Telugu scientist lies to parents to fight coronavirus

Lucknow: Ramakrishna, a corona warrior, who was lauded by Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for leaving his home in Telangana to help in corona testing in Lucknow, has now admitted that he even lied to his parents to return to Lucknow.

The Ph.D scholar in the microbiology department of Lucknow's King George Medical University (KGMU) said he was helping his parents in agricultural operations in their fields in their village in Khammam district when he received a call from Doctor Amita Jain, who is the head of the department of microbiology. She said that he was needed in testing samples for the infection that was spreading rapidly. Ramakrishna said he immediately packed his bags and even lied to his parents, who were worried about their son travelling during the corona crisis.

"I initially told my parents I will be staying with my friends from the village who are studying in Hyderabad. Now, of course, they know I am working in Lucknow in this fight against coronavirus and they are fine with it," he said.

Ramakrishna said he reached Hyderabad on March 22, the day of the Janata Curfew when all routes were blocked.

Before daybreak, in the early hours of March 23, he headed to the airport. Ramakrishna said he was stopped by the police, but when he explained the reason for travel, they helped him get there. He caught a flight to Lucknow and ever since he has been working tirelessly to test more and more samples each day.