AWAKENINGS

  “HEALTHY” UNION BUDGET 2021 Union Budget for 2021 -22 – a paperless budget for the first time - was presented in Parliament on the 1 st February amidst sloganeering by the opposition MPs in post covid-19 time by our Finance Minister Nirmala Seetharaman having to meet many challenges and also to satisfy the ‘hungers’ of many sectors and States. During the course of last year, our Finance Minister had implemented many financial supports to the Industries, Migrant Labourers and Agricultural Sector due to Covid-19  lockdown which as per Nirmala were like Mini-Budgets to relieve the pains due to pandemic throughout India. Economic Survey prior to the budget presentation suggested to Nirmala  “Play like Pujara and bat like Pant” and predicted “Nirmala will have both players action on the 1 st February 2021”.  Due to unprecedented pandemic effects on economy and livelihood of people around the world, the world bodies like International Monetary Fund and World Bank urged even advance

  26 th January 2021 had gone into history of India as the most darkest and blackest day in view of the protesters as farmers hoisted the Nishan Sahib, the Sikh religious flag at the Red fort in New Delhi. JAI  JAWAN -  a holy and reverent slogan coined by our former Prime Minister Lalbahadur Sasshtri – had completely lost its significance and the Agitating Farmers  unions are summarily responsible for these most horrible anti-national acts. Farmers Unions agitating over 2 months wanted to repeal three farm acts of the Modi Government. For argument sake, if the Government repealed those acts, then, are they happy with the position of pre-these three acts? There are no answers from them in public domain till date.   Even the opposition parties are not clear in their stands, what would be next steps in case Modi Government scrapped these 3 agri acts. All opposition parties in the past wanted many changes in the Mandi Systems, procurement policies, Minimum Support Price, Freedom to State

  TO BE OR NOT TO BE - Vaccinated for COVID !  - Courtesy: S. Sankaran  Have been reading about the vaccine in almost every group including a dozen professional doctors only groups. I wanted to share my perspective as a doctor on this hoping that it might be of use to some. When COVID was running amok and spreading like wild fire every one of us were praying for a vaccine.... As early as possible. Even now it’s in its 2nd peak in many countries like USA & UK. But suddenly we hear from almost every Whatsapp university certified specialist question the speed with which some vaccine was approved. I guess that’s basic human nature where in when we are starving we might eat anything but when the same hungry person is given a choice then he forgets the hunger and starts analysing which of the choice is better. The human mind always wants more, isn’t it! Suddenly everyone knows about phase 2 or phase 3 vaccine trials and starts comparing the efficacy rates, complications incidence and A

  16 th January 2021 - Golden Date for Bharat’s Fight with Covid-19 It was on this day the national vaccination drive against the SARS – CoV -2 which was responsible for the Covid-19 pandemic began across 3,006 vaccination centres.  And it was world’s biggest vaccination programme. Within a fortnight, India had vaccinated over 30 lacs front line corona warriors and hence it became world fastest rate vaccination programme as well, since the USA needed 18 days and the UK took 36 days to reach this figure.   Due to our policy of Atmanirbhar Bharat, India had produced two vaccines approved by India’s drugs regulator in India in large quantities that had ensured to meet not only our local demands but also to export these life saving vaccines to many – now the figure being 30 + countries – initial supplies being free as our gift. India is all set to export 7 million made-in-India doses of Covishield vaccine as free gift. The consignment packages with our Covishield vaccines had  the a

  January 19, 2021 – Tuesday – will be a golden day in the annals of Indian cricket as one of its most glorious days. On that day, India Team had won Border Gavaskar Trophy by defeating Australia in its home ground so-called Fortress Gabba. And Border Gavaskar trophy was back in the Indian dressing room and it was like a miracle unfolded because Indian was 36 all out in Adelaide Cricket Test and everyone had written off Team India.  Hence this victory was special for many reasons.  Australian Players was intoxicated by the poor performance of 36 Score of Indian Team and  without Kohli as captain after first test and many seasoned players not playing leaving the field to young bench players, Australia prejudged that India could not even draw the series, let alone win. From poor score of 36 then, Team India had played epic game to score 328 runs with 3 wickets remaining and created history.  It was sad that due to frustration and fear of defeat, Australian Bowlers had started aiming thei

   Dr. V. Shanta (Born - 11/3/1927- Died - 19/1/2021) had left her mortal body at the age of 93 years and had dedicated her entire life to the cancer patients till her death. To make herself available to the patients literally 24 X 7 hours, she had preferred to live in a small room at the Cancer Institute itself and hence she was a Karma Yogi in the true sense of the word. Further she preferred to be single for which she reasoned “If you are a dedicated doctor, marriage is a hindrance. You cannot give everything to one, if you have another.” When she was asked her personal life and hobbies, she smiled to the reporter and drew a zero several times in the air ! She hailed from a family of scientists like two eminent Nobel Laureates in physics – Dr. C.V.Raman and Professor S. Chandrasekharan.  An alumnus of the Madras Medical College, she joined the Cancer Institute founded by Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy – one of the first women graduates of medicine in India and a legislator. Dr Muth