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Guest column: What not to do – A revelation in the times of Covid2019
MUMBAI: As we now stand in 2021, I remember a strategy quote by Sissy Gavrilaki which reads, “Failure is nothing more than a chance to revise your strategy.” When the bullet of Covid2019 pierced through our uneventful and routine lives, we didn’t know what hit us. There was pandemonium, anxiety, struggle, outbursts all around us – in every household of every city belonging to every country. All we saw, heard, spoke of was Covid2019 which had become the centre of all our lives and livelihoods.
Uncertainty became a constant in our lives. As we realised that the path ahead would be undefined, all we could now do was reflect, reassess, redetermine, revalue, re-strategise, realign and run forward with a redefined strategy for our respective businesses.
Strategy, to think of it, is a word with a simple meaning – a detailed plan for achieving a goal. But execution of a plan has its layer of complexity coupled with strategic vision. As we faced the pandemic, the first question which arose in front of our eyes was, ‘What happens to the business strategy which affects the outcome of goals, that in turn impacts revenue, which ultimately defines the future of our respective businesses’?
This simple yet alarming question was to be addressed and thus began the path to re-strategise in the Covid2019-dominated world. Each sector carved out its own innovative ways to re-strategise its business plans. Somewhere the strategy was to pause, somewhere it was to slow down, at some places it was to dismantle and while at others, to move forward. Each of these strategic steps redefined the business model, which redefined each human being’s life cycle which now consisted of new patterns, behaviours, lifestyles, cultures and most important habits.
As a start-up media network fuelled by the fire of ambition, we decided to stand together with the vision ‘united we stand, divided we fall’ to combat the avalanche of issues created due to Covid2019. Reassessing plans to ensure we achieve our goals in an uncompromised fashion became the need of every second and every hour at IN10. Grit, hard work, focus, teamwork became the artillery in our mission to stay on the targeted track of our business goals.
The pandemic taught me a very simple lesson – ‘What not to do.’ Yes, since the time we make a dramatic entry into this vast universe as human beings, we are taught ‘what to do’ at each level of our life. But as we grow out of the cocoon and take our steps on the road to adulthood, no one tells us, ‘What not to do.’ Now, as one of the most gruelling years of the decade comes to an end, I sit back and reflect on what I learnt ‘not to do!’
(The author is VP – corporate strategy and development network, In10 Media. Indiantelevision.com may not subscribe to her views.)
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
