Getting back to work during lockdown.

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High Court of Kerala is reopening tomorrow.It surely gives me a hope that, everything will get back to normal. After college, my office is one of the few places where I have felt like ‘I belong here’. I had to take a small break due to health issues. It was really hard to take that decision and stay home. Within few days, the pandemic outbreak began, and soon, lockdown was declared in India. One of my colleagues said, “the entire country took a break with you.”

Since the first day of lockdown, I have gone out of the house only four times. Twice for buying grocery and twice for morning walks. Now that lawyers are gearing up, to get back on track, the realization that many things as I know have changed make me nervous as well. Earlier, while at courts or office, my worries were mostly about work. Now, I will carry a lot of virus induced anxieties too.

I am used to many things; rushing to a colleague’s desk for help, standing close to each other during every day meetings, using neck band of others, eating near the crowded food joint or in the canteen, shaking hands, sharing food, drinking from bottle of others, doing quick research from the Association library , heading to the filing section to cure defects noted by the filing section, finding a way towards our files in the crowded 3A courtroom, leaning towards the handrail of the escalator. I may not be able do any of this anymore. It is difficult to let all those habits go.

I know that everybody is scared and there was a shadow of realization on the virtual faces of my colleagues that we will have to learn to live with this virus. But all are scared about the chances of carrying the virus home. Therefore, everyone will try to keep a distance from each other. These are hard times and we need to fight it to go forward. Or as my Senior told me, “no more fights, we need to deal with it.”

The physical distancing may not affect warmth of any relation. But, how can I stay 6 feet away when I see my friends again. It is going to be really hard to re-learn things like, how to express emotions and how to contain it. While going outside with a mask glued to my face, what affected me the most is, the vanished smiles. It looks like one grim world, with all those smiles hiding behind the masks. However, nothing can hide the reflections of a beautiful smile in one’s eyes.

Sometimes, it feels like living in a fictional world of Hollywood movies. And I am afraid that, our world will be remembered as ‘before and after Covid’. There may not be any more time on the beaches. There may no longer be sudden plans for a Munnar trip. There may not be any stand-up comedy nights anymore. There may not be any drive to Queen’s Way. Even then I am happy. Scared, but happy.

I am really glad that there is a ray of hope, and I have decided to cling on to it. I am happy that we are far ahead of many countries in preventing the spread of covid. It was on January 30 that the first case of Covid was reported in Kerala, and all Keralites stood as one and the Government did their best. I am grateful to all. I am happy that I am able to go back to my office and see those familiar faces. I will be able to do what I know and forget about the bleak news I hear every day. There will be a sense of purpose every day.

So I am getting out tomorrow, to resume work – intending to develop some new habits to stay alive, and importantly, stay happy .

Protecting the data

Data protection is a growing concern now. When the locked down world is practically living inside the internet; when we are giving out more information than we should; I feel so insecure thinking that my privacy, which is priceless for me, might not be private anymore. To fight Covid, data collection of the infected individuals and that of the possible cases are inevitable. But, we don’t know how this data is going to be used in an ‘after Covid world’.

My friend Nithin Ramakrishnan had wrote an interesting article on the data protection scenario in India in connection with the Sprinklr data issue going on in the State of Kerala in India. He has rightly raised concerns over the lack of effecive data protection provisions in India. How far, our information available, in the servers of others, are safe? Isn’t it like keeping my valuables in the locker of another person? In my opinion, there is no effective law to protect one person’s private data in India.

Isn’t the issue of drawing a line between our privacy and public health be treated at least as important as showing the number of unfortunate demises, the number of infected, the curve and the peak. ? Isn’t it as important as the economy? Isn’t it more important than showing what the celebrities are doing in their homes during lock down?

There should be an active poltical involvement to educate the citizens- not mere political gimmicks. Actions should be taken for spreading awareness and holding public discourse on the topic of data protection. There should be positive steps taken to make individuals aware about their right to privacy and how the misuse happens. There are no active and effective awareness campaigns on how one should protect his or her privacy in the virtual world. The presense of large number of digital illiterates, demands, an active social movement in this regard.

We are proudly marching towards digitalisation, without teaching the masses what it is really about. My thoughts, my dreams, my conversations and my opinions are mine. I don’t want those to end upon the desk of an analyst working for an MNC or an election campaign team, without my voluntary consent. We should realise that, our data might be worth more than we can imagine. We need to protect the most lucrative commodity in the global market- “our data”. Like Stephane Nappo said, my “privacy is not for sale”.

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Track of time

I have lost track of time.
Wake up in the morning,
but its already noon.
Went up to the terrace to see the trees,
it’s already night and eerie dark outside .
The clock I have is all messed up.

There are allot of movie to be watched.
Thriller? Romantic? Horror? Action? Fiction?
I get confused.
Open my Note to scribble something,
then all of a sudden, I am watching Trump.

But it is not only what I have lost track of,
I have lost count of the graves as well.
When tombstones are the only family at funerals;
When you don’t get to give a last goodbye kiss;
That’s more painful than death itself.

The virus is mocking everyone.
Elderly and the youth alike.
It is not the time to show off the adrenaline rush.
All the dead were healthier once.
People are stranded at unknown sites,
Nothing to do but wait this to end.
And there are people with placards outside,
shouting slogans.
I still don’t know what they need.

I guess its better to lose the track of time,
than loosing my mind and my dreams.

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After Covid

Covid took away so much from this world.
But it gave back one thing we had lost.
TIME…
For the first time in past seven years after college,
No one is busy.
Everyone is free to dive into their thoughts.
Pick up a painting brush and pour the dreams on a canvas.
Scribble a poem and let out the emotions,
Chit chat without checking your watch; because you are not busy tomorrow.

Yes!this was the situation of the fortunate few.
When we got our time back,
majority lost their source of life.
When the busy world stood still,
they slept hungry under the roofless sky, and
they walked miles ,because they wanted to be home.
We are happy because we have money in our accounts.
But it had disappeared from the hands of the poor.

When this is all over, don’t go back to the way we lived.
Where those who had , had more than enough.
Where those who didn’t had nothing.
Where the animals were going extinct.
Where the nature was being ruthlessly massacred.
Where no one had time for anyone.
NO!not back to the normal before lock down.

To a normal, where everyone have enough.
Where the rivers get cleaner day by day.
Where all can breathe fresh air.
Where we can co-exist.
Where there is time.
Remember, world doesn’t require us humans.
We require the world.
But like the many, I am also confused.
How to?
Like us think.
Because now we have time.
*****