MUMBAI: The second Covid wave hit India with devastating consequences- there was a huge upsurge in cases accompanied by loss, despair, and heart-breaking scenes in homes and neighbourhoods across the country. But amid the gloom and chaos, if there was one silver lining it was the extraordinary humanitarian spirit of ordinary people.
We have seen, read, or heard about many such heroes who have restored our faith in humanity and mankind but very few of them got any form of recognition or limelight for their selfless efforts. There are numerous unrecognised Covid warriors whose stories are waiting to be told.
To bring due recognition to these deserving individuals and also to understand their grievances, ABP News, in association with the NGO ActionAid, reached out to some of these unsung frontline workers and brought their incredible stories of struggle and fortitude to the viewers.
To accomplish this noble intent, the network collaborated with ActionAid to do an exclusive show aptly titled – ‘Salaam Rakshak’- a segment dedicated to the frontline workers, that tried to address some key challenges being faced by these Covid warriors and thereby also seeking nationwide support in the form of voluntary contribution.
“As a people-first organisation, ABP Network has always focussed on the needs of our viewers and dedicatedly work towards the welfare of the society. Needless to say, the ferocious second wave took a grievous toll on our country and its healthcare system. In this light, ABP News joined forces with Action Aid and launched an exclusive show, ‘Salaam Rakshak’. This show helped bring the most inspiring, valiant, and heart-touching stories of our frontline heroes to the people of India, which helped raised funds for India’s fight against Covid-19,” said ABP Network, chief revenue officerMona Jain.
A series of three television documentaries showcasing real-life stories of on-ground corona warriors who went beyond their call of duty to serve humanity was aired by the network. These unsung heroes included nurses, crematorium staff/ NGOs, drivers, and police personnel who offered help to patients beyond their call of duty.
During each of the 20-minute episodes, the initial 15-minutes segment featured stories of three good Samaritans. Selection of the stories was done mutually between the ActionAid and ABP teams. It was decided to have a special segment involving a panel discussion in the last five minutes to highlight the concerns of these individuals. Experts, including representatives from the Human Rights Commission of India and ActionAid, shared their opinion on the problems being faced by these corona warriors and their plight during the pandemic. Suggestions were also offered on what policymakers can do for the betterment of these frontline workers.
The highlight of this entire show was the visuals from ground zero, where the Covid warriors carried out their daunting tasks. These images, accompanied by heart-wrenching accounts shared by the warriors themselves, apprised the viewers of the tough circumstances that these individuals endured in the quest to do their duties. There were attention-grabbing narratives of human-interest stories and testimonials from co-workers. ABP’s feature anchor conducted anchor links for each story and also moderated the panel discussion.
Some of the inspirational stories shared were of a nurse, Rita Sachan, a police officer Rakesh Kumar, an auto driver DattatreySawant and Jitender Singh, whose Shaheed Bhagat Singh Dal carried out the funerals of over 2,000 strangers during the pandemic as a way to give a dignified cremation to the departed. Each of these individuals went well beyond the call of their respective duties to serve those distressed by Covid while working in extreme and life-threatening conditions.
Despite being six months pregnant, Rita Sachan continued her duty as a nurse and looked after Covid patients. Even after becoming Covid-positive herself, she did not abandon her duty. Rakesh Kumar, an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) with the Delhi Police, posted at the HazratNizamuddin police station in India’s capital helped distraught families perform the last rites for as many as 1,300 Covid victims at the city’s Lodhi Crematorium. Mumbai’s DattatreySawant turned his auto into an ambulance, aiding numerous Covid patients to reach hospitals in time for treatment.
These are just a few of the countless stories that deserve to be told of individuals who risked their lives to serve the people in need.
ActionAid Association, executive director, Sandeep Chachra appreciated the ABP News’ collaborative and single-minded effort in putting this important social need together and through it the aspirations of crores of informal workers of the land. “While we are a social organisation with limited resources, we did think it was our duty to bring these matters for public discussion and perhaps some resolution in the short and long run. We look forward to our continued interactions,” said Chachra.
The association has been working for social and ecological justice, and is part of a global federation and a full affiliate of Action Aid International, that has presence in over 40 countries worldwide.
A Spotlight feature Salaam Rakshak was creatively executed and highly appreciated by the viewers, as was evident from the responses to it on social media. This collective effort of ActionAid and ABP helped put out these applaud-worthy stories into the public limelight, thereby seeking nationwide support for them in the form of voluntary contributions. Furthermore, the show opened up new business avenues in such lean, challenging periods to build consensus for more such enriching associations.
