They Came, They Saw, They Inspired...

The pandemic happened and the world changed. At first, we did not believe it. And then with a morbid sense of acceptance, we did everything to fight it. We clung to anything that held the promise of ending the pandemic even before it caught on in full fury. We locked ourselves at home, we clanged utensils, we lit candles.

The virus mutated, and so did our state of mind. As the second wave came, we sought medical professionals to take care of our physical health. All this while a majority of us struggled with the demons that tormented our minds.

In the 'middle of the mayhem' stood three names. Devir Singh Bhandari, Pooja Gogia, Pallavi Soni. Three names that changed the way a lot of our countrymen coped with the Covid 19 pandemic. While author & social entrepreneur Devir Bhandari changed the fortunes of many by distributing 1000 Covid Suraksha kits across the country & empowering people with commercial sanitisation kits to earn a livelihood, Pallavi Soni, an NLP coach & lawyer, took it upon herself to not only reinvent her own being but also help children at Tihar Jail with their mental health issues. Her experience of training corporates helped. Pooja Gogia, an acclaimed food entrepreneur, alongside her husband Sachin Gogia, took to the people what mattered most at that time – cooked meals & food grains.

As the human heart coped with losses and also celebrated the joy of their loved ones recovering from Covid 19, Devir Singh Bhandari gave us the acclaimed book Yuva Bharat. The book that talked about individuals conquering extreme adversities and emerging victorious against unspeakable odds. Yuva Bharat talks about the resilience of the human spirit. It charts the stories of 65 individuals from varied fields and how they beat the odds. Yuva Bharat was the book India needed as it braced the 2nd wave of the pandemic. It was the hope that the spirits needed as the nation struggled with shortage of medical supplies. It was the 'promise of success' that India needed, as we struggled to breathe. There could have been no better timing for Yuva Bharat to instil the faith in the good than the year 2021. Social entrepreneur, philanthropist & documentary film maker Devir Singh Bhandari captured the pulse of the nation with Yuva Bharat at a time when the country needed it the most. The young leader not only led from the front when the pandemic was new and the fear of the unknown was large, he also worked towards strengthening the roots of the man-planet eco system by starting the Tree for Life campaign in partnership with NDTV & Dettol.

For Pallavi Soni, integrative health & wellness coach & an NLP practitioner, life is an interesting journey of self-discovery and honing new skills. The lawyer carries with her an impressive experience of training corporates in India. As someone who never takes a No for an answer, Pallavi refused to back out when the pandemic hit. Instead, she collaborated with the DSB Foundation and helped children at the Tihar Jail complex with their mental health issues. Being in captivity is not conducive to the human mind and the lockdown spelled captivity, & much more to the young & restless. Coupled with uncertainties and the harsh realities of life which these children are exposed to so early in life, the last year & half would have been difficult for these young souls, had Pallavi not worked tirelessly with them. True to her spirit of self-evolution, Pallavi has now forayed into digital space being a content strategist, with the promise of creating a fresh wave of content.

Much like for all of us, the pandemic spelt uncertainty. It was no different for Pooja Gogia, who, alongside her brother-in-law Sameer Gogia & her husband Sachin Gogia looks into the working of the famed food enterprise Saltt. While business stood at a standstill, Pooja ensured that the burners did not die out...nor the hopes of people who did not know where the next meal would come from. Her kitchens cooked meals for up to 250 people each day, all seven days. They got food to the section of the society which needed it the most. They collaborated with NGOs, they reached out to the local SHO to get to the right sections of the society, the scaled their efforts and distributed food grains to ensure sustainability. Pooja Gogia has always excelled in innovations, which has largely contributed to the success of her business. So when the pandemic struck, the same traits of doing something different in a situation & a compassionate heart ensured that stomachs are satisfied every day. They say you cannot fight battles on an empty stomach. Pooja Gogia ensured that humanity does not lose this war!

In the last year & half, the world has seen umpteen stories unfold...each one that inspires in its own right. This is our attempt at bringing a few to you.

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