Osmania University Mass Communication department will document lockdown experiences in COVID chronicles

Department of Mass Communication & Journalism at Osmania University, Hyderabad has undertaken the initiative of launching a digital platform under the name ‘COVID Chronicles’ to record the experiences of people from all walks of life and ages on how they are battling and facing the wreck, left behind in its wake by the virus.

Life was happening, and out of the blue, a bolt of lightning struck, the pace came to a screeching halt, humanity was forced to change its course-as a consequence of an invisible virus. It was in Wuhan City, Capital of Hubei province, China, the first case of COVID-19 reported. Initially suspected to be just cold like flu, later turned out to be a monster-a new pathogen, making China: the epicentre of the pandemic which has swept the entire globe, leaving behind destruction and collapsing the public health system.

Impact of COVID-19 which made Osmania University launch COVID Chronicles

With the convenience of travelling by plane has accompanied, the easy spread of disease worldwide-encroaching all six continents. To control the pandemic, the entire world is in lockdown mode: with a few in their deathbed, few battling the disease, some estranged from their family in a faraway land, and rest confined in the four walls of the home; terrified and losing their mind.

COVID-19 has upended the life of every human being; may it be the poor or the rich, no human was favoured for one over the other. The economy of countries has crashed, the health-system has become vulnerable, the livelihood of many lost, leaving behind havoc: gratitude owed to the invisible threat-COVID-19 virus. Under these daunting situations where mankind is hanging by a thread, mental well-being has been in distress.

People are coping with the pandemic in their way and surviving. As mentioned in a press release issued by the Osmania University – “The platform envisages recording how the world lives and survives during the COVID-19 pandemic that started in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and spread throughout engulfed the world, thereby disrupting the life of humanity”.

COVID Chronicles by Osmania University

The lockdown has presented before mankind, an opportunity to take in a deep breath and decelerate. Corona induced lockdown is a much-needed vacation, albeit minus the travelling. The free time has given everyone a chance to blow the dust and get rid of the cobwebs, off their buried hobbies and talents. COVID Chronicles initiative of Osmania University is the golden chance to present your work in front of the world to see. They can send their work in the form of poems, photos, paintings, write-ups in less than two pages or videos to covidchronicles20@gmail.com. May 12, 2020, was the last date for sending in the entries.

The rationales behind launching this platform are that COVID-19 has changed lives of people completely and each of them has found out new mechanisms to deal with unusual lockdown situation – is the objective of this idea in the press release. Thus, emerged the platform from Osmania university – COVID CHRONICLES. It is documenting all the experiences it can from diverse ages, places, and backgrounds and catalogue how they lived and survived during the outbreak. The idea is to record this moment of pandemic and lockdown for posterity, according to the head of department, K.Stevenson, in the press release.

The response was positive with numerous contributions pouring in from amateurs and the skilled, fairly. The cluster encompassed the challenges and hardships of some, a few philosophical musings, artists on the rise, and explored talents in the shut-down life phase. The entries were sifted through, and few made to the website that was showcased in categories like Editor’s Picks, In First Person, Reflection, Poetry, Artwork, COVID Clicks, Covideos, Unknown Inspiration, and COVID Creativity. They hope to present these works in the form of e-books in the near future. “The department is glad to be part of history documenting a slice of lives of people during a pandemic” posted Osmania University on its website.

Brief information on Osmania University

Osmania University is a public undertaking university established in the erstwhile Kingdom of Hyderabad, making it the third-oldest university in Southern India having been founded in the year 1918. As of 2020, Osmania University has 53 departments stretched over 1600 acres. It boasts foreign students from 80 – 87 countries and stands tall on being re-accredited by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council as ‘A+’ Grade University.

Entrance Tests and Admission Procedure to at Osmania University

• The entrance tests required are OUCET, GATE, TS EAMCET for both UG & PG courses.
• MA in Mass Communication requires 40 per cent in Graduate stream with relevant discipline.
• The Directorate of Admissions, i.e. DOA issues circular regarding admission into various Postgraduate and Postgraduate Diploma courses during the 1st week of April each year.
• The application form needs to be filled only through online mode. The registration fees for each subject is 800 INR for a general category, and for SC/ST it is 600 INR.
• For applying to any other subjects additionally, it is 400 INR.

Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Osmania University stated that anxiety and fear aside; this time has brought people altogether. The Department hopes that the words and expressions on this page will stand the test of time to inspire the coming generations, for many more years to come, and serve as gentle reminders of our travails and priceless memories of emerging strongly in this struggle.