Experience of a Head Master in Kolkata

It seems that our beautiful world has almost come to a standstill on the tenth day of lockdown declared by our honorable prime minister in his televised speech for the nation at 8 p.m. on the 24 th March. Prior to that, since last 14 th afternoon when the Chief Minister of West Bengal declared in a press conference that all the schools, colleges and universities in the state shall remain closed till the 31 st March (further extended up to 15 th April) and showing the method of washing hands with soap and sanitizer; how to sneeze and cough, and maintain social distancing as preventive measures to suppress the dreadful coronavirus or COVID-19. Being the Head of a Government-sponsored High School in Kolkata I had the opportunity to serve each guardian of the students from Class V to VIII by distributing two kg. rice and two kg. potato as per the direction of State Government on the 23 rd of March. The clerk, Mid-Day- Meal Cooks, and two senior teachers dared to come school in assisting the works while other teachers chose to remain isolated within their homes as the public vehicles including trains and taxis were not plying. Since then remaining home quarantined except for urgent medicine and monthly grocery items. The lockdown has made millions of people jobless, foodless, homeless and friendless. Let us pray for the quickest, cleanest, safest and virus-less India and the world.