US-Based Odia Executive Watches Father’s Last Rites On Social Media

Bhubaneswar: While the United States is fighting hard to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) with the death toll mounting to over 26,000, a California-based Odia executive of Apple Inc has shared his bitter experience with the media.

Giving a detailed account, Ranjan Patel, manager of Apple Inc., said his father Dilip Patel passed away at his native village Sahaspur in Laikera block of Jharsuguda district on March 26. As the US government had announced a complete lockdown at that time and cancelled all international flights and visa, he could not attend the post-death rituals of his father. He had to console himself by watching the last rites of his father in a video, which was uploaded by his family and relatives on WhatsApp.

On the prevailing situation in California, Ranjan said that due to the rising death toll, the government has directed the people to strictly remain indoors.

“As my office has remained closed, I am working from home and doing my office work through video conferencing. My family is afraid to move out of the house. Considering the situation, we have drastically cut down on consumption of essential items. We are using minimum vegetables for our daily consumption since there is a possibility of the presence of the virus in the vegetables. At times, we have to remain content with rice and dal,” Patel said.

Giving reasons for the alarming rise in the death toll in US, he said among the states, the situation is New York is critical. Though the people in New York are in a state of panic, surprisingly, the lockdown restriction is not strictly observed in the city as the people are seen moving freely in their vehicles. “Despite having flu, people move out of their houses and this overconfidence has cost the US dear,” he pointed out.

Referring to the lockdown in Odisha, Patel urged the people to strictly adhere to the social distancing guidelines and stay indoors to keep the virus at bay.