Page 10 - Spectrum Volume 14 Issue 8 (1)

10 2021 | Spectrum | Volume 14 Number 9

The Fountainhead: Cricket During COVID 19 Crisis

A Reflective Read RUDRA PRATAP SINGH

We saw various sports
SUMISHA MOHAN
tournament make a come
The Fountainhead belongs to back last year after the first
a unique type of storytelling. wave subsided although with
It falls under the genre of necessary precautions and
philosophical fiction wherein empty stadiums. Cricket was
the author, Ayn Rand, puts forth no different too with various
her worldview by infusing it tournaments being organized
with the protagonist’s very in several places such as the
being and letting the readers IPL in Dubai, Border Gavaskar
observe it in the way that the Trophy in Australia and the
protagonist carries himself India-England test series in
and reinforces it with every India. Fortunately, with proper
decision he makes. Spanning planning and regulations the
over 700 pages, the readers events didn’t face any setbacks The former Indian Captain at the airport.
are taken along to witness the from the pandemic.
protagonist’s life with all its Cover of However, in the year 2021 infected by the virus. This has been asked to quarantine
struggles and mundanities. The Fountain head the unprecedented delta variant led to the BCCI suspending for 14 days prior to practice
of Covid19 created havoc in
The protagonist Howard Roark to draw their own conclusions the tournament indefinitely. sessions. The “World Cup T20”
is born to be an architect and he while seeing the characters come India with the second wave that Though the new disappointed is also set to be played later
began in March’21. The Indian
works towards his goal with a into power as well as lose it Premier League was organized a lot of the fans, it was the right this year. Although, there are
relentless passion. However, the over the course of their lives. amidst these conditions entirely decision to make. lots of uncertainties looming
world does not see buildings the Roark is written to be the on the efficiency of the “Bio- From the 18th June of this year around it as well. We ought to
way that he sees them and we ultimate hero. He has harnessed Bubbles”. After 29 matches “The Words Test Championship be positive attitude towards all
see him employ unconventional, all of his talent and reached the conducted from April to May, Finals” is set to be played between the negatives around us and be
but never unethical, ways to do peak of his potential. Even after the bio-bubble was breached India and New-Zealand in hopeful in these circumstances.
what he loves. being beaten down at every turn and many players for infected. England. Amid the rise in cases Successful organization of the
Roark is the epitome of an of his life by those richer and Several players also stepped in India and the speculation of upcoming tournaments will
individualistic human being. more powerful than him, his back from the tournament in transmission of cases from India surely add to this positivity
The novel pits individualism belief in his principles remains order to support their families to England, the Indian team for the fans in the near future.
against collectivism which is unshakeable and he continues
exemplified by Howard Roark to live life on his own terms.
and Ellsworth Toohey’s lives Reading this novel is bound
respectively. The novel also to make you question how the Cyclone Tauktae and Yaas
features various points of view world defines success, love
of the main cast of characters, and happiness, and whether
offering a glimpse into their you yourself are living while ASMITA SOOD
thought processes as the story being true to yourself. Happy
unfolds. The reader is allowed introspection! The Indian Meteorological
Department (IMD) classifies
cyclones under the categories of
Is 2 - DG the next miracle drug? ‘severe’, ‘very severe’, ‘extremely
severe’, and ‘super cyclonic
storms’ based on the maximum
V.REVATHI AISHWARYA orally. But here’s the catch, sustained wind speed generated
the effectiveness of the drug is by the cyclone. Tauktae was
The process of drug discovery doubtful. This is because the an ‘extremely severe’ cyclone
and clinical trials is extensive and trial has significant scope for i.e., it had an MSW of 90-119
tedious. When technicians have a bias and hence the results lack knots. It wreaked havoc on
limited period of time they tend reliability. 2 - DG was approved the Western Coast of India,
to turn to drugs that are already by the Drug Controller General of killing at least 150 people and
on the market - drugs which have India on May 1st for emergency rendering damage of 2.1 billion
shown positive results against use in patients with moderate USD. Apart from the destruction
similar diseases and passed the to severe COVID - 19. But this caused by heavy rainfall in Goa,
safety protocols. 2-DG or 2– process lacked transparency. Maharashtra, Karnataka, the
deoxy–D-glucose developed by The data released by DRL show cyclone also reportedly caused
DRDO in association with Dr. major flaws in the design of the the displacement of about
Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL) is trials. Predominantly, the lack of 200,000 people in Gujarat,
one such drug. This drug showed blinding in phase 2 and phase 3 where it ultimately made Cyclone Yaas
promise in certain antiviral trials. The clinicians monitoring landfall. Widespread damage Bengal and Odisha, the latter The coastal areas are home
therapies and was thus studied the patients should not be aware to infrastructure and property being the state where it made its to about forty percent of the
against COVID - 19. It was an of those taking the drug and those was observed. landfall. It was first monitored Indians. The recent agro-industrial
investigative drug to diagnose taking the placebo to prevent by the IMD on May 23. Wide- activities of humans have led
cancer among other diseases. manipulation of the outcome. Cyclone Yaas was another scale evacuations were done to an increase in the sea level
It was even used in addition to Furthermore, selective reporting Cyclone that hit India in the in India and Bangladesh and which in turn has increased the
chemotherapy to prevent the of the positive outcomes of the latter part of May. Yaas was rescue teams were set up but frequency of hurricanes and
growth of certain tumors. The drug is still a concern. Therefore termed as a ‘very severe’ cyclonic the flooding of houses and cyclones. Perhaps these two
positives of the drug are that it most experts agree that the data storm i.e.it had an MSW of inundation of low-lying areas cyclones serve as a reminder
is easily manufactured in large isn’t convincing enough to be a 64-89 knots. It had significant was inevitable. It was the source to rethink our actions and align
quantities and can be consumed vital drug against COVID - 19. devastating effects on West of widespread devastation. them with sustainability.