'Kaise chalega? I need my full salary' - India U19 cricketer Atharva Ankolekar's mother faces biggest test of her life amid COVID-19 pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic has been tough on the entire world. But, people with moderate financial conditions are suffering more than anyone. In India itself, we can see many people struggling with their finances during this time. Mumbai is probably the worst-hit cities in the country.

For one such family in Mumbai, things have gone a little bad. Atharva Ankolekar, the Indian U19 team all-rounder’s mother has been facing the battle with coronavirus upfront. The mother of two, Vaidehi Ankolekar is a 43-year-old bus conductor with BEST. She is among the frontline workers who are working with BEST as the bus services have started in Mumbai.

As the country continues to be in a situation of lockdown, some transport service has resumed in Mumbai for essential staffs. Every day at work, she is facing a huge risk of getting affected by the coronavirus. However, this hasn’t stopped her from going to work daily.

“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,” she told Times of India.

“We have not been provided with any insurance cover” – Atharva Ankolekar’s mother Vaidehi

Vaidehi is among 15 female bus conductors whose duty is 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.

She has been working since her husband passed away a decade ago. She has raised two of her children with their restricted resources. She also revealed that her cricketer son, Atharva wasn’t letting her work during this time. However, due to the lack of financial stability, she decided to do otherwise.

“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.

During the interview, she also informed that BEST employees are not getting insurance even after working hard during this pandemic.

“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.

Her son, Atharva Ankolekar had featured in the Indian U19 team earlier this year. The team qualified for the final of the World Cup where they lost to Bangladesh U19. Ankolekar was the key member of the side and his performances had helped India to qualify for the final.