Uncertainty is so intrinsic to sports that elite athletes will not have much trouble coping up with a pandemic-forced lockdown, feel India's top sports psychologists as they become a part of their journey into an unchartered territory. Rocked by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has impacted minds as much as health and productivity, sports pyshologists Dr Chaitanya Sridhar, Nanaki J Chadha, and Keerthana Swaminathan are dealing with athletes across disciplines and economic spectrum, being their "sounding board, friend" and enabling them to process the magnitude of the situation.

"When you are dealing with athletes, you can broadly divide them in three categories—the elite, the ones who are at national level aspiring to make it and the next group is academy bunch. The reaction to lockdown will be different," said Dr Sridhar, who is associated with JSW Sports and has worked with GoSports Foundation and IPL franchise RCB.

For performance analyst and sports psychologist Nanaki, this is the time when "you help them steer clear of negative thoughts." For Keerthana, there is light at the end of the tunnel where a lot of athletes, who probably had injuries or may have been going through slump in form, get a chance to "recuperate both physically and emotionally" in the time away from sport.

But yes, there is also the disappointed lot, which was hitting the peak in what was to be an Olympic year. "As a psychologist, it breaks my heart to see those who were really peaking before the big tournament. They are the ones likely to be disappointed more. But I am a big believer in Rahul Dravid's statement: 'Control the controllables'."

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Tour de France organisers are working to find a new start date for cycling's biggest race after large public gatherings were banned until mid-July in the latest extension of the French coronavirus lockdown. Originally slated to start from Nice on June 27 and finish in Paris on July 19, there is no chance the event can go ahead as planned and organisers face a mammoth logistical task of rescheduling. So far, organisers ASO have remained silent, but several mayors of the French towns along the planned route say they have been consulted regarding the new dates.

French President Emmanuel Macron said in a televised address Monday that a strict lockdown in France would continue until at least May 11, as public gatherings were banned until mid-July. Tour general director Christian Prudhomme has said riders will need two months after the lockdown ends to prepare for the race. France's Minister of the Interior Christophe Castaner said on Tuesday that ASO had to reschedule or cancel the Tour. "It is up to the organiser to analyse their ability to organise it and reschedule it," Castaner told French radio.

A start in late July or mid-August has been mooted, with some reports suggesting the race could even be delayed until September. The race's route is over 3,000km long, with roughly 500,000 fans lining the roads each day. "Social distancing on the roadside wouldn't be a problem, but in the start towns, at the finish line and in the VIP tents it certainly would," Belgian virologist Marc Van Ranst told Flemish TV channel Sporza on Saturday. Suggestions the Tour could be held without supporters have been ruled out. "The Tour de France is 3000km of smiles," Prudhomme said regarding roadside gatherings.

"We won't run a Tour de France without the fans."

Between a rock and a hard place

Macron's announcement may have caught the organisers short. A late July start for the Tour could be considered too close to the ban on large public gatherings, while the riders would also need to be in peak condition. ASO also organises the Criterium du Dauphine eight-day race, and had been hoping to run that ride through the Alps in late June or early July, but the traditional Tour warm-up has been postponed.

A mid-August start would see the race finish in September, meaning a clash with the Vuelta a Espana. There are only 176 riders on a Tour, but the whole event involves around 4,500 people, with team staff, police and media all moving every day. Cancellation is the worst-case scenario. The "Grande Boucle", as the Tour is known in France, is the central economic pillar which supports the sports' 22 professional teams.

"It's as simple as this. If the Tour does not take place, teams could disappear, riders and staff alike would find themselves unemployed," said Marc Madiot, the chief of French team Groupama-FDJ. The riders are also keen to race, with 2018 winner Geraint Thomas saying he was desperate for the Tour to go ahead. "There are bigger and more important things to sort out first, but as soon as it's safe and ready to go, we (Ineos) would love it to happen," said the Welsh rider.

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Most athletes in India are looking at Olympic postponement as more time in hand for training but not race walker Bhawana Jat, who isn't quite sure about the Games going ahead even in 2021 after the mayhem unleashed by the COVID-19 pandemic this year. Bhawana, who qualified for the Olympics in 20km race walk after pulling off a shock win at the National Championships in February, feels that the athletes are staring at an uncertain future due to the pandemic, which has caused over 100,000 deaths globally.

"I was disappointed at Olympics being postponed because I was in a very good shape and I was hoping to do well. The Asian Championships (to be held in March in Japan) was an ideal platform to test myself at the international level. That also got postponed due to COVID-19," she told PTI. "It's uncertain now when the competitions will restart, the season for this year is over in this situation. It is a relief that I have already qualified for the Olympics.

"I don't know what will happen next year. I will have to start from scratch. I don't know whether the Olympics will even be held next year," she added. The 24-year-old is currently based at the Sports Authority of India Centre in Bengaluru where there is no outdoor training due to the lockdown. She is the only woman race walker at the centre which also has eight other male athletes of the same event. "We do weight training, core strength training or skipping or work with the medicine ball. I walk inside the hall for 15 or 20 minutes," she said.

"Our coach (Alexander Artsybashev) has told us not to rest too much and be active all the time unless we are sleeping at night. So, I play carrom for one hour and then dance to Hindi songs with other athletes from other sports. That is how we keep moving," she added. Hockey players are also currently staying at the SAI Centre Bengaluru. Bhawana had clocked a national record 1:29.54, well inside the Olympic qualification time of 1:31:00, to win the gold in the National Championships held in Ranchi in February.

"Since the time I took up this sport, I have been dreaming of an Olympic medal. That is my ultimate aim. But as of now I am not thinking about Olympics, I am thinking about when this pandemic will end," she said. She said the athletes follow strict social distancing rules at the SAI Centre. "Nobody can go outside and nobody is coming in the centre from outside. While standing in queue for food at the mess, we have to be two metre apart. To get own stuff like shampoo or toothpaste, we have to tell the hostel people who bring them for us.

"Earlier, at least four trainees coud sit at the mess table but now only two can sit there." Bhawana comes from a poor farmer's family at Kabra village in Rajasthan's Rajsamand district, which is adjacent to Bhilwara, considered a model district in the country's fight against COVID-19 pandemic. Asked if she feels anxious about her parents' well being in Rajasthan, she said, "I will not exactly say that but of course I am concerned about them but I can't do anything. I cannot go there unless the lockdown is lifted.

"I talk to them on phone everyday. Our village is not affected but they will have to go out for farming. My parents will not tell me anything about small matters in the family. They will think that it will affect me."

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Some athletes are donating money, some others are helping in providing essentials to the needy, but Asian Games gold-winning rower Dattu Baban Bhokanal took a more hands on approach while helping people amid the COVID-19 pandemic by sanitising his village in Nashik. The 29-year-old used a fertiliser sprayer to carry out the sanitisation drive in his village Talegaon Ruhi, which is part of Chandvad tehsil on Sunday last. He said it took around four hours to complete the task. "Me, my family and some friends decided to sanitise the village, which has a population of about 12,000," Bhokanal told PTI from over phone.

Nashik is not as aggressively affected by the fast-spreading COVID-19 pandemic, which has ravaged Maharashtra. The region has just over 30 cases and a death toll of 2 in all with the Chandvad tehsil reportng just one case. Bhokanal's village is, however, completely unaffected by the deadly outbreak so far. Overall, the pandemic has claimed 339 lives in India where the number of positive cases has surged past the 10,000 mark. In Maharashtra, the total number of cases have gone past 2,000.

Bhokanal was on leave to visit the village when the nationwide lockdown, now extended till May 3, forced him to stay longer than he was supposed to. Making use of the time at hand, he carried out the sanitisation drive with his brother, uncle and a friend to help him out. "Sanitisation of any area is important to keep the virus at bay. For example, when a person visits a doctor's clinic, he might touch the pole or the walls inside that clinic. Therefore we thought sanitisation of the clinic was essential alogn with several other places," he explained.

Rower Dattu Bhokanal (right) at a sanitisation drive in his village in Nashik on Sunday. Pic/PTI

The acclaimed rower, who is a silver-medallist from the Asian Championships, said a spraying machine lying at his home for agricultural usage, came in handy. "We sanitised the places people frequent like the government clinic, veterinary clinic, gram panchayat office, its gates," informed the rower. Bhokanal said he and his family also sanitised medical shops, temples and the local vegetable market.

He said he would continue to carry out this drive twice a week. With the entire sporting calendar shredded due to the pandemic, rowing has also been affected. Bhokanal said working out at home has helped him in shape and be ready for when the action resumes.

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US actor-pop singer Jennifer Lopez is all set to marry her baseball star boyfriend Alex Rodriguez as soon as the Coronavirus-caused lockdown ends. The couple were to tie the knot this summer and had even made most bookings. However, the global lockdown forced them to push things forward. Now, they can't wait for things to return to normal to say 'I do'.

"It was all planned out and paid for. They obviously had to postpone it due to Coronavirus. But now JLo wants to marry A-Rod shortly after things go back to normal. She wants to marry him and celebrate their love in front of her family and close friends," a source told American magazine, US Weekly.

Recently, while talking about the lockdown and the impact of it on her marriage plans, she said that it had changed things and didn't know what was going to happen. "We're in a holding pattern like the rest of the world. It's something we'll have to wait and see in a few months, how this pans out," she had said.
The couple are currently at home in Los Angeles with twins Max and Emme, 12.

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Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel on Friday cautioned against the temptation to shoehorn too many Formula One races into a revised calendar, describing the move as "not realistic". The 22-event F1 season has been decimated by the Coronavirus with nine races either cancelled or postponed. The French Grand Prix scheduled for June 28 is also in doubt as is the Belgian Grand Prix, set for August 30.

F1 chiefs have floated the idea of making up for lost time by staging races on successive weekends or even having two races on the same weekend.

Staff burnout issue

However, Ferrari star Vettel fears such a move could lead to burnout for team staff. "We drivers are a little privileged," Vettel told reporters by teleconference from his home in Switzerland. "Of course, the races are tiring but there have to be limits for the staff. They must rest. "We must also see if it is easy to reschedule races, if the circuits are not already taken. Many questions remain. I think the schedule will be busier, but 10 consecutive weekends is not realistic."

Vettel suggested that he would favour staging races without fans if it allowed a quick resumption as long as it did not become a common feature. Other sports have already toyed with the idea of staging events behind closed doors. For example, the US PGA Tour on Thursday announced plans to resume in June, with the first four tournaments being closed to spectators.

"It's complicated," admitted Vettel. "On the one hand, there is the health of the sport, on the other, that of the people who work in the paddock and especially the fans. "There are several options. No one likes to run in front of empty stands, but we will have to see if it will not allow us to resume much sooner. The first races will probably be a little different, but not too much, I hope, because we want to run in front of the fans."

Vettel insists that for him even a 10-race season is just as valuable as a 22-race campaign. However, he admits that the damage to the sport caused by the pandemic could be fatal for the smaller teams on the grid.

'Small teams in danger'

Without racing, the massive TV and sponsorship revenues have dried up. Half of the teams have already started furloughing staff. Teams have agreed to lower the spending cap from $175 million to $150m. "Some small teams are in danger and, as a family, F1 has to take care of its own."

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Vanessa Bryant celebrated the 19th anniversary of her wedding to her late husband Kobe Bryant on Saturday with a touching Instagram post.

"My king, my heart, my best friend. Happy 19th wedding anniversary. I miss you so much. I wish you were here to hold me in your arms. I love you," she wrote, posting a picture of the couple. Five-time NBA champion Bryant and the couple's 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, were among nine people killed in a helicopter crash in Los Angeles on January 26. Gianna, along with her basketball teammates Payton Chester and Alyssa Altobelli, who also died in the crash, were honored at Friday's WNBA draft as honorary selections.

 

 

 

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My king, my heart, my best friend. Happy 19th wedding anniversary baby. I miss you so much. I wish you were here to hold me in your arms. I love you. ❤ï¸Â

A post shared by Vanessa Bryant ðŸ¦Â‹ (@vanessabryant) onApr 18, 2020 at 10:00am PDT

Vanessa Bryant recorded an emotional message for the draft broadcast, saying being drafted into the women's league "would have been a dream come true" for Gianna. After the conclusion of the draft on Friday night, the WNBA announced the creation of the Kobe & Gigi Bryant WNBA Advocacy Award, given to "an individual or group who has made significant contributions to the visibility, perception and advancement of women's and girls' basketball at all levels."

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The US Anti-Doping Agency has come up with a novel random testing program to cope with the unique circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic. With the United States, like much of the world, under lockdown as authorities try to slow the spread of the virus, USADA has launched a program in which athletes collect blood and urine samples from themselves at home, while being monitored remotely on Zoom or FaceTime by testing personnel.

The test kits were sent to athletes, who must produce samples when they receive an unannounced call from a doping control officer. The officer watches the blood sample being taken, but urine samples are provided in private. The samples are sealed under the eye of the doping control officer and sent to an accredited lab for testing. USADA chief executive Travis Tygart told the New York Times that plenty of top US Olympic hopes were eager to sign up for the pilot project.

Freestyle swimming great Katie Ledecky and athletes Noah Lyles and Allyson Felix were among those who volunteered. "We've been talking about this and laying the foundation for several months," Tygart told the newspaper.

"COVID put that on fast forward and allowed us to roll it out." Ledecky said she "felt very comfortable" administering her first self test this week at her home in California. USADA has built safeguards into the system to limit opportunities for cheating. Although athletes are not observed during collection of urine, they show the monitoring officer the bathroom that will be used, they are timed and the temperature of the sample is recorded to lessen the chances of sample tampering or sample substitution.

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Legendary sprinter Milkha Singh's daughter and ace golfer Jeev Milkha Singh's elder sister has been running a "marathon" in New York -- not on a track but at a hospital, battling the COVID-19 pandemic that has ravaged the world. Mona Milkha Singh is a doctor at the Metropolitan Hospital Center in New York, attending to emergency patients of coronavirus, which has so far claimed more than 40,000 lives in the US alone while causing over 1.5 lakh deaths worldwide.

"She is basically an ER (Emergency Room) doctor in the Metropolitan Hospital Center in New York city. So, when someone comes with the coronavirus symptoms, she has to treat them," Jeev, a four-time European Tour champion, told PTI. "She checks the patients, stabilises them, performs intubation (insertion of artificial ventilation tube into a patient) before they are sent to special wards to quarantine the COVID-19 patients," he added. The 54-year-old Mona passed out of Patiala Medical College before moving to the USA in the '90s. She has been working there for more than 20 years.

"I am so proud of her. She says it is like running a marathon every day. She has been working five days a week, sometimes day shifts, sometimes night shifts, 12-hour shifts and it is tough but she has to do the job as best as she can." The 48-year-old from Chandigarh said the job is a stressful one and sometimes he feels scared for her. "I feel worried. When you are treating people, anything can happen, so we talk to her everyday. My mom and dad also keep checking on her. "We keep asking how she is feeling and if there are any symptoms. I tell her to stay positive and boost her immune system," said Jeev, also a five-time Asian Tour winner. New York has reported nearly 250,000 confirmed cases and over 18,000 fatalities, forcing the government to extend its lockdown till May 15 to contain the fast-spreading disease. However, the lockdown is also giving rise to a lot of mental health issues among people, who also need equal attention. "With New York in partial lockdown, she gets a lot of patients who are suffering from depression as they are not used to staying at home," Jeev elaborated.

"There are people who come with bullet wounds, people who are having anxiety attacks, youngsters with drug overdose or old people getting heart attacks, basically any kind of emergency, she has to treat them all," he said. The Chandigarh-based golfer also called for greater respect for the frontline workers, who have been attacked in India while performing their duties. "It is my humble request to every citizen of the world to respect the frontline workers because they are there to help us, whether it is the doctors, police, people who pick up garbage ... we must be respectful, kind and grateful to them and make sure they are taken care of," he said. The dreaded virus has infected over 20 lakh people across the globe.

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Ferrari's Charles Leclerc claimed a second victory in the Formula One Esports Virtual Grand Prix championship on Sunday, marking his Shanghai win by cooking pasta. Leclerc started on pole and finished ahead of Red Bull's Alex Albon and Guanyu Zhou, who races in Formula 2.

"I'm actually enjoying very much playing, and streaming. And I enjoy it even more when I win," tweeted 22-year-old Leclerc who also has two wins in the real F1 world championship. "But the post-race celebrations are somehow feeling a bit different. "Switching off the computer and go cook white pasta is a bit less glamour than spraying champagne on the podium."

The Formula One world championship has yet to get underway this season due to the spread of the coronavirus. Nine of the scheduled 22 races have either been cancelled or postponed.

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Legendary shooter Abhinav Bindra believes once the coronavirus pandemic subsides, it could be a blessing in disguise for Indian sports due to absence of much foreign exposure. "The post-COVID-19 world could be a blessing in disguise for India. There may not be so much foreign exposure and this may allow India to build proper sporting infrastructure. We need to build our own coaches and our own support staff," Bindra said on Monday. The entire sporting calendar has come to a grinding halt across the world due to the coronavirus pandemic. Major sporting events, including Tokyo Olympics and Wimbledon, have either been postponed or cancelled.

Bindra, India's only individual Olympic gold medallist, alongwith Nandan Kamath, lawyer and managing trustee GoSports Foundation, on Monday addressed the newly-appointed assistant directors and other senior officials of Sports Authority of India (SAI) during a special session. Bindra said that as sports administrators they need to work towards creating an alternate skill development programme for athletes to ensure their well-being in the long run.

"We need to look after athletes because the very nature of sport is that more will fail than succeed. It is important that athletes have backup plans in case their sports career doesn't work out," he pointed out. Bindra further said that sports administrators need to understand the psychology of an athlete to be able to build them up because athletes pass through different phases because of the nature of sport and the probability of failure.

"An expert can give a larger overview of the various elements that go into sporting performance and that's where you will understand where performance is built and what are the various elements that go into performance and then you will start to have a better and deeper understanding of where performance is built. Results at a competition cannot be the only denominator when planning for an Olympic Games or an Asian Games," he added.

Bindra spoke at length on his experience as an athlete and also on the future of sports in India. "The one per cent (of athletes) makes all the difference in sport, and as our sports ecosystem starts maturing, we need to start focussing on that one percent for all athletes," he said.

Stressing on the need to build a strong talent identification and nurturing programme, he added, "Getting foundations right is important, a lot of work on that has already been started with the Khelo India programme and also emphasis placed on junior programme of different sports.

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Formula One organizers are open to renegotiating hosting fees for races that may take place without fans this season because of the coronavirus pandemic, the general manager of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya said. Joan Fontseré told The Associated Press that Liberty Media is ¿conscious that if races need to go on without fans the contracts with event promoters will have to be somehow renegotiated.

"They are conscious that this is an exceptional situation," Fontseré said Tuesday. "We are obviously on the same page. If they want to keep some races on because of the TV rights, because of the teams ... they know that our income (will be reduced), they realize that this year it will be like that, so for sure we are on the same page" said Spanish Grand Prix organizers at this moment are not even considering a race with fans in Barcelona.

He said it's not only ticket sales that would be affected if the event goes on with empty stands and no hospitality suites. "When the Catalan government invests in F1, it's not only for the tickets that we sell, it's also for the financial impact that the event has in the country, in Catalonia," Fontseré said.

The economic impact for the country will be very reduced. It means no income for taxis, for hotels ... so that changes completely the agreement between the two parties." Liberty Media did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Spanish GP brings in more than 160,000 million euros ($173 million) to the region, with the total of its financial impact during the year nearing 300 million euros ($325 million), according to data from the track. The attendance for last year's race-weekend surpassed 160,000 people.

Fontseré said he received a couple of phone calls from F1 CEO Chase Carey to discuss possible solutions for the Spanish GP. He said Carey said the series is trying to run as many races as possible, but it was still too early to know when the season would actually resume, whether it would be in the summer or only in the fall. Nine of the 22 races have already been postponed or canceled, and F1 recently put half of its staff on furlough until the end of May. Some teams also took similar actions to reduce costs.

F1 organizers have said they hope to hold between 15 and 18 races this year. The Australian GP and the Monaco GP have already been canceled. Fontseré said the Spanish GP is "completely at the disposal" or organizers and is open to all proposals, be it doubleheaders, shortened weekends or almost anything else other than running on a reverse layout, as that would require too many complex changes to the track and could pose safety concerns.

Among the ideas reportedly being discussed in F1 is to have two or three consecutive races at the same circuit and to use fewer days of on-track activities. There were also talks about changing the format of qualifying and even races. "We need to reduce two things: costs and risks," Fontseré said. "So the fewer people we move, the smaller the risk, and the fewer days we use and the fewer activities we do, the lower the costs. It's an exceptional season and exceptional decisions need to be taken."

He said it is key to have as many races as possible this year in order to have a strong 2021 season, but he would understand if the Spanish GP was eventually left off the calendar. He was optimistic with its chances, though, considering its tradition, infrastructure and location. Fontseré said he can get the Barcelona-Catalunya track ready for a race in "two to three weeks" and expects the Spanish GP to be among the first to resume.

"As soon as we can restart the season, I'm sure that it will be with European races," he said, "and we will be around there."

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The Tokyo 2020 Olympics cannot be delayed beyond the year-long postponement already forced by the coronavirus outbreak, the organising committee's president has warned in comments published Thursday. Tokyo 2020 president Yoshiro Mori said there is "absolutely no" chance of postponing the Games beyond their rescheduled July 23, 2021 opening, according to Kyodo News agency. "Also thinking about athletes and issues over Games management, it is technically difficult to delay it by two years," Mori was quoted as saying.

Mori said he had earlier asked Prime Minister Shinzo Abe whether Japan should consider a two-year postponement but "the prime minister decided that one year is the way to go". Under heavy pressure from athletes and sports associations, Japanese organisers and the International Olympic Committee in March agreed to a year-long postponement of the Games. Organisers and Japanese officials have said the delayed Olympics will be a chance to showcase the world's triumph over the coronavirus, but questions have arisen about whether even a year's postponement is sufficient.

Earlier this week, a Japanese expert who has criticised the country's response to the coronavirus warned he is "very pessimistic" that the postponed Olympics can be held in 2021. "To be honest with you, I don't think the Olympics is likely to be held next year," said Kentaro Iwata, a professor of infectious diseases at Kobe University. He said holding the Games would require not only Japan but also the rest of the world to have the virus under control.

The organising committee itself has been hit the virus, saying Wednesday that a staff member in his 30s working at its Tokyo headquarters had tested positive for the disease. Postponing the Games is a massive logistical undertaking, and expected to incur significant additional costs. Kyodo News quoted Mori as saying the opening and closing ceremonies would need to undergo "drastic reviews" in order to cut costs, adding that organisers would ask the ceremonies' directors to consider including a message about the coronavirus crisis.

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With the world pretty much devoid of sports events because of the Coronavirus pandmeic, boxing resumed in Nicaragua with a televised eight-fight card in front of a live, though sparse audience in Managua.

Promoter Rosendo Álvarez, a former two-time world champion, had dismissed the threat of the virus. "Here we don't fear the Coronavirus, and there is no quarantine. The three deaths [reported so far by the Ministry of Health] came from outside and nobody within the country has been contaminated," Álvarez said before the event on Saturday night. But his offer of free tickets appeared to fill only about a tenth of the 8,000 seats in the Alexis Argoello gym. Officials did not announce attendance figures. Alvarez said he signed up the 16 local boxers for the card because they needed to work. "Nicaragua is a poor country and the boxers have to eat. They can't stay shut up in their house," he said.

Meanwhile, in neighbouring or nearby countries the regional Central American Integration System has reported roughly 13,000 cases and about 500 deaths. The Nicaraguan baseball and soccer leagues are still playing, and Saturday's local sports pages included stories on a triathlon and school wrestling tournaments.

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Formula One boss Chase Carey on Monday targeted the Coronavirus-hit season eventually starting in Austria on July 5 after the French Grand Prix was cancelled and fans barred from the British race at Silverstone.

The French Grand Prix, which was to have been held on June 28, was the tenth race of the season to be scrapped or postponed. "We're targeting a start to racing in Europe through July, August and beginning of September, with the first race taking place in Austria on 3-5 July weekend," Carey said in a statement.

"September, October and November, would see us race in Eurasia, Asia and the Americas, finishing the season in the Gulf in December with Bahrain before the traditional finale in Abu Dhabi, having completed between 15-18 races."

Chase Carey

French GP called off
Carey's statement followed quickfire announcements from the French organisers and a statement from the owners of the Silverstone track where the British Grand Prix is due to take place on July 19.

"Given the evolution of the situation linked to the spread of the Covid-19 virus, the French Grand Prix takes note of the decisions announced by the French state, making it impossible to maintain our event," the race's managing director Eric Boullier said.

It joins nine other races in the decimated 2020 championship to be either cancelled (Australia, Monaco) or postponed (Bahrain, China, Vietnam, Netherlands, Spain, Azerbaijan, Canada).

Organisers of the race at Le Castellet were forced to act after President Emmanuel Macron's announcement last week that the lockdown in France will be extended until May 11 and public gatherings banned until mid-July. Ruling out holding the race behind closed doors, Boullier said: "Le Castellet are already turning towards the summer of 2021".

What about the fans?
F1 supremo Carey said he expected "the early races to be without fans" but hoped that spectators would be allowed back "as we move further into the schedule". He added: "We still have to work out many issues like the procedures for the teams and our other partners to enter and operate in each country. The health and safety of all involved will continue to be priority one and we will only go forward if we are confident we have reliable procedures to address both risks and possible issues."

Revised F1 calendar

July 5: Austria
July 19: Great Britain
August 2: Hungary
August 30: Belgium
September 6: Italy
September 20 Singapore
September 27: Russia
October 11: Japan
October 25: United States
November 1: Mexico
November 15: Brazil
November 29: Abu Dhabi

Races postponed: Bahrain (March 22), Vietnam (April 5), China (April 19), Netherlands (May 3), Spain (May 10), Monaco (May 24), Azerbaijan (June 7), Canada (June 14)

Races cancelled: Australia (March 15), France (June 28)

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Silverstone owners said on Monday that no spectators would be able to attend the British Grand Prix due to the coronavirus pandemic but the race is still scheduled to go ahead.

The French Grand Prix scheduled for June 28 was cancelled on Monday but while organisers have not yet made a final decision on postponing or cancelling the July 19 British race, Silverstone managing director Stuart Pringle paved the way for a behind-closed-doors race.

"I am extremely disappointed to tell you that we are unable to stage this year's British Grand Prix in front of the fans at Silverstone," Pringle in his statement on Silverstone's Twitter account. "We have left this difficult decision for as long as possible, but it is abundantly clear given the current conditions... that a grand prix under normal conditions is just not going to be possible."

Britain has been one of the countries worst affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, with the number of deaths topping 20,000. The actual toll could be much higher when deaths in the community are taken into account, particularly at care homes. The French Grand Prix is the 10th leg of the 2020 championship to be either scrapped (Australia, Monaco, France) or postponed (Bahrain, China, Vietnam, Netherlands, Spain, Azerbaijan, Canada).

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National rowing coach Bajrang Lal Takhar, 39, wants India's ace rowers, Sawarn Singh and Dattu Bhokanal to make the most of the Coronavirus-caused lockdown by working on their mental toughness.

Takhar, the first to win an Asian Games individual gold [Guangzhou 2010], is keen that the duo fine-tune their technique and emerge mentally stronger when the lockdown is over.

"Dattu performed well at the Rio Games in 2016 [finishing 13th in men's single sculls] in his maiden Olympics. Sawarn is also a good rower. My advice to them is to become mentally strong if we want to win at the Olympics. At the top level, there is not much to differentiate in terms of physical fitness. Being mentally strong can make a huge difference. They [Sawarn and Bhokanal] also need to work on their technique," Takhar, who has been guiding the rowers via video conferencing from his hometown in Maganpur, Rajasthan, told mid-day on Monday.

Meanwhile, Takhar urged patience from those expecting a rowing medal at the Tokyo Olympics. "They [Sawarn and Bhokanal] will surely qualify for the Tokyo Games. They will make it to the final as well, but we may have to wait for another Olympics [Paris 2024] to win a medal," felt Takhar.

Sawarn, 30, has won gold in quadruple sculls along with Bhokanal, Om Prakash and Sukhmeet Singh at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, while he bagged a bronze in single sculls at the Incheon Games in 2014. Bhokanal, 29, won silver in single sculls at the 2015 Asian Rowing Championships in Beijing.

Takhar has urged the Rowing Federation of India (RFI) to concentrate on rural areas if they wish to tap upcoming talent.

"The RFI needs to search for talent in rural regions. Getting physically strong people is extremely crucial to succeed in rowing. We have worked on certain plans to train aspiring players," he concluded.

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World champion Lewis Hamilton said Formula One's Coronavirus suspension had left a "big void" in his life as the sport waits to see if it can return in July. Hamilton, who began go-karting as a child and has risen through the ranks of motorsport, said he misses racing daily after the F1 season failed to get underway. "I miss racing every day. This is the first time since I was eight that I haven't started a season," the British Mercedes driver posted on Instagram.

"When you live and breathe something you love, when it's gone there's definitely a big void. But there's always positives to take from these times." The first practice session of the year was just hours away when the season-opening Australian Grand Prix was scrapped in March, triggering a succession of cancellations. F1 bosses are now hoping to start the delayed season at the Austrian Grand Prix on July 5, while fans will be barred from the British Grand Prix on July 19.

However, Hamilton said the virus shutdown—which has all but closed down professional sports and dramatically slowed economic activity—was not all bad news. "Right now, we all have time in the world to reflect on life, our decisions, our goals, the people we have around us, our careers," said Hamilton. "Today, we see clearer skies all over the world, less animals being slaughtered for our pleasure simply because our demands are much lower and everyone is staying in. Let's not come back the same as we went into this tough time. Let's come out of it with better knowledge of our world, changing our personal choices and habits."

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Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stated it will be impossible to host the Olympics even next year if the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic cannot be contained till then. The 2020 edition of the event was pushed back to 2021 in wake of COVID-19 crisis that has hit the entire world. Answering a question related to Olympics, Abe said it is important for all athletes and spectators to feel safe and for that to happen, the virus will have to be contained. "We've been saying the Olympic and Paralympic Games must be held in a complete form, in that athletes and spectators can all participate safely. It would be impossible to hold the Games in such a complete form unless the Coronavirus pandemic is contained," Abe was quoted as saying by CNN.

Earlier, Tokyo Olympics chief had warned the event will have to be scrapped in case of further delay. "In that case, the Olympics will be scrapped," Yoshiro Mori told Nikkan Sports when quizzed about pushing the Games further if needed. Tokyo Olympics was supposed to be held in July-August this year but had to postponed due to COVID-19 crisis. The head of Japan Medical Association (JMA) had earlier said that hosting the event in the summer of 2021 remains difficult till the time an "effective vaccine' is developed.

"Unless an effective vaccine is developed I think it will be difficult to hold the Olympics next year," JMA President Yoshitake Yokokura told reporters in Tokyo on Tuesday. "I'm not saying at this point that they shouldn't be held. The outbreak is not only confined to Japan... it's a worldwide issue."

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Ferrari star Sebastian Vettel has made his esports debut with the Legends Trophy organised by Torque Esports.

After being supplied with a simulator by Torque Esports company Allinsports, Vettel made his first appearance in esports competition fighting battles with the likes of former F1 racer and two-time Indy 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya and fellow ex-Formula 1 World Champions Emerson Fittipaldi and Jenson Button.

Vettel's Ferrari teammate Chales LeClerc has been active on various esports platforms, participating from his Monaco apartment. LeClerc has won two virtual F1 races and taken part in a variety of other races.

Vettel finished 15th and 12th, respectively, in his two races but the four-time F1 champion was unlucky in both -- getting caught up in incidents that were not his fault on the rFactor 2 virtual version of the former home of the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Montoya finished the day as the Legends Trophy points leader. He led home Button and ex-24 Hours of Le Mans winner Emanuele Pirro in race one while finishing fifth in the reverse grid race, which was won by Fernandez over factory Aston Martin Le Mans winner Darren Turner and Pirro.

The Colombian was able to avoid first-lap drama in the opening race to take the victory.

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The Indian women's hockey team has raised funds to the tune of Rs 20 lakh to help in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Indian team raised the money through an 18-day fitness challenge, which concluded on May 3 and resulted in raising Rs 20, 01,130. The funds have been donated to Delhi-based NGO Uday Foundation. The funds will be used to provide basic necessities for patients at various locations, migrant workers and slum dwellers.

"The response we have received was really overwhelming. People, especially Indian hockey lovers from across the globe took part in the challenge and contributed to the cause. "On behalf of the Indian Women Team, I would like to thank everyone who took part in this initiative to help the poor," India skipper Rani Rampal said.

The challenge involved the team members who came up with different fitness tasks that ranged from burpees, lunges, squats to spider-man pushups, pogo hops and more. Each day a player gave a new challenge and tagged 10 people on their social media handles to take up the challenge and donate Rs 100 to the fundraiser.

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Golf champ Michelle Wie, 30, is in the third trimester of her pregnancy and though she enjoys the full support of her husband Jonnie West, an executive with NBA side Golden State Warriors, she is worried about how things will pan out given the current COVID-19 pandemic.

"I definitely didn't see myself being pregnant during a pandemic but here we are," said Wie, who has five LPGA Tour wins to her name.

Currently, in locked down at home in San Francisco, Wie is getting nervous as her delivery date approaches. "At first there was no news on pregnant women getting [COVID-19] or pregnant women transferring the virus through the placenta to the kid.

But now that there are reports that it causes pre-term labour, newborns can get it, babies in the womb can get it, it's extremely nerve-wracking for sure.

"We've been extremely careful. I'm extremely anxious to not do anything to put myself in extreme stress—glad that I can stay at home and put my feet up," said Wie.

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The next swimming world championships, scheduled for summer 2021 in Japan, have been pushed back until May 2022 following the postponement of the Olympic Games, the sport's governing body said Monday. The world championships were due to be held in Fukuoka next year from July 16-August 1 but will instead take place from May 13-29 in 2022, the international swimming federation (FINA) said in a statement.

The 2020 Olympic Games were delayed by a year due to the coronavirus pandemic, and will now run from July 23-August 8 in 2021. "After liaising with the relevant stakeholders and receiving feedback from them, we have no doubt that the decision taken will provide the best possible conditions for all participants at the championships," said FINA president Julio Maglione. "At a time of unprecedented uncertainty, FINA hopes the announcement of these dates will allow for some clarity in planning for all concerned." The world aquatics championships also feature diving, open water swimming, synchronised swimming and water polo.

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US pop star Jennifer Lopez, 50, and her baseball star partner Alex Rodriguez, 44, have decided to put off their late summer wedding plan due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was reported last week that the couple had held online meetings with vendors to prepare for a summer wedding, but now with the pandemic showing no sign of containment in the US, where the death toll has crossed 75,000, their plan is off.

"They have been struggling for weeks over this decision but with no return to normalcy in the near future, the couple felt postponing the wedding was the safest and smartest choice," a source told American entertainment network E! News. The couple have conveyed the news of the postponement to their guests. "Guests have recently been notified that the wedding will not be happening in late summer as anticipated," added the source.

Jennifer and Alex began dating in 2017 and got engaged in the Bahamas last March. Jennifer has twins Max and Emme, 12, from ex-husband Marc Anthony while Alex has daughters, Natasha, 15, and Ella, 12 with his ex-wife Cynthia Scurtis.

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Fernando Alonso

McLaren yesterday said they would drop Honda engines in favour of Renault at the end of this season, ending a troubled partnership with the Japanese manufacturer as they bid to return to the top of Formula One.

The celebrated British marque announced a three-year deal covering 2018, 2019 and 2020 with France's Renault, who simultaneously unveiled a split with Toro Rosso — who will now be powered by Honda. Honda's exit is likely to convince Fernando Alonso to stay at McLaren next year.

Daniel Ricciardo

Daniel Ricciardo topped the timesheets by a dominant margin ahead of teammate Max Verstappen, as Red Bull marked themselves out as contenders for victory on the opening day of Singapore Grand Prix practice.

Ricciardo put in a dazzling one minute 40.852 second lap under the floodlights, setting a new record around the Marina Bay street circuit after having already lowered the earlier benchmark with the fastest time in the opening session.

His effort was a massive 0.556 seconds quicker than Verstappen's best. Championship leader Lewis Hamilton meanwhile, chasing a hat-trick of wins this weekend, was third fastest after having been fourth in the opening session.

His title rival Sebastian Vettel, second in the evening, was inconspicuous at night with only the 11th fastest time.

Singapore's tight twists are expected to play to Ferrari and Red Bull's strengths and Vettel briefly lit up the timing screens. Valtteri Bottas, who agreed a one-year contract extension with Mercedes, ended the day fourth-fastest.

Lewis Hamilton

F1's Lewis Hamilton has said that he has gradually moved to veganism over the past two years after TV documentary inspired him to do so to improve his health and avoid harming the planet.

Mercedes driver, Hamilton said he had changed his habits after watching a documentary about the environmental impact of the meat industry.

"It is something I have been going towards anyway. I stopped eating red meat two years ago," he told the BBC.

"This year I stopped eating chicken and then kind of went back to it and now I've stopped again. So I have generally been pescatarian for the majority of the year and then I cut out fish too."

He added: "I have actually eaten plant-based food for the last two days and it has been amazing. So far, I don't feel as if I have been missing out. I don't know how easy it is going to be when I get home. That is going to be a real test."

Also see: Ex-cricketers in their current jobs: Uber driver, bus stand cleaner

Sparks fly off Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari (right) after he collides with teammate Sebastian Vettel's vehicle (left) in the Singapore Grand Prix yesterday. Raikkonen was eliminated immediately while Vettel retired later due to a damaged car. Pics/AFP

Sebastian Vettel pulled out a scorching lap in the dying stages of Saturday's qualifying session to seize pole position for the Singapore Grand Prix.

The Ferrari driver lapped the floodlit Marina Bay street circuit in one minute, 39.491 seconds, the fastest ever set around the 5-kilometer long track, in a dazzling display of speed.

Max Verstappen went second fastest and will start alongside Vettel on the front-row with his Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo third.

A victorious Lewis Hamilton jumps off his Mercedes

Championship leader Lewis Hamilton, Vettel's title rival, was only fifth ahead of teammate Valtteri Bottas.

The Briton, seeing a hat-trick of wins this weekend, seized the championship lead with victory at the last race in Monza.

But starting on the third row, with the Red Bulls and Kimi Raikkonen's fourth-placed Ferrari between him and Vettel, Hamilton could well have to drive a race of damage limitation that could cost him his slim three-point advantage.

"I'm still full of adrenaline so maybe whatever I say doesn't make any sense," a breathless Vettel, who let out a loud whoop of joy over the team-radio, said immediately after qualifying.

"The car was tricky but it came alive and it was getting better and better as the night progressed, so really happy that we got it done."

Saturday's pole was the 49th of Vettel's career and an unprecedented fourth at Singapore.

It could prove to be an especially crucial one with seven of the last nine races in the city-state won by the pole-sitter.

But the German, who also has an unprecedented four wins at the twisty track, initially did not seem to have the pace to seize the top-spot.

Red Bull had topped the timesheets in every session over the weekend.

With Verstappen even topping the opening two parts of qualifying, the former champions had looked on course to score their first front row lockout since the United States Grand Prix in 2013.

But Vettel put it all on the line when it really mattered, vaulting to the top of the timesheets during the final 12-minute pole-position shootout.

Nico Hulkenberg was seventh for Renault ahead of Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne, who put both McLaren's in the top-ten a day after the Woking-based squad agreed to swap Honda power for Renault.

Carlos Sainz, set to move to the works Renault team next year, rounded out the top ten for Toro Rosso.

Force India's Sergio Perez was 12th with teammate Esteban Ocon 14th.

British Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton and German Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel praised late Argentine great Juan Manuel Fangio as both racers eye matching Fangio's five Formula One titles.

Hamilton secured his fourth title weeks before the end of the 2017 championship while Vettel won the last of his four consecutive crowns in 2013.

Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton

"Certainly, we will never match him in how successful he had been in such a short time and so little races. Obviously, back then it was different. Racing was different," Vettel told Efe on Thursday ahead of the season-ending race this weekend in Abu Dhabi.

Fangio, who died in 1995, won his maiden world title in 1951 and took four straight crowns between 1954 and 1957.

"To have achieved what he did achieve in that time, where a lot of things needed to come together, the cars were not as reliable and all of that, still he managed to be that successful, I think he's probably the best we've ever had in terms of putting it together, in terms of skill, in terms of how brave they were at the time," Vettel said.

Hamilton echoed Vettel's opinion of Fangio.

"I agree with Sebastian. Naturally, he's just a leading icon in motorsport. To have achieved what he achieved in the time, when danger was really at its worst. I think he's the driver that I think everyone admires most, perhaps being that it was in the most dangerous period of time in motorsport," Hamilton said.

"I think he should be celebrated more for his success. It's not really mentioned a huge amount. Often you hear about Ayrton and Prost, but I feel he's the godfather of the sport in terms of the drivers," he added.

Hamilton said he expected fierce competition from Vettel during the 2018 Formula One season.

"No one is perfect. Even I have things to work on. I expect Sebastian to raise the bar again next year. Ferrari had a great season," the British racer said.

Fernando Alonso, 37, who announced that he will retire from Formula One at the end of the season, could get married to Italian supermodel Linda Morselli, 29, soon.

According to reports in Socialite program, one of the reasons that could have made Alonso take the decision to leave F1 is that he wants to lead a happy married life and start a family with his girlfriend of two years.

Linda Morselli. Pic/Getty Images

While announcing his retirement, Alonso, had said in a statement: "After 17 wonderful years in this amazing sport, it's time for me to make a change and move on. I'm having one of the happiest times ever in my life but I need to go on exploring new adventures."

Recently, Morselli posted this picture on social media kissing Alonso and captioned it: "Love you." If Alonso gets married, it will be his second wedding. He was married to singer Raquel del Rosario till 2011.

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Stanislaus' Saurabh Gupta (left) and Amos Mathews

Saurabh Gupta and Amos Mathews bagged hat-tricks to help St Stanislaus High School (Bandra) continue their winning form with 12-0 thrashing of Rustomjee International School (Dahisar) in the Mumbai School Sports Association (MSSA)-organised Ahmed Sailor inter-school under-16 boys hockey tournament at Sports Authority of India (SAI), Kandivli yesterday.

Saurabh opened the scoring for the Bandra team in the eighth minute. The striker netted his second goal in the 22nd minute and completed his hat-trick in the 35th minute.
Zaheem Dodhaya added a goal in the 10th minute while David Mendonca scored in the 20th minute.

Forward Sean Gonsalves, too got into action with back-to-back goals in the 15th and 18th minute. St Stanislaus were 6-0 up at end of the first half.

Minutes into the second half, Amos Mathews came up with his first goal in the 29th minute to add to St Stanislaus' tally. He too completed his hat-trick with goals in the 30th and the 37th minute.

Stanislaus' midfielder Joshua D'Souza piled on more misery on the Dahisar outfit with a goal in the 32nd minute. Zaheem completed the rout when he found the net in the 40th minute.

Dia Mehta's lone goal helped Bombay International School (Babulnath) beat Bombay Scottish (Mahim) in the Mumbai Schools Sports Association (MSSA)-organised inter-school girls U-14 Division I football tournament at Azad Maidan yesterday. Both teams started off in an aggressive fashion, but the first half ended goalless.

Switching sides, Dia broke the deadlock in a nonchalant fashion. The goal came in the 27th minute when she intercepted a cross from teammate Simran Jasubhai and hammered into the net from long range to seal the win for her team.

Meanwhile, in a boys U-14 Div II encounter, Holy Family High School (Andheri) beat Infant Jesus High School (Malad) 4-0. Sanford Dias scored a brace while Rommaan Khan and Gavin D'Souza netted one apiece.

Rishab Shah

Rishab Shah of Cathedral and John Connon School (Fort) bagged gold in the Mumbai School Sports Association (MSSA)-organised inter-school under-16 boys chess tournament at Rajiv Gandhi Sports Complex, Sion yesterday.

Rishab, who won two bronze in the under-14 rapid and blitz formats in the Western Asia Youth Championships which concluded in Sri Lanka last week, finished with 8.5 points from 9 rounds. Sarvesh Kumar of Podar International School (Powai) and Vedant Panesar of Lady of Ratanbai and Sir Mathuradas Vissanji Academy (Andheri) won silver and bronze respectively.

Rishab, 14, wants to become a Grandmaster (the highest title a chess player can attain) and idolises India chess great Viswanathan Anand.

Farah Khan's daughter Anya Kunder has been raising money for the animals to help them amid the Coronavirus pandemic and the filmmaker also shared the sketch she drew and it drew a lot of respect from Bollywood celebrities like Tabu, Sonali Bendre, Zoya Akhtar, Tahira Kashyap, Aditi Rao Hydari, and Sonu Sood.

It is a great initiative and not only Bollywood celebrities, but even the commoners also need to applaud her efforts to ensure the well-being of the animals amid this crisis. In case you missed the post that was shared by Farah Khan on her Instagram account a few days back, have a look right here again.

Here it is:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

My daughter Anya has decided to sketch a pet, n sell it for rs.1000-/.. all proceeds will go towards feeding stray animals and homeless during this pandemic.. not much but she s only 12 yrs old.. ♥ï¸Â thank you @tabutiful @rajeevmasand @aartishetty @shaziaqg for advance orders💕

A post shared by Farah Khan Kunder (@farahkhankunder) onApr 5, 2020 at 10:54pm PDT

And now, actor and good friend Abhishek Bachchan has come forward and given Rs. 1 lakh for this sketch and completely bowled over Farah. She couldn't contain her excitement and this is how she expressed her joy. Have a look right here:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Who gives 1 LAKH for a sketch?? Only @bachchan ..that straightaway doubles Anya s charity drive! Thank u my mad, big hearted crazy boy♥ï¸Â bigggggg huggggg cming up which u will hate i know😂

A post shared by Farah Khan Kunder (@farahkhankunder) onApr 27, 2020 at 5:06am PDT

Zoya Akhtar and Patralekhaa reacted with a heart, a user wrote- "Wow! Told you this guy was the coolest." And another one wrote- "He is such a great guy." Now let's wait and watch who happens to be the next Bollywood actor to come forward and become a part of this great initiative!

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Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor has now approached the King George's Medical University (KGMU), offering to donate her plasma for treatment of other Covid-19 patients. The singer called up the head of transfusion medicine department, Prof Tulika Chandra, and volunteered to help.

"She called me up and said she really wanted to help other Covid-19 patients. Vice Chancellor Prof M.L.B. Bhatt has given a go ahead on it and we will now be carrying out the tests on her to see if she is fit to donate her plasma," said Prof Chandra.

As per experts, Kanika's sample will be tested for a number of things before she can donate her plasma. These include her haemoglobin level that should be above 12.5, weight should be more than 50 kg and the patient should not have diabetes, cardiovascular issues, malaria, syphilis and other such ailments.

Kanika's sample will probably be taken on Tuesday and if found to be eligible, she will be donating her plasma on Wednesday. Kanika Kapoor had grabbed headlines last month when she became the first Bollywood celebrity to test positive for Coronavirus.

Kanika had attended two parties in Lucknow in the presence of top politicians and bureaucrats and all of them were later tested for Corona. Kanika was hospitalized for over a fortnight at the Sanjay Gandhi Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS).

She had, on April 26, come out with a statement clarifying her travel and Covid-19 history declaring that she was aware of misconceptions and wrong information floating around her but she chose to remain silent until ready to speak. Kanika in her social media post had said that all persons she came in contact with in the UK, Mumbai and Lucknow had been tested negative and that she had duly followed the process.

Meanwhile, the KGMU on Sunday night, made the first plasma transfusion in a 58-year-old patient from Orai who is a government doctor whose condition was critical. The doctors now say that the patient is responding well to the transfusion.

The university has received three plasma donations from fully recovered Covid-19 patients, two from doctors and one from a Lakhimpur man.

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Last week Jassie Gill released his song Ehna Chauni Aa, which was the first song to be shot on an iPhone. The song instantly became a hit overnight. It not only created the right kind of the noise, but was also loved by none other than Armaan Malik who took to Twitter to express his love for the song.

In the midst of quarantine where people are looking out for new entertainment, Jassie Gill is back with yet another peppy number titled Johnny Waker. Jassie this time is supporting his friend Simmie by not only singing the song, but also featuring in it. The new song is a peppy party number which will have one and all groove to its tunes.

Talking about the same, Jassie says, "Simmie is a friend and is a great artist. When he came to me with the song, I really liked it and I am glad I am a part of the song. Luckily we shot the song before quarantine and it is shot beautifully."

Simmie added, "Jassie is a great guy, he is an amazing human being. I am very happy he said yes to be a part of the song."

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Singer Dhvani Bhanushali says her upcoming song "Jeetenge hum" is dedicated to the frontline workers who are battling the COVID-19pandemic. "#JeetengeHum is just a small effort in keeping you all entertained and to keep your spirits high. Hope you all like it. Stay tuned for the song tomorrow," she tweeted on Friday with her video.

In a separate tweet, she also mentioned the song has become really close to her heart. "I have been working on this song for some time now and it has become really close to my heart. #JeetengeHum releasing tomorrow. Stay tuned," she wrote.

 

 

 

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So here's the special surprise that I was talking about. I have been working on this song for some time now and it has become really close to my heart. #JeetengeHum releasing tomorrow. Stay tuned! @tseries.official @BhushanKumar @manojmuntashir @dj.lijo @djchetas #TriggerHappyVR

A post shared by Dhvani Bhanushali (@dhvanibhanushali22) onApr 30, 2020 at 11:32pm PDT

Earlier, the "Vaaste" singer had donated Rs 50,000 to the Film and Television Producers Guild of India, for daily wage workers whose income has stopped due to the lockdown of the entertainment industry in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

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Sonakshi Sinha has urged people to help frontline Coronavirus warriors by donating Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) to them. On Saturday, Sinha took to social media to post a video in which she is seen highlighting the shortage of PPE supplies in hospitals. She wrote, "Let's help the people who help us. Let's make sure they get the PPE kits that they need in the war against COVID-19. Come on guys, we can do this together (sic)."

The actor has tied up with a celebrity shoutout platform to raise funds. Have a look at the video right here:

 

 

 

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Lets help the people who help us! Our #CoronaWarriors need our help... lets make sure they get the PPE(personal protective equipment) kits that they need in the #WarAgainstCovid19! Log onto www.tring.co.in/sonakshi-sinha (LINK IN BIO) to make your donations. We need to make sure they get as many PPE kits as possible...Come on guys we can do this together!

A post shared by Sonakshi Sinha (@aslisona) onMay 1, 2020 at 6:45am PDT

A majority of Bollywood celebrities have repeatedly thanked the medical practitioners and doctors who are leaving no stones unturned to eradicate the Coronavirus pandemic and Sinha has also joined the bandwagon. If you haven't seen her video yet, watch it now!

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The nation witnessed 85 Indian and global stars come on one platform to raise funds for GiveIndia COVID-19 relief fund for a fundraiser concert that was held live on May 3, 2020. Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao kickstarted the philanthropic extravaganza by singing classic melodies of hope for the virtual audience.

Sharing heartfelt messages of hope with the audience, Aamir and Kiran made sure to urge everyone to contribute to the fundraiser. The classics they chose were- Aa Chal Ke Tujhe by Kishore Kumar and Raj Kapoor's Kisi Ki Muskurahaton Se from Anari and they both sang them beautifully.

Aamir Khan also said that we are passing through a difficult stage and it is important to help the needy and expressed that people should not lose hope. Kiran also said that everyone should come together in tough times.

I for India was a home-to-home fundraiser concert that went live on Facebook on Sunday, May 3, 2020, at 7:30 pm. The concert was a no-sponsors, only-donors approach where 100% proceeds from the fundraiser concert went to the India COVID Response Fund, to support on-ground relief efforts.

The vision for the concert by leaders from the entertainment industry, including Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao was three-pronged: to entertain those locked down in their homes, to pay tribute to those who are working on the frontlines and to raise funds for those who have no work and no home and do not know where their next meal is coming from. The concert features performances and personal messages from the entertainers from across the world.

With the nation facing a lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19, these efforts by personalities like Aamir Khan inspire many others. Though this is not the first time he has extended his support to help the people affected by the lockdown, the personal touch that Aamir and Kiran gave in order to raise funds is commendable.

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After urging people to take up the 'Anna Daan' challenge, megastar Salman Khan is doing his bit by contributing largely to the people in need with ration supply, and helping the people who are suffering due to coronavirus induced lockdown.

The 'Bharat' star took to Instagram and shared a video that features him and Iulia Vantur, Jacqueline Fernandez among others loading the bags filled with ration on the truck. The 'Sultan' actor captioned the video as, "Thanks for the contribution... thank you all@jacquelinef143 @vanturiulia @rahulnarainkanal @imkamaalkhan @niketan_m @waluschaa @abhiraj88."

 

 

 

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@jacquelinef143 @vanturiulia @rahulnarainkanal @imkamaalkhan @niketan_m @waluschaa @abhiraj88

A post shared by Salman Khan (@beingsalmankhan) onMay 3, 2020 at 8:50am PDT

The 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' actor is staying at his Panvel farmhouse with his nephew Nirvaan Khan and other family members ever since the lockdown was announced.

Khan, who has been active on social media has been educating his fans through his social media handles.

On Tuesday, the 'Sultan' star urged people to take up the 'Anna Daan' challenge and donate to the underprivileged ones who are worst affected by the COVID-19 lockdown. Khan took to Twitter and posted a picture of his two close friends preparing to distribute ration packets to the needy ones.

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This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

Despite the sealed borders keeping him from returning home to India, Sonu Nigam has been neck-deep in work, supporting causes for daily-wagers, and raising awareness for relief funds for the country. It's been a month since Nigam, who is currently holed up in Dubai, began the cumbersome task of breathing life into a passion-project, the brainchild of his industry associate Srinivas. Along with Indian Singers Rights Association CEO Sanjay Tandon, the duo reached out to 100 artistes from across India for the creation of the 14-language track, One nation one voice, which is set to be unveiled by Lata Mangeshkar.

"We had been struggling to find a Sindhi [singer], and that's when we reached out to Ghanshyam Vaswani. Though disconnected from mainstream [music], he has been a ghazal singer for decades. My mother was proficient in Sindhi. So Ghanshyamji and I collaborated for those portions. Similarly, Papon [worked on] the Assamese [verses], Bhajan Soporiji and Kailash Kher did the Kashmiri track, Mame Khan crafted Rajasthani [verses] and Krishna [Beura], the Odia portions," Nigam tells mid-day of the song that also includes lines in Bengali, Marathi, Malayalam, and Tamil.

The coalescing of an assortment of home-bound artistes for a single track becomes simpler when employing a digitally transferable background score that they can individually lay their vocals on. But Nigam was creating an acapella piece, which didn't have instruments to play second fiddle in supporting his endeavour.

"We sent two songs to all the singers. One [included] the base track that had been created by [a select few], and included sounds, layers and harmonies. No instruments were used to create this, and it was upon this piece that the singers [recorded their vocals]. We also gave them a reference piece of how we wanted the song to sound, but offered an empty space [for them to experiment]." Those singers who do not have a home-studio had to let the acapella piece play in the background as they recorded their vocals over it, he informs.

There's a peculiar cheer in his voice when he talks of Asha Bhosle's involvement in this number. "With her being by our side, this project has become invaluable. At 86, she has opened this song like a boss. You find yourself wondering how someone at that age can sing so beautifully. I was reduced to tears on hearing her 30-second performance."

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In a historic move, India's biggest fundraiser concert to raise funds for GiveIndia Covid-19 relief fund was met with an unprecedented response by millions of people across the globe. Held live on 3rd May, 2020 IST on Facebook Live, India's biggest virtual concert witnessed 85 plus Indian and global stars on one platform to raise funds for those affected by Covid-19 pandemic.

Shah Rukh Khan, who was more than happy to be a part of this noble initiative, urged everyone to contribute in whatever capacity they could. The superstar pulled off an interesting and engaging conversation with his ardent fans by singing the song 'Sab Sahi Ho Jayega' (created by Badshah) – a song about chances… good chances… about hope, compassion and love.

Shah Rukh Khan's adorable act with his son AbRam was loved and appreciated by one and all, bringing a magical end to the marvelous evening. After announcing a range of initiatives, Shah Rukh Khan provided 25,000 PPE kits to the frontline medical staff in Maharashtra fighting to contain the novel coronavirus pandemic in the state.

 

 

 

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‪Extremely grateful to #IforIndia, @badboyshah and @cacklerraj for music, lyrics & for working overnight. thank u Sunil for the edit. All so that I could sing. ‬ ‪Ab bhai, lockdown mein mujhe gaate hue bhi jhelna padhega. AbRam is saying 'papa enough now!’‬ ‪Par sab sahi ho jaayega!‬

A post shared by Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) onMay 3, 2020 at 2:08pm PDT

The actor's group of companies, Kolkata Knight Riders, Red Chillies Entertainment, Meer Foundation and Red Chillies VFX recently announced several initiatives to support the efforts of Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi ji and the Government in its COVID-19 fight.

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Star couple Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan's daughter Aaradhya Bachchan paid an artistic tribute to all the frontline workers who are combating COVID-19. Both Aishwarya and Abhishek took to Instagram to share a picture of the doodle by their little in-house artist.

The doodle featured two hands joined with 'Thank You' and 'Dhanyawaad' written on them while sketches of frontline workers like healthcare workers, teachers, media professionals, police officials, army personnel, and sanitisation workers are seen surrounding the thanking hands. The lower portion of the sketch featured Aaradhya standing and holding the hands of her parents who are both seen standing on her either side.

The 8-year-old also sketched the necessary precautionary measures against COVID-19 like the use of hand sanitiser, mask, and soap in her tribute to frontline workers. The sketch ended with the message of 'stay home, stay safe.'

And it's lovely! Check it out:

 

 

 

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✨❤ï¸ÂðŸŒŸðŸ‡®ðŸ‡³ðŸŒðŸŒ¸ðŸ¥°my darling Aaradhya’s Gratitude and Love ❤ï¸Ââœ¨ðŸ™

A post shared by AishwaryaRaiBachchan (@aishwaryaraibachchan_arb) onMay 3, 2020 at 11:39am PDT

The entire Bachchan family along with megastar Amitabh Bachchan and his actor wife Jaya Bachchan are currently staying at home like many other Bollywood celebrities.

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This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

Real estate developer Vikas and Gayatri Oberoi's son, Vihaan, 13, is an aspiring artist, studying at the Oberoi International School. His passion for art led him to pursue acrylic painting and drawing. The self-taught youngster's tools vary from painting knives to cooking pan lids. He particularly enjoys working on multiple canvas making diptychs and triptychs as he loves the disconnection and continuity of such form of paintings.

Says Vihaan, "Knowing the situation we are in and learning about the hardships people are facing due to the lockdown, I have used my time at home to compile my work for an online exhibition on https://colorwaysbyvihaan.org. I was always keen on holding an exhibition and it's fulfilling to know that it will help people in need."

Crimson

Proceeds from the sale will be collected by the Oberoi Foundation and donated to the NGO Teach for India's COVID-19 Relief and Learning Fund. "I hope my art brings as much positivity to people during this time, as creating it did for me," adds Vihaan.

Historique

His parents have always encouraged Vihaan's love for art. They say, "We are thrilled that he is able to contribute to a cause when it is most needed. We will continue to guide and encourage his creative mind and generosity. We are very thankful for all the appreciation he has received."

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After delivering the hit song "Tera ban jaunga" in "Kabir Singh", singer Akhil Sachdeva has come up with a new Punjabi song "O jaanwaale", which features "Bigg Boss 13" contestant Himanshi Khurana.

"As a musician, it gives me great joy to give people music to hear, feel and heal during the lockdown. It's one of those melodies where there is a lot of pain and sadness involved. As soon as T-Series sent me a version of the song, I knew at once this song is for me," Akhil said.

 

 

 

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When your ♥ï¸Â beats for love! #OJaanwaale, out now. @tseries.official @BhushanKumar @sachdevaakhilnasha @kunaalvermaa @adityadevmusic Makeup by @prabhleenkaur_artistry Outfits by @aliwarofficial Shot by @kunwararorax Artist managed by @nidhe_k

A post shared by Himanshi Khurana 👑 (@iamhimanshikhurana) onMay 3, 2020 at 11:57pm PDT

"O Jaanwaale" is a heartbreak song composed by Kunaal Vermaa, with music production and arrangement by Aditya Dev.

Sharing the making of the track amid lockdown, Akhil said: " 'O jaanwaale' is a heart-wrenching song that listeners will relate to. It has great repeat value. Interestingly, everyone involved in the making of this song is in different cities, at this point of time.

"It was definitely challenging to put this together but in the end I think every song has its own destiny and journey. I guess this was meant to be my lockdown release. Both Himanshi and I shot chunks of the footage from our respective smart phones in our respective homes," he added.

The song is presented by T-Series."

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The reticent Bobby Deol is hogging the limelight due to the poem, Chand roz ki baat hai yaaron, which he has recited in a music video. Written by Sanjay Masoomm, it appreciates the efforts of the Corona warriors.

The actor shares, "I was taken in by its simplicity. It resonated with me. It makes me happy to be associated with this positivity, and I appreciate the way this situation has made us all join hands and come together."

 

 

 

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we will win this war ... let’s be kind and appreciative of all the efforts put in by our #COVIDWarriors ... thank you @sanjaymasoomm for writing such beautiful words and making me a part of it ... #StayAtHomeIsStillSafe in this #Lockdown3.0 let’s be careful and not go out unless necessary, ये सब हमारी भलाई के लिए ही किया जा रहा है! 🙏🏻 #SaveLives #IndiaFightsCorona #StayHome #Lockdown #Covid19 #Coronavirus @my_bmc @cmomaharashtra_ @mumbaipolice

A post shared by Bobby Deol (@iambobbydeol) onMay 4, 2020 at 3:04am PDT

According to a report in IANS, Bobby Deol shared, "It makes me very happy to be associated with this positivity, and I appreciate the way this situation has made us all join hands and come together. Who knew that social distancing could bring people together, with all of us checking up on one another and being there for people emotionally, if not in person."

Sanjay Masoomm said, "When I wrote the lines, I wanted someone whose voice will add weight to them. I have worked with Bobby Deol in several films and I know he's not only got a powerful voice but also a heart of gold. He's a very emotional man and his voice will help this ode reach out to more people. Bobby has read it out wonderfully with all the feeling and emotions."

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With the health crisis in the country, while PM Narendra Modi has extended the lockdown till May 3 and Indians are currently locked up inside their homes, there are several warriors who are fighting the battle for us. Whether it's the police force, doctors, nurses, soldiers or the NGOs feeding the needy ones, these Covid-19 warriors, as they are called, have been relentlessly working for us. Bobby Deol who appreciates their efforts has now paid a humble tribute to them in a music video where he's recited a poem - Chand Roz Ki Baat Hai Yaron - for the first time.

 

 

 

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we will win this war ... let’s be kind and appreciative of all the efforts put in by our #COVIDWarriors ... thank you @sanjaymasoomm for writing such beautiful words and making me a part of it ... #StayAtHomeIsStillSafe in this #Lockdown3.0 let’s be careful and not go out unless necessary, ये सब हमारी भलाई के लिए ही किया जा रहा है! 🙏🏻 #SaveLives #IndiaFightsCorona #StayHome #Lockdown #Covid19 #Coronavirus @my_bmc @cmomaharashtra_ @mumbaipolice

A post shared by Bobby Deol (@iambobbydeol) onMay 4, 2020 at 3:04am PDT

Interestingly, Bobby has never recited a poem on camera ever before but when Sanjay Masoomm came up with idea and approached him for it, he immediately agreed. The 2-minuter has been titled Chand Roz Ki Baat Hai and it not only salutes the bravado of every Indian Covid-19 warrior who are out there, protecting us from the deadly virus but is also a soul-stirring testament of the indomitable human spirit and the unity which binds Indians together. What's more interesting is while the video has been completely shot at home, it's Bobby's younger son Dharam Deol who has filmed him.

Bobby shares, "When Sanjay told me about this poem, I was taken in by the simplicity of his expression of gratitude towards the COVID warriors, i resonated with it. It makes me very happy to be associated with this positivity, and I appreciate the way this situation has made us all join hands and come together. Who knew that social distancing could bring people together, with all of us checking up on one another and being their for people emotionally, if not in person. Although these are tough times faced by everyone around the world, it is heart warming to see how this has brought us together to fight against a common enemy. We can all be a part of this noble fight by just staying at home and being supportive of our frontline warriors."

Sanjay Masoomm who has conceptualised the entire thing shares, "Chand Roz Ki Baat Hai Yaron is just our way of showing respect and lending hope and encouragement to all these Covid warriors who are working day and night to keep us safe, while we stay locked inside our houses. This time of crisis also highlights our biggest strength - unity in diversity - and it was important to underline it. When I wrote the lines, I wanted someone whose voice will add weight to them. I have worked with Bobby Deol in several films and I know he's not only got a powerful voice but also a heart of gold. He's a very emotional man and his voice will help this ode reach out to more people. Bobby has read it out wonderfully with all the feeling and emotions."

Chand Roz Ki Baat Hai Yaron, featuring Bobby Deol and conceptualised by Sanjay Masoomm.

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Among the most promising shows on Amazon Prime's slate this year is Nikkhil Advani's Mumbai Diaries 26/11. The eight-part series, starring Konkona Sensharma and Mohit Raina, offers a fictionalised account of the terror attack that took place at the Cama Hospital, among other venues, on November 26, 2008. Though the show was earlier titled Bombay Hospital, Advani says it was a unanimous decision to rechristen it. "There is a hospital in south Bombay called Bombay Hospital. Our show is not only about what happened at the [Cama] hospital that night; it also deals with the overarching theme of humanity. We had to come up with a title that sums up the theme," reasons the director.

With the release of Dev Patel-starrer Hotel Mumbai last year, the recreation of stories as sensitive as the 26/11 terror attacks has been widely debated. Is it judicious to tap into those memories? "We Mumbaikars still discuss where we were on that [fateful] night. I hope we have treated the story with sensitivity. The show plays out in a hospital, and little has been said about the hospital staff in our stories of 26/11. I wanted to celebrate the brave doctors who had saved the day."

The drama, which went on floors last August, was wrapped up only days before the lockdown was announced across the country. Counting himself among the fortunate few whose projects remain unaffected, the director is working with his post-production team remotely to meet the deadline.

"Luckily, the show was shot in sync sound, so we don't have the problem of dubbing. Given the subject, it is likely to release around November 26. People talk about how editing from home is a challenge, but it isn't. My editor puts the edited content on Vimeo for the post-production supervisor and me to see. We are constantly on Zoom calls, telling each other what works, and what doesn't," he shares, adding that his 2013 offering, D-Day, too was edited remotely.

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Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn and Suniel Shetty have collaborated with Dharavi rappers for a music video to spread the stay-at-home message to help control community spread of the virus.

Rappers MC Altaf, Tony Psyko and Bonz N Ribz have created the song, titled Stay Home Stay Safe, produced by rapper Divine's Gully Gang Entertainment, in Hindi, Marathi and Tamil. Directed and conceptualised by Joel D'Souza, the video also features Atul Kulkarni and Dia Mirza.

Check out the video of the song below:

Divine refers to it as a small effort from the hip-hop community to support the COVID-19 warriors. The song is supported by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the ATE Chandra Foundation, who have been working with the government to ensure food and medical aid in the densely populated regions.

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Noted actor Sonali Kulkarni known for lending support to social causes has raised her voice against the discrimination against COVID-19 positive patients across Maharashtra, through a video. 

There have been rising cases of COVID-19 positive or even suspected patients facing discrimination. Recently in Mumbai's Lalbaug area a 24-year-old photojournalist working with a Marathi newspaper was ostracised and verbally abused by his neighbours after he returned home from institutional isolation. 

The photojournalist had not even tested positive, however, since he was in close contact with two other photojournalists, who had tested positive, the BMC identified him as their high-risk contact and asked him to go to an isolation center on April 20. COVID-19 positive patients are also facing issues like their videos being circulated or their names being shared on Whatsapp groups.

Health professionals including mental health experts are increasingly expressing concerns over the long-term psychological impact of this on patients and their families. Even Chief Minister Shri Uddhav Thackeray has been urging people to show support towards the COVID-19 patients as well as their families instead of stigmatising them.

The 70-second video has been released by Mumbai based Waatavaran Foundation, and Jhatkaa.org who are working together in Maharashtra to create public awareness on COVID-19. The film has been conceptualised and executed by Goregaon based Geeta Singh and Avinash Kumar Singh of Turtle on a Hammock Films. Through this video, popular actor Sonali Kulkarni is seen encouraging and urging people to treat those suffering from COVID-19 with dignity and respecting their privacy. Have a look right here:

 

 

 

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It's a small effort but let's take it.. it's going to be our lifestyle to wear a mask.. just like that - let it be as normal to accept a covid recovered person in the society 💕 Wonderful initiative by @waatavaran 👍🙏 #विà¤Âšार_बदला_à¤Â•à¥Â‹रà¥Â‹नाला_हरवा

A post shared by Sonali Kulkarni (@sonalikul) onMay 4, 2020 at 6:59am PDT

"The unfortunate fact is that being COVID-19 positive seems nothing less than a crime as people think that if a person is tested positive for COVID-19 the person is a criminal. This is wrong and this mentality needs to change," says Sonali Kulkarni in the video. "Our fight is against the pandemic, not the people suffering from it," appeals Kulkarni.

Kulkarni concludes by appealing to the public that, let's not shake hands, instead let's shake off all the myths and stigma that is associated with being COVID 19 positive.

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