonly cultivated abroad but abundantly grows in my farm,” he explains.
Besides exporting his harvest, Joy also provides his vegetables to the nearby Krishi Bhavan.
Dairy Farming And More
“When the farm started expanding, the need for fertilizers and compost also started building up. That’s when my friend, Dr Kuriakose Mathews, who is a veterinarian, gave me the advice to start dairy farming. Since he lives nearby, he assured to give me the necessary guidance and help whenever I needed it,” Joy says.
Today the farm has almost 25 goats and 10 cows that provide an average of 90 litres of milk every day. All the manure from the animals is used for farming purposes, and similarly, all waste leaves and plants are given to the cows and goats along with their fodder.
Joy also creates a manure powder which he sells in the market.
“Joy has always been very passionate about farming. The reason the farm became so successful was because he was always concerned about the harvest than the profit it made. He even goes around the neighbourhood and helps out budding farmers in our locality,” says Dr, Kuriakose Thomas who has been closely involved with Joy’s farm for the past 6 years.
“Many professionals from Krishi Bhavan and Krishi Vinjan Kendra often visit the farm and give me the necessary guidance for a better harvest. I was even given the opportunity to do a course at the Agricultural University to expand my knowledge and build a more scientific understanding about farming,” he explains.
Along with the farm, Joy has also started a nursery where people from across neighbourhoods and cities can purchase a variety of plants. Joy says that he started this initiative to encourage farming in the surroundings and especially to cultivation in the growing generation.
“I’ve ventured out into many levels of farming at the moment, the most recent one being a zero-energy cool chamber which I’ve set up to restore vegetables in their fresh state for upto a week. I’m also trying pisciculture (fish farming) at the moment with different varieties of fish like Rohu and Catla,” he explains.
A recipient of many awards given by the State Agricultural Department, Joy is also conducting an online farm school for beginners under the leadership of Mr Korah Thomas.
“A few years back, the people who knew me would never recognize me as a farmer. But I have worked hard, and am glad that the effort and the risk that I put into the farm changed that perception and I am so glad to be known as a farmer now,” he concludes.
With India under lockdown since 25 March 2020, the only services functional currently are the essential ones such as food supplies, medicines, and other groceries. But what happens when a vehicle delivering those essential services, like an ambulance or a fire truck, breaks down?
Recognising that this is a real issue that occurs rather frequently, mechanics from across Kerala, under the aegis of the All Kerala Automobile Workshop Association, have come forward to help.
“Every day, we receive several calls from people across the state who are stuck on roads because their vehicle broke down. We get to the location as soon as we can and provide them with a spare vehicle so that they can reach their destination while we conduct repairs,” says Bijoy, a member.
“We’ve strategised the plan in a district-wise manner so all vehicles can function smoothly without having to face any issues,” says KG Gopakumar, the secretary of the association.
The association had a similar arrangement in place during the Kerala floods, and repaired and fixed almost 300 vehicles which included ambulances, police jeeps, health department vehicles, fire trucks, and so on.
“Right now our focus is on prioritising vehicles that are delivering medicine, food and other essential services,” he adds.
The association has organised units in all 14 districts in Kerala with all the necessary tools and equipment to get work done quickly.
“At the moment, there are over 2 lakh mechanics across Kerala who are unemployed due to the recent lockdown. So, we are grateful that they have joined us in helping serve these essential services run smoothly,” says Gopakumar.
The association has ensured that information about the services reaches people through social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp and has also collaborated with the programs organised by the collectors of each district for COVID-19 relief.
“It might seem like a simple thing to be doing but having your vehicle repaired instantly especially at a crucial time like this is truly a blessing,” says Sub Inspector N Muhammed of the Malappuram Vengara Police Station. “Since we’re always on the go I’ve understood that we can only function efficiently because of the efforts of the association,” he adds.
The association has help desks across districts, and you can reach out to them on the contact numbers given below:
For Tahira, a resident of Kodungallur, a town in Kerala, depending on people for help or sitting at home was never an option.
She was only 14 when her father passed away. Seeing no other way out, she discontinued her education and became the sole breadwinner of her family, taking up multiple daily wage jobs to sustain her family of seven members. From selling fish, rearing cows, to even starting a driving school—Tahira soldiered on and fought all the odds that came her way.
But never in her wildest dreams did the 41-year old think that one day, she would star in her own biopic and that it would receive widespread appreciation from film critics.
The Struggle For Survival
After her father passed away, sustenance became a huge question mark for Tahira and her family. She was the middle child—there were three elder sisters and two younger ones—but decided to take it upon herself to bring her family back to the shore and began tagging along with her mother for daily wage work.
“At that point in time, it was odd to see a girl in her teens doing multiple jobs. But I never really got to choose the work I do because I was in a race for money,” Tahira recalls.
Clad in a men’s shirt and a long skirt with a towel around her head, she would go about her work and was never seen resting at any point in time.
“I used to be mocked by several people for dressing as I did, and I guess many of them found it odd that I was doing jobs that were predominantly taken up by the men in our society. But, I turned a blind eye to all those remarks because that’s what my father would have done. He started fishing at a very young age and was the eldest of 10 siblings. He spent his entire life taking care of his siblings just like me. You could actually say I’m following in his footsteps,” she explains.
She always had an eye on the future. While working at a shrimp factory, she used her savings to purchase a few cows and started selling their milk.
“I would wake up at 4 AM every day, milk the cows and then distribute it from door to door. Soon, I got myself a second-hand scooter so that the delivery could be faster and I could save time. But even then the people around couldn’t digest the fact that a woman was driving a scooter,” she mentions.
This small business took off, and a few years back, Tahira purchased a car, learnt how to drive, and now offers lessons to other people as well.
“Tahira’s perseverance and grit is the sole reason we can live with dignity today. Although she was not able to finish her studies, she made sure that her two younger sisters were sent to school. Both of them are now teachers. I couldn’t be more proud to have a daughter like her,” says Tahira’s mother, Beepathu.
Into The Limelight
Tahira with director Siddique Paravoor
For Tahira, life was always about survival. She was always flitting from one job to another and had no time to spare for anyone—
or any other activity.
But when Siddique Paravoor, a renowned director in the Malayalam film industry heard Tahira’s story, there was no turning back.
“I was visiting my folks in Kodungallur when I happened to see Tahira going from house to house delivering milk in her scooter. It was definitely something that caught my attention so I enquired about her and that’s when I heard her story, and was immediately intrigued” explains Siddique.
After a few weeks of discussions with producers and his colleagues, Siddique decided to go ahead and direct a movie on Tahira’s life. But there was a huge challenge to overcome.
“I had the enormous task of casting someone who could do everything that Tahira did, that is from fishing, rearing cows to even driving a car. I realised that she was an irreplaceable protagonist and only she could take up the role,” he explains.
Tahira was extremely hesitant, but Siddique had patience on his side, and eventually, she came around and agreed to give acting a try.
Lights, Camera, Tahira
Tahira at the International Film Festival Kerala
“This was the first time in front of a camera for me. I was obviously frightened by all the chaos that was happening at the set, a completely new experience. I fumbled, I cried, and I couldn’t comprehend the directions given by the cameraman,” mentions Tahira.
“But Tahira didn’t give up. She asked me if she could try out a few shots without instructions from the cameramen. I agreed, and that’s when we saw the film truly come to life. Her mannerisms and language brought a taste of her own life’s struggle into the movie, making it as genuine as it could be,” Siddique explains.
Besides facing the cameras for the first time in her life, Tahira who had never travelled outside Kerala was thrilled about the experience of flying to Delhi and Chennai for the premiere of the movie.
“This movie has changed my life. I was lucky enough to see people from across India appreciating my work and determination. That’s somewhat of a miracle, isn’t?” she asks with a smile.
Life Today
Since the film’s release, Tahira has received help and donations from all corners of the world. An anonymous benefactor even provided her with 5 cent of land, where she has now built her own home.
When asked if she would continue to act in movies, Tahira jokingly replies, “ If someone’s willing to make another movie about my story, then sure! But till then I’ll be busy with all the other work I have.”
