deviousways

How a country treats its most vulnerable -- the poor, the elderly, the destitute -- is a good measure of its fundamental strengths and flaws. And the long hot summer of India’s lockdown has exposed everything tragically wrong and yet, also triumphantly right about the country. Where government agencies or systems collapsed, communities, non-governmental and nonprofit organisations, even complete strangers, have stepped up to help those in need or distress and those needing help. Sowmini T, in her late 60s (she is unsure of her exact age), lives in Narikkuni village of Chelannur block, Kozhikode district, Kerala. Sowmini’s place of work is 40 minutes by bus -- the house of Radha Nair, a retired English professor in Kozhikode city and my mother. Sowmini has been with my family for over 45 years. She cooks, acts as occasional caretaker and general supervisor of all things to do with the house and household.   When the lockdown was announced on March 25, Sowmini, who has a basic ...