Year-ender 2020: Inspiring stories from Maharashtra that gave people hope

Marzy Parakh at his Worli home. Pic/Atul Kamble

The year 2020 may have been one of the toughest years this generation has witnessed but it also re-introduced us to the raw human grit and determination that breeds out of tough times.

We have rounded up some of the most inspiring stories from Maharashtra that made us believe in human determination in the face of adversities.

Mumbai: 5-star chef loses job, sells biryani on roadside stall

Chef Akshay Parkar was enjoying a fancy job in international luxury cruises and five-star and seven-star hotels. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Parkar was fired from the organisation where he had worked for 8 years.

Losing his job didn't deter the Mumbai-based chef to earn a livelihood. He opened a roadside stall and started selling 5-star quality biryani to eke a living.

Mumbai: Help pours in for 14-year-old boy who sells tea to support family

Subhan's story was shared by Mumbai's popular Instagram handle 'Humans of Bombay'. Speaking to HOB, Subhan said his mother became the sole breadwinner in their family after his father died of heart attack. The COVID-19 enforced lockdown affected Subhan and his family drastically as the sole earning member - his mother - lost her job as a school bus attendant since the schools were shut due to the pandemic.

The 14-year-old took up the odd job of selling tea in the lanes of Nagpada to help his mother and to ensure that his sisters get to study via online classes.

Mumbai: Restaurateur launches 24/7 outreach to make hospital beds, ambulance available

In April, Marzy Parakh, a restaurateur and philanthropist launched a helpline by tapping his network of doctors, hospital staff and citizens, with 15 volunteers from LTG. "We divided city hospitals amongst us; one person would be in charge of, around 10. Whenever someone would call in with a request, we would check with our sources and get back in five minutes," he said.

With the infection cases in Mumbai under control, the group is now focusing on adopting destitutes.

Nashik: Specially-abled woman becomes sarpanch of 2 villages

Kavita Bhondwe, 34, did not let her physical disability to stop her from serving the people of two villages in Dindori Taluka, Nashik district.

Bhondwe, who became Sarpanch at the age of 25, is now serving the second term. Succeeding as sarpanch was a personal challenge for her as she overcame societal pressures and prejudices against her. She brought significant changes in gram panchayats' affairs and stood up against illegal practices in the region.

She gives credit to her father for encouraging her to contest the election.

Anganwadi staffer rows 18 km daily to tend to newborns, pregnant women in villages

A 27-year-old female staffer of anganwadi rows 18 kms daily along the Narmada to look after tribal babies and pregnant women in two Maharashtra hamlets after the fear of COVID-19 kept the group of tribals from coming to her.

Relu Vasave belongs to Nashik and has grown up near Narmada, where she learned swimming. She borrowed a boat from a local fisherman and started visiting the hamlets of Aligat and Dadar in April so that 25 newborn babies and 7 pregnant women do not miss out on proper medical care and nutrition.

Being an Anganwadi member, she is supposed to keep checking the weight, health, and proper growth of newborns and their mothers.

"It is not easy to row every day. My hands pain by the time I am back home in the evening. But that doesn't worry me. It's important that babies and expecting mothers eat nutritious food and remain healthy. I will keep visiting these hamlets till things improve on the COVID-19 front," Relu told ANI.