Covid Internet Hero - Arupananda Subudhi

 I completed my B.tech from LPU in 2017. Then I took up a job in my core field. Gradually I started developing interest in marketing. In 2018, I started blogging on technology, automobile & food. With developing interest in this sector, I decided to leave my job and make this my career. 

I settled in Delhi, built a strong network for my work. Everything was running smoothly until covid happened in 2020. No company was interested for marketing and most of them wanted to have it done in half the price. My income started to fall, left with only savings, I decided to come back home. Thereafter I joined Byju’s .

 I tested positive for COVID with mild pneumonia in November. My lungs were affected. I was hospitalized and there, out of curiosity I asked the nurse about each medicine and she was kind enough to answer me every time. After I recovered, Byju’s didn’t let me join back, so I resigned. Then while I was looking for jobs, I came to know about the onset of second wave. After seeing the condition of Mumbai & Delhi, I knew it is coming to Odisha. There was no awareness being spread on Instagram, so I thought even if I don’t have a job, I can help people by educating them from my experience and research. I started posting on Instagram and created a ‘COVID 19 HELP GUIDE ODISHA’, first of it’s kind in the state. I learnt about an initiative, ‘India cares’, by Arun Bothra(IPS), where volunteers were actively working to fight covid. I contacted the volunteers, @aveer_das and @mariansweta and formed a group.

 Known bloggers of Odisha (@oh.delicious.cuttack, @shweta.choudhury), actively joined in this group and we started to collect details of the people, enquire about the test reports, CT scan, SpO2 level, arrange Remdisivir and beds after verification of the details. Recently, the SpO2 of a man with cancer & damaged backbone, dropped to 85 and we helped him with O2 cylinder, provided by @Sikhaid. We also arranged a bed for him, with the help of CMC and now he is stable. Currently we are working on black fungus epidemic especially in rural areas. I’d like to tell everyone to keep a check on your health, diabetes and avoid catching cold. – Arupananda Subudhi