The COVID-19 pandemic has been the most uncertain time that the world has seen in this millennium but it has also made structural changes and exposed cracks in the system, said Dr Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, the National Vice-President of the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) and a Rajya Sabha MP. Dr Sahasrabuddhe was speaking at IIT Madras' conclave Sangam, which is being held virtually this year.
Talking about why we need better institution-building abilities, Dr Sahasrabuddhe said that we need better leadership and the institutes need to teach not just corporate leadership but other forms as well. "Leadership, like God, is omnipresent. But what our management schools teach is very lopsided. It does not look into the aspect of political, social, situational or thought leadership. There are management institutes in India whose own management is in shambles. Institution building is a science but we are not paying heed to it. We are suffering from a crisis of purpose, the crisis of authenticity, the crisis of ownership and the crisis of relationship. Unless we deal with these the bickering in the society will be there," he added.
Uncertainty is the one thing that makes people more uncomfortable than anything else. It's like trying to find your way in the dark, said Dr Sahasrabuddhe. "Epidemiology, I believe has a sociological aspect. The Sociology of Epidemiology requires to be further researched. The pandemic has given us an opportunity to evolve a deeper sense of responsibility. We need to learn the balance between individualism and collectivism. It is also the time to learn how to empathise, not only with the patients but with those who are at the fringe of the society and are marginalised. Staying locked inside now room makes you feel like an untouchable — this can give us a feeling of how the untouchables in our society must have felt like. It helps us empathise," he added.
He also said that the way migrant labourers were dealt with showed the strong bond between people. "The way the migrant labourers were welcomed by the villagers and rehabilitated by the government and non-governmental agencies is definitely a positive sign. The pandemic has also made us realise that we can be self-supportive, self-sufficient or Aatmanirbhar. To be Aatmanirbhar you need to have self-realisation as well," added the author and politician.
