Covid-19: Cricketer Atharva Ankolekar’s mother works as frontline worker, seeks an insurance policy

Despite their building sealed and Covid-19 cases continuously rising in Maharashtra, India Under-19 cricketer Atharva Ankolekar's mother Vaidehi has been serving as a bus conductor to support her family.

It has been a testing period for several citizens in our country as the Covid-19 cases keep spiking. India on Friday overtook Turkey. to become the ninth worst-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. A jump of 7,466 infections and 175 deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours from across the country, the health ministry said.

Despite the situation being critical, India’s U-19 cricketer Atharva Ankolekar’s mother Vaidehi has been battling the pandemic upfront to support her family. Talking to the Times of India, Atharva’s mother discussed her plight and also highlighted how BEST employees are yet to be given any insurance policy.

“I have to ensure essential staff, including BMC employees, police, doctors and nurses, reach their workplace on time. In the absence of trains, which are the city’s lifeline, these warriors depend on buses and on workers like me. I feel proud I have a role to play in this battle against Covid,” Vaidehi said.

“We have not been provided with any insurance cover,” she added.

Atharva had featured in the Indian U-19 team World Cup held earlier this year. The team eventually ended up as runners after a thrilling finale against Bangladesh.

The talented cricketer’s mother, who is a single parent, is among the frontline workers who are working with BEST as the bus services have started in Mumbai. As per the report, her duty falls between Thane/Vasai/Kalyan/Panvel and Mumbai daily.

“I am on an Andheri-Virar route. BEST doesn’t operate till Virar, but this is an emergency service for essential workers,” she informed.

Vaidehi in her interaction stated that she has been working for the last ten years after the demise of her husband. She also mentioned that son Atharva was not keen about his mom rejoining duty but she decided to do otherwise due to the lack of financial stability

“Due to the rising number of cases and deaths of BEST employees, Atharva was not letting me go to work. Our building too was sealed recently after a case here. But if we don’t go to work, we are marked absent without leave. Kaise chalega? I need my full salary. I somehow convinced him I had to continue with my job,” she said.

She also put light into the plight of BEST employees despite working hard during the crisis.“We have not been provided with any insurance cover. In the BMC or police department, the government at least provides an insurance cover of at least Rs 50 lakh, apart from providing a job to a family member. We have lost eight staffers so far due to Covid-19. If they had been provided with an insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh, it would have been some measure of relief for their families,” she said.