24 Mar Re-evaluate life: First Anniversary to the New Normal

As we approach the first anniversary of the ‘Janata Curfew’ an unprecedented lockdown, the country is facing a second wave of coronavirus.

Let’s go through the key highlighted area from past one year.

Following a surge in COVID-19 cases in Mumbai, Pune and other cities, the calls for widening the scope of the vaccination program have only grown stronger and louder. With the availability vaccines, now several experts are in favor of a mammoth scale-up in the government’s immunization drive to safeguard the vulnerable.

The pandemic has been a real test for entrepreneurs. Founders have had to adapt like never before, turn adversity into an advantage and create the best possible outcomes. The investors adopted a cautious approach, they continued to diversify their portfolio and support existing portfolio companies with small ticket-size funding and follow-on rounds. More importantly, the past year has brought to the front the value of creating and investing in great teams.

The pandemic has probably turned the Internet from a “casual thing” to a core utility for a large proportion of the population and businesses.

People became more tech-friendly accepting the new normal. E-commerce companies bloomed.

Majority of the movies are getting released in OTT platforms as people are still avoiding theatres. Though it eliminates the big screen experience but provides more accessible quality content for entertainment.

Brands are focusing more on online promotion rather than offline. Events are also happening virtually due to this new normal situation.

People followed their hobbies and many people turned their hobbies into alternative source of income.

Finally, one thing we have released during this pandemic, while witnessing people losing their job, asset, home and loved ones, that we have to invest in our mental health now even more.

The lockdown had provided an opportunity to understand the gaps in our social architecture.It is important to diagnose them and not fall back to pre-pandemic systems.

The lockdown helped us to be more empathetic towards others. We learned that we need to stay close to our family, friends and the society. After all we are social animals and all the animals stay together while approaching the common enemy.