After 10 long days, COVID suspect in Bengaluru hunts down hospital that can treat him

On July 17, 60-year-old Ramamurthy, a retired railways employee living in Yelahanka, Bengaluru, was worried to see his younger son down with fever. Every father will only hope that it’s common flu and so did he. His wife prepared a herbal concoction believed to be an immunity booster. However, her fears worsened as her son never got better even after two days of complete rest.

Thus, began their journey, which didn’t see a final destination for 10 long days. “Nobody is willing to pay attention. We are neither very well to do nor do we have the strength to tag along with our 20-year-old son from one hospital to another,” said Ramamurthy.

They first rushed to a hospital in Hebbal, which denied them admission immediately and referred them to Raghavendra Clinic. They were later directed to Prerna Lab to get an X-ray done. “The lab authorities messed it up. They did a CT scan instead and we wasted money,” the father said.

 The older son of the family runs a mobile recharge shop while the younger one works in a steel company earning Rs 20,000 a month. Desperate to get his son treated, Ramamurthy rushed to MS Ramaiah Hospital, but was crestfallen when he was met with the same response as earlier. “They said there is no place for suspects. Once a person gets himself tested elsewhere and is found positive is when they would provide admission,” said Ramamurthy adding that a doctor’s recommendation helps when it comes to private hospitals.

They landed at the doorstep of retired director of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases Sashidhar Buggi, who tried to help them through Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). However, there was no luck. “I was helpless. He isn’t the first patient seeking help. More often than not, those who need help are denied admission,” said Buggi.

Any patient displaying symptoms must call 108, get to any hospital with an isolation ward, said BBMP commissioner Manjunath Prasad. “The hospital authorities must isolate him first. If symptoms continue, the test will be done. And later, the treatment will be continued. Rapid antigen test could be done immediately,” he added.

“Healthcare is now pure business. Unless I have a confirmed bed in a given hospital, the ambulance will not ferry the patient, no matter what,” said Ramamurthy.

“They charged Rs 4000 for a COVID test for my wife. We finally got our son admitted, after 10 days, to Ashwini Hospital. The test sample has been collected today. We are awaiting his COVID report, which is due by July 29. He is, however, receiving treatment,” Ramamurthy said, heaving a sigh of relief.

The relief is again short-lived. According to the family, the hospital charges Rs 23000 per day for the bed. Rs 12,000 on an average for medicines. How are they going to manage? “We will move heaven and earth for our son,” the family said.

Even if their son gets better and is discharged, their worries don’t end. “We will be branded as COVID positive untouchables in the neighbourhood once the test turns positive on Wednesday. BBMP will seal the place down and commence its drama. Media channels will showcase us on TV, and we will become infamous. The trauma is here to stay,” said Ramamurthy.

How can we help when coronavirus seems to be killing humanity too along with several lives? "If we have a robust software that can work as a central monitoring system involving both government and private hospitals with list of patients registered using Aadhaar, they can work in tandem to solve these problems," said Buggi. Is the Karnataka government taking note?

After Vijay-Ajith mania, are ‘Verithanam’ fans fading in Tamil Nadu?

I have grown up watching Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan films. I have witnessed Tamil cinema craze outside theatres as fans throng the ticket counters almost killing each other to ensure they don’t miss the ‘First Day First Show (FDFS)’. I never thought I’d be one of them carrying on the legacy of fandom, but I was, when I began to worship the next generation of superstars. As a die-hard Vijay fan, I have witnessed fist fights between rival gangs on several occasions. Vijay vs Ajith or Thalapathy vs Thala are common hashtags on social media too.

As a journalist, I’ve been lucky in procuring tickets for every Vijay film – FDFS, giving me access to the thoughts and actions of scores of fans.

Tamil Nadu has kept this tradition of two-hero fandom going since the Sivaji Ganesan-MG Ramachandran (MGR) era. However now, I keep wondering if there is a next gen to this. Apart from Dhanush-Simbu fans, has there been a “I can kill for my hero” feeling running through the veins of any other fan?

“I doubt it. The mindset of film goers has changed from following films featuring favourite actors to films with good storyline,” said fashion student Mukti Swaminathan, who thinks Vijay Sethupathi is one of the latest set of actors, who seems to be the new favourite of many. True to this, he is fondly called Makkal Selvan (people’s treasure).

“Yes, Sivakarthikeyan-Sethupathi can be termed as the latest duo in Kollywood, but the aggressive hero-worship present then has mellowed down considerably,” said Guna, film PR.

Those were the days when there weren’t TV sets in every home. And the only way to catch your favourite movie featuring your favourite hero was when you manage to hit the theatres during its release. “Today, every person in every corner of this state or country has a mobile phone with access to films and entertainment news,” Guna added, claiming that there is no need to hit the theatres and thus the enthusiasm too is kept in check as 24/7 news feeds keep people abreast of events ranging from an actor misbehaving on the sets to an actor slapping a young fan in a fit of rage. “And hence, such information adds to the opinions formed by many fans,” asserted Guna.

Just like the umpteen number of news channels, talents too are way too many now, don’t you agree? Well, class X1 student from Chennai, Akshaya Subramanian, sure does. “Look at Atharva for example. For a new actor, he is really good. Be it action or comedy, he pulls it off with élan. So does Sivakarthikeyan. Thus, it’s difficult for me to claim to be a fan of just one actor or one film,” she said.

After Bigil, Tamil Nadu’s current superstar Vijay is all set for his upcoming release Master. One of the hit songs of Thalapathy is ‘Verithanam’, which means ‘aggressive’. “That verithanam for Vijay or Ajith continues to rage through southern India. I’d call it vera level (unparalleled) set of fans. That star power or aura of Vijay and Ajith hasn’t faded yet. One needs to wait to see who will be the ones holding that mantle next. That won’t be easy to predict for the next ten years,” said Ragavan, assistant director, who aspires to be an actor-director soon.

“On one hand, with OTT platforms gaining an audience, there is a section of people wanting to follow good films and promising directors. But come Pongal or Diwali, you can’t miss another set of audience waiting to catch a Vijay or an Ajith film,” added Ragavan.

Attaining that star power is surely going to take time. Like another Vijay song from Mersal or Ajith’s hit film, it will be interesting to know the next ‘Aala Poraan Tamizhan’ (the Tamilian who’ll rule), who will recreate ‘Varalaru’ (history).

COVID-19: Can you please just shut your mouth?

I woke up to this message forwarded on WhatsApp: “If you can hold your breath for 10 seconds, without coughing or difficulty in breathing it indicates the absence of COVID-19 infection.”

I freshened up and walked into the kitchen to see my mom preparing a concoction with turmeric and ginger. A family friend of ours was advising my parents on the phone, “Ginger is the miracle for coronavirus. The heat that this will produce will kill coronavirus without the need for a vaccine.”

Then there was a message claiming that NASA satellite videos have shown coronavirus retreating in India, thanks to the “cosmic level sound waves created when Indians followed the Prime Minister’s message and clapped during Janata Curfew in March.

Reports even suggested that Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan shared this on social media and was trolled.

I agree there is an element of fear and uncertainty that is making us all anxious and that there is a lot to handle – from maintaining a robust healthcare system to fighting the stigma attached to COVID patients. The least that we as lay men could do is stop portraying ourselves as experts on the subject and spreading fake ‘gyan’ through various platforms.

 “Social media has made everybody an expert,” said Sanjay Pinto, lawyer/columnist. “There is real danger with such fake messages doing the rounds, but sometimes medical advice by non-medical persons end up making pertinent points,” he added, calling it the ‘common-sense’ approach. Instead of fining lockdown violators, Sanjay advised officials to collect Rs 100 as fine and gift the violator 5 masks. And that was indeed well-received in Tamil Nadu.

Even top organisations like the WHO have made several flip-flops with respect to measures advocated to handle the pandemic. Why add to the existing turmoil by lending your unsolicited advice? “Every person seems to have the ‘breaking news’ streak in them,” said Sanjay, adding that he consumes some of these messages with a pinch of salt.

There is still a lot of uncertainty. Is lockdown the answer? Then what about the plunging economy? There is no right answer yet. Even politicians are grappling with the issue of tackling the situation and balancing the market, by seeking expert advice of health officials, while falling prey to the virus.

 “I was given a barrage of advice by all and sundry when I tested positive for COVID-19,” said Karnataka minister CT Ravi. He was the first minister to be COVID-hit in the state, and he is currently being treated. “People suggested and even delivered so many medicines that I could open a pharmacy of my own,” said the minister, adding that he stuck to the doctor’s advice alone and is well on the road to recovery. “The key is to not fall for every information out of burgeoning fear,” Ravi said.

 Dr Shashidhar Buggi, retired director of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases in Bengaluru, was at the forefront fighting H1N1 outbreak in 2008-09. “There is too much democracy. The educated are now selfish and the uneducated are worried about livelihood. So scientific data is never analysed and presented to the world,” he said, stressing on the fact that media must play a crucial role in disseminating information and doctors must focus more on research.

In fact, PM Modi has been seeking the advice of top public health experts and economic professionals to pave the way forward as the fight for vaccine is still on across the world. Trial and error seem to be the motto driving various nations battling coronavirus.

So, instead of spreading unverified advisories, Buggi wondered why people aren’t raising an important question during COVID-19 outbreak? “Has anyone done a postmortem of a COVID victim? I haven’t heard of any yet? Isn’t that essential for research?” questioned Buggi.

 I hope to wake up to a WhatsApp forward that insists on people wearing a mask and covering their nose instead of letting it hover below the nostrils, while claiming to be a COVID protocol follower. And I hope people spend time on the phone trying to exchange information on building health infrastructure than ‘know-it-all’ recipes to replace vaccines. If we’ve no relevant information to help curb the spread, then let’s please “shut up”, for when all is said and done, MORE is said than DONE.

Let’s please understand that positivity rate of COVID-19 in India is indeed growing at an alarming rate with 11 lakh cases (7 lakh recovered) and 27,497 deaths. If there is one hazy light at the end of the tunnel, it’s the fact that the number of recovered patients has exceeded the country’s active case load by 3,04,043 as on July 19. Let’s please be responsible and help India fight COVID-19.

Sasikala’s impending release: Will she knock on shut AIADMK door or force open Jayalalithaa’s Poes Garden residence?

I remember the time when I stood outside late Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa’s residence at Poes Garden, Chennai, in 2017, when her close aide Sasikala was escorted in a vehicle to Bengaluru prison after being convicted in the disproportionate assets case. While I was doing my Facebook live, Poes Garden, the seat of power in Tamil Nadu then, stood vacant. AIADMK was struggling in the absence of a head to steer the party forward and it was split into two factions – one with Sasikala and another with one of the senior members of the party O Panneerselvam.

It’s been a good four years since the AIADMK pot was stirred, and a lot has changed. But the question now is whether Sasikala’s impending release will change the equation.

“AIADMK has been doing well on its own, and I personally don’t think the party needs any external influence,” said Jayalalithaa’s niece Deepa Jayakumar, who bid farewell to politics after floating her own party initially. Her focus now is on “preserving the family heritage”.

The Tamil Nadu government has displayed keen interest in converting the heavily guarded residence Veda Nilayam (Jayalalithaa’s residence) into a memorial. This was challenged by the Poes Garden Residents Association claiming it would disrupt peaceful living in the residential area. However, the Madras High Court dismissed the petition and suggested that the 24,000 sq ft residence be put to use may be in the form of state chief minister’s official residence.

“Not just Tamil Nadu government, but people of the state want to see the residence as a memorial,” said D Jayakumar, AIADMK leader and minister. Is the government, headed by K Palaniswami, in a hurry to secure custody of Jayalalithaa’s home, since Sasikala, according to reports, is expected to be released from prison after October?

“Her release has nothing to do with this property,” the minister said. If not entry into the residence, will she seek entry into AIADMK? “Our party had then decided to have nothing to do with Sasikala and her family. AIADMK continues to remain firm with this decision,” added Jayakumar.

Deepa’s brother Deepak has moved the court seeking the keys to Veda Nilayam as both of them have been declared legal heirs of Jayalalithaa's properties by the court. “We, as legal heirs, will continue our efforts to retain the Poes Garden residence,” said Deepa, dismissing the fact that Sasikala’s release will impact the possession of Jayalalithaa’s property.

Though silent now, there is one political group in Tamil Nadu waiting for Sasikala’s comeback. The AMMK party, under the leadership of Sasikala’s nephew TTV Dhinakaran, is bidding time. “We would like to comment only after Sasikala’s return from prison. For us, Chinamma (as Sasikala is fondly called) remains our leader,” said AMMK supporter CR Saraswathi.

Sasikala lived in this lavish residence of Jayalalithaa for nearly three decades. Sources say that she is close to Deepak too.

There was a time when even VVIPs couldn’t barge in without an invite. If there was one soul, who could surpass them all and overlook the three check-posts, it was Sasikala.

I, for one, will wait for my next opportune moment to meet you readers in my next FB live when Sasikala is escorted back to Chennai after her release from Bengaluru prison. So long, till then.

Challenging experience in Chennai that transformed me as a reporter

It was in 2015 when I was basking in the glory of our new house in Bengaluru when I received a call to immediately rush to Chennai to cover the floods ravaging the city. In the next two hours, I was seated in the air plane that readily took off.

Eight years in the field of journalism, and 3 years in mainstream news, I was still not equipped enough to cover disasters. I was thrilled with the assignment until I landed to realise the floods had led to massive traffic jam and there was no way to get to my accommodation by either a private vehicle or even a taxi. I felt like Tom Hanks from the movie The Terminal, stranded in the airport for nearly 6 hours, until I decided to walk and wade through the traffic, determined to report.

In an industry that saw mundane coverage with heavy camera equipment and logo mikes, I was one of the first reporters to adopt technology in the absence of a crew for immediate reportage.

With limited internet pack, I was quick to browse through and learn the use of Skype for my lives on television as I narrated the ordeal of 70 lakh citizens of Chennai stranded by flooding waters, least realising I could have been washed away too, if not for an alert cop, who saved me just in time.

Challenges were aplenty. To start with, the police were struggling with rescue operations. 70% of Chennai lived in the slums. As a reporter, with adequate swimming skills, I lent a helping hand in rescuing an entire area of 20 families in T Nagar. And I managed to cover that live despite being drenched in sewage water, as dead insects and uprooted trees and animals floated around.

Reporters, who were still exploring social media, lapped up this opportunity to connect with the youth and other organisations that set forth to help the helpless. Surviving on tea and biscuits, I ensured I was there in remote parts of the city, filing my reports, all the while ensuring every cry for help was indeed answered.

I was recognised for my efforts and awarded the Young Achiever’s Award by the resident association in Chennai. That one yelp in fear when I see a lizard at home makes me wonder how I braved it all during this unforgettable coverage.

Thoothukudi custodial deaths: Dear Rajinikanth, you are too late, and it’s your fault

Tamil superstar Rajinikanth is known for his punch dialogues, one of them being: Na late ah vandhaalum, latest ah varuven (even if I arrive late, I step in with the latest version). This seems to aptly describe Rajinikanth’s recent political avatar.

12 days after father Jayaraj and son Bennicks died due to custodial torture in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi, Rajinikanth tweeted, “The custodial deaths of father and son have been condemned by every human. I was shocked to note the way the cops behaved and spoke in front of the magistrate. Justice must be served. They must not be spared.”

Thalaivar (as he is fondly called) tweeted #SathiyamaVidaveKudaathu, which means they must not be spared. As is obvious, the hashtag found its place in the top trends. While every common man raised his voice against this incident, including top personalities from the Kollywood industry, every Rajini fan kept wondering why Thalaivar remained quiet for so long.

In fact, Rajinikanth’s supporters attempted to protect his image by claiming that the star conveyed his condolences through phone to the family of the victims. The family, however, denied this claim ruining Rajini’s image further.

Be it the CAA protests in 2019 or the Sterlite shooting in 2018, Rajinikanth always took time to break his silence. The star was more focused on promoting his movie Darbar than react to the Citizenship Amendment Act. And when trolled, the star took to Twitter then stating that “violence shouldn’t be the solution for problems”.

Many victims of the Sterlite incident were upset that Thalaivar, despite announcing his political entry with spiritual welfare, took his own time to meander into the hospital to inquire about their health. Seething in temper, activists questioned his identity. The irony is that one of Rajini’s famous songs claims that even a child knows who the superstar is.

The Darbar hero stated that there is no room for protests in his courtroom. “If people continue to protest for everything, Tamil Nadu will turn into a graveyard,” he had said.

This political annaatthe (meaning leader of the gang) tweeted the latest statement on police torture case with a picture of his latest look in his upcoming film Annaatthe.

However, is he real Yajaman (leader) material with reactions that come after much delay? One of Rajinikanth’s dialogues in the movie Baasha goes: Naa oru dharava sonnaa nooru dharava sonnaa maadhiri (means: if I say it once, it’s like having said it a hundred times).

Well, it wouldn’t hold true anymore. The revised version would be: Na oru dharava sonnaa, nooru naal ku apparum sonnaa maadhiri (means if I say it once, it’s like saying it after a 100 days).

With his love for the lotus party, which has been evident during many occasions, the question to be asked now is whether the superstar is Kaala (means dark) or Kaavi (saffron)?

All that glitters when life pesters is gold!

How can somebody adorn gold all over their body flaunting every design at every occasion? I was introduced to this supposedly enchanting metal when I was a five-year-old. Holding my dad’s finger, I walked into a ‘now-shut, then sought-after’ store Jewels-De-Paragon in Bengaluru. And I soon walked out with a tiny, but mighty expensive glitter on my ring finger, wondering to myself if this enhanced the look of my ring finger or shadowed its naked beauty.

I grew up thinking it was the former as I joined the habitual crowd of ladies picking every jewel - from ones with exquisite design to those with antique finish. I gradually loved being bedecked with them enduring the pain and irritation as the choker, true to its name, choked me, and the jhumka tugged one side of my ear.

Hardly does realisation dawn in my life. However, it did for all the right reasons, when I wanted to step aside from the mundane desire for this yellow metal. And I regret not having woken up to this awakening earlier. The love for yellow mellowed down and was literally whitewashed, for I then began to sport platinum jewellery with that tiny stone (diamond) that could burn a gaping hole in one’s pocket.

While I safely locked away the carefully chosen gold in the bank, COVID crisis knocked at my doors prompting me to launch a manhunt for the key to that silver lining. While I felt, all along, that these ornaments were gaudy for my taste, they definitely proved handy for my existence now. Thank you, dear gold, for bringing that glitter of hope during my days of anguish.