Interviews
Scholar-Journalist of the Week: My lockdown diaries
This week’s winner, Praatik Kauldhar says, “During Covid-19, I learnt about gender equality and contributed towards domestic chores”
A class 8 student at Apeejay School, Model Town in Jalandhar, Praatik Kauldhar likes to spend time researching new inventions. The science-enthusiast is often working on projects at home and building new things. Born to parents Dr. Jatinder Singh, a pediatrician, and Dr. Vaneeta Bhardwar, a pathologist, says, “My doctor-parents contributed towards making me responsible during the pandemic.” How? Read on edited excerpts from the interview.
Please tell us about your hobbies.
Since childhood, I have harboured a passion for lawn-tennis. It has been about six years now since my training in the sport. However, during Covid-19, my practice came to a halt. Therefore, my focus shifted more towards academics and subjects like Science and Mathematics piqued my interest.
Nonetheless, post the pandemic, I tried to re-learn the sport. Now, it is more of a hobby for me. I have played in many district-level tournaments. Apart from that, I am learning ABACUS to improve my numerical ability. It has helped me perform better at studies.
So, what does your daily schedule look like right now?
I practice lawn tennis for about 1.5 hours in the morning before school. After that, I quickly return home and set out for school. Then, during the afternoon I tend to feel a bit tired, so I rest. Post that, I do my homework and recreate in the evening.
What inspired you to pen down – My lockdown diaries?
Lockdown was a time to be able to learn new things. At home, I kept myself engaged and helped my parents by doing the home-based chores. I would say that being home-bound did affect my personality. It made me more empathetic and responsible.
So, how did you manage at home in the pandemic?
As I said, my parents are doctors. And the health crisis required them to serve others. Their patients always came first. So, my parents took turns and used to stay home one by one. Their schedules were aligned in such a manner that if one goes and the other would come. They did their best to take care of me and my younger sister along with their work commitments.
Your career goal?
I want to become a scientist to be able to contribute towards the country’s growth.
Any writing tips for your classmates?
Write with your heart and mind. Don’t think too much.
