Time with family, vaccination, learning new things: What Chennaiites are grateful for in 2021

Iam thankful for 2021 as it has allowed me to look at the positive side of life. Last year, COVID-19 showed us how mighty a tiny virus can become if they grow together and evolves according to the circumstances; I am grateful for this learning about the power of togetherness too. The year brought hope after a darker 2020. Hope for better human communication, hope for a better economy, hope for better opportunities, etc. kept us positive. The year allowed me to break the glass box and learn new technologies. I earned my dual PGP diploma on AI and also did multiple courses on emerging technologies. 2021 allowed me to spend more time with family and share my learning with my daughter. 2022, is time for us to retrospect, remain humble as a species and give back to build a better world for all the living beings in this world. In 2022 I intend to be able to use technological advancement and help many more children from Kannagi Nagar to show them a brighter future ahead. — Dr Kaustav SenGupta, Fashion-trend analyst and colour researcher

The challenges I faced became opportunities in 2021. The unlearning helped me evolve in the last year. It was my long dream to start online baking classes. This made baking accessible to people of all strata. I connected with a lot of people through work and otherwise. They have made my life meaningful and beautiful.

— Bindhu Hephzibah, Baker

The year 2021 was very important for me both personally and professionally. Being a doctor, the vaccination gave me more confidence. The best thing that happened to me was participating in MasterChef India — Tamil. I met many chefs and others in the show. Learned a lot during my stint there — not just cooking, but about many things in life. The visibility in such a show gave me confidence to continue experimenting in cooking. — Dr Nithya Franklyn,

Paediatrician and passionate cook