Bhubaneswar: Life and livelihood of people have taken a severe beating due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But some people have been singled out for their earnest endeavours to do something for the society keeping their own sorrows and difficulties aside during this dreadful COVID-19 pandemic. One such COVID-19 fighter Nilachala Parida, a mountaineer by profession, spoke exclusively with ETV Bharat and expressed his feeling about finding his name on RCB jersey. After Royal Challengers Bangalore cricketer South African all-rounder Chris Morris wore the jersey inscribing Nilachala, the mountaineer said his dream has come true.
Nilachala has played a critical role by saving the lives of people at a time when humanity has become the most difficult element to be found in society. While the whole country was sleeping wrapped up under the cover of stringent restrictions of the lockdown, he had emerged as a messiah for the helpless and aged people lying sick on their beds. He received accolades from all quarters of the society for providing free vegetables to the needy which made people call him a COVID fighter.
-
Nilachala Parida set up a vegetable shack during lockdown and offered free delivery to senior citizens. Saluting Nilachala’s spirit,I’ll be wearing a jersey dedicated to him and all such challengers! #CovidHeroes #WeAreChallengers #MyCovidHeroes #ChallengeAccepted pic.twitter.com/ExQxFyU6Lw
— Chris Morris (@Tipo_Morris) September 21, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">Nilachala Parida set up a vegetable shack during lockdown and offered free delivery to senior citizens. Saluting Nilachala’s spirit,I’ll be wearing a jersey dedicated to him and all such challengers! #CovidHeroes #WeAreChallengers #MyCovidHeroes #ChallengeAccepted pic.twitter.com/ExQxFyU6Lw
— Chris Morris (@Tipo_Morris) September 21, 2020Nilachala Parida set up a vegetable shack during lockdown and offered free delivery to senior citizens. Saluting Nilachala’s spirit,I’ll be wearing a jersey dedicated to him and all such challengers! #CovidHeroes #WeAreChallengers #MyCovidHeroes #ChallengeAccepted pic.twitter.com/ExQxFyU6Lw
— Chris Morris (@Tipo_Morris) September 21, 2020
On Thursday, all the members of the IPL side Royal Challengers Bangalore had put on their jerseys bearing the names of COVID heroes as a mark of respect to their selfless work amid the global health crisis. In this process, the name of Nilachala Parida, a coronavirus warrior from Odisha, has found a place on the jersey of RCB all-rounder Morris.
Morris himself tweeted the photo of his jersey bearing Nilachala's name. Following the tweet, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has also lavished praises on Nilachala for his work for the society.
Nilachala, who happens to be a mountaineer, was supposed to climb the peak of Mount EL Brus, the tallest mountain of Russia, in the month of April last. But because of the COVID-19 forced lockdown in India, he had to discard the dream. He instead decided to serve the people of his locality becoming a vegetable seller. However, unlike other traders, he had no greed to make any profit from it. He sold vegetables at the cheapest possible rate. Apart from that, he supplied vegetables free of cost at the houses of the sick, helpless and aged persons. Not only vegetables but also he used to provide them with other essential materials. A month back an official of RCB had telephoned him to enquire about him and his profession, and they selected him for the programme. According to Nilachala, he is the only person to have been selected from Odisha for the programme.
Nilachala is quite startled as he never looked for any recognition for his work. He has conveyed his gratitude to all the officials of RCB as well as to the Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. According to him his name finding a place on the jersey of all the players is the greatest gift of his life. Nilachala's work has also received accolades from the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where the IPL 2020 is being played now.
The Odisha mountaineer has certainly emerged as a source of inspiration for others because of his clarion call to the people to exhibit their fellow feeling towards the society during this unprecedented time.
