Since Covid-19, it has become easier to buy condoms from your chemist, because of the mask,” notes comedian Amit Tandon, one of the six individuals recently felicitated by Select City Walk, for going above the line of duty to deliver support and relief in the two waves. Titled TheCitySalutesYou, the campaign dressed these Covid heroes with garments from popular fashion brands.
Tandon invited people who had been diagnosed with Covid-19 and quarantined to their rooms to message him. “We had these sessions with 20-30 people, and it was just my way of providing some relief, as a comic. But when you get to meet a 20-something-year old with cancer, who has now got Covid, it becomes devastating. I admit I needed a break after that.”
That utter helplessness is something Harteerath Singh of Hemkunt Foundation that helped thousands of families by providing free oxygen across the country, can identify with. “We are essentially a Delhi-based organisation, but when cries for help started coming in, we had to act, and we have since provided oxygen to people across 21 states. The logistics were a nightmare, and we had to get various entities to help us deliver oxygen to people who needed it the most. We did.”
The others being celebrated are Nandini Ghosh of The Good Food Project who fed crematorium workers during the pandemic, Saleem Khan and Harsimar of Little India Foundation who donated food to the needy, and Psychologist Divija Bhasin who put smiles on people’s faces during those grim times and brought them hope and positivity.
“We wanted to highlight people who actually made a difference for those in need, even if they were not doing it for publicity. Hopefully, others will be inspired to help out as well,” says Gitanjali Singh, vice president marketing Select Citywalk.
As Singh (Kemkunt Foundation) notes, “Since this campaign, we have seen volunteer numbers shoot up. Everyone wants to help out, but being appreciated for it makes it, just, nicer.”
In a nutshell
Nandini Ghosh of The Good Food Project, Saleem Khan and Harsimar of Little India Foundation, Psychologist Divija Bhasin, Harteerath Singh of Hemkunt Foundation and Stand-up Comedian Amit Tandon were felicitated at TheCitySalutesYou.