It was for the first time that the word 'atmanirbhar', which means self-reliant in Hindi, was on everyone's lips. And though the word has been used on and off by our Prime Minister Narendra, it was only on May 12, 2020, with the launch of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, that the word actually became a motto.

The intention was to boost the morale and the economic development of the country in times when the world was at war with the pandemic and hence, the term itself was popularised by repeated usage not only by PM Modi but also various government officials.

Getting back to May 12, 2020 and the abhiyan that was launched, the highlight was the Rs 20 lakh crore financial package announced with the aim of reviving the economy that had been further ravaged by the pandemic. He also announced that the package will help revive every branch of the economy. Along with this, the PM also urged one and all to buy local. "Time has taught us that we must make 'local' the mantra of our lives," he thundered.

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But sadly, the state the pandemic has left the country in right now, we are compelled to seek foreign aid for the first time in 16 years! Now is not the time to think about self-reliance, it's all about survival.