Warangal: Life lessons that Covid-19 taught says former SAAP Director Rajanala Srihari

Warangal: Out from the jaws of death after three weeks of trauma undergoing Covid-19 treatment, this 48-year-old politician-in-hibernation is indeed a real inspiration. Although he has been with the Congress for over two decades and now with the ruling TRS, former SAAP Director Rajanala Srihari is more of a social worker rather than a politician. Compassionate to the poor, he will be seen everywhere when someone really needs help.

Politically, he has been in a State of dormancy for about one-and-a-half-year until recently he rediscovered himself after recovering from corona virus that took him to the brink of death. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Rajanala Srihari is all over the city again, meeting the coronavirus patients in the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital (MGMH) and other hospitals treating the pandemic.

Although his finances didn't permit him to go extravagant, Srihari, who believes in 'helping hands are better than praying lips' proverb, never met a patient with empty hands. Besides providing monetary assistance, he always carried fruits, food packets and other items to give to patients and their attendants who were in need. He spoke to the patients and instilled confidence among them that they could ward off the challenge posed by the coronavirus. Srihari also consoled Covid-19 positives who were undergoing treatment at their homes.

A couple of days ago, he was seen sponsoring 25 kg rice bags which were distributed to the rickshaw pullers and differently abled by the Commissioner of Police Tarun Joshi. The other day, Rajanala Srihari distributed masks and sanitisers to the policemen who had the onerous task of guarding the streets to ensure lockdown.

Speaking to The Hans India, Rajanala Srihari said, "Covid-19 taught me a lesson. There is an unseen element named divinity which we cannot get rid of. Life is like a bubble which may burst anytime. There is no point in shedding tears on the pains and agonies inflicted by the corona virus pandemic.

This is the time we rose to the occasion and helped the others, not just the sufferers of the pandemic but also the poor and daily wage earners whose livelihood was taken a dent due to lockdown." Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao who braved to enter the Covid-19 wards in Gandhi and MGMH is awe-inspiring to people like me, he added.