A one-shot guide to vaccines

Representation pic

Curated by Jane Borges, Sucheta Chakrabory and Anju Maskeri

Where for adults the vaccine has become part of everyday lingo, for children, it's an idea they are yet to make sense of. It's something they don't have much say in. That's probably why an illustrated book like V for Vaccines (HarperCollins India) feels so timely.

Isha Nagar

Put together with the help of Dr Gangandeep Kang, professor of microbiology at the Wellcome Trust Research Laboratory at Christian Medical College, Vellore, the book is the apt primer for a young child (between ages six and ten) . Illustrated by Isha Nagar, the book introduces us to three oddly- shaped characters, Veni, Vidi and Vici, who "love talking about vaccines". They take turns to respond to questions on what is a vaccine, its origins, and why we need it, how it is created, and helps the immune system. There's also the all-important discussion on COVID-19, and why vaccination is important now, more than ever.
Amazon.in; Rs 99

Save your sole

Base player helps prevent cracked heels; (right) Bite repellent

This writer has worn insoles when a pair of shoes bought online ended up being loose. But for many, like former marketing executive Gaurika Bhatia, these foot petals have made wearing high heels bearable. "Being 5'1 meant I have been wearing heels from the age of 16 and have considered it part of my identity." As a result, she has often had to limp back home after wearing six inches for long hours. "I'd wake up with blisters or excruciating pain. I searched the market for solutions, tried home remedies and [everything else]. I couldn't find anything that was focused solely on providing cushioning." This propelled Bhatia to launch Soleify, a shoe cushioning brand that aims to provide comfort to your feet without compromising on style. The products focus on different areas of the foot. For instance, the spot cushioning insole is ideal for those areas of the foot that experience additional pressure. "These help prevent blisters and reduce pressure on toes in narrow shoes. Being tiny, they are easy to carry for unexpected foot ache." Back of heel cushioning is bite repellent and is also meant for those who find their foot slipping out of shoes. Bhatia says these are ideal for when one foot is slightly smaller than the other. The heel support absorbs shock and prevents cracked heels. Crafted using specialised material, they are designed to not deflate even after prolonged usage. "We want to change the way insoles are viewed in India. The idea is to make it a norm rather than something you use only when there's an injury."
www.soleify.in; Rs 500 onward

For fans of Soviet-era literature

An illustration from a children's book from the Soviet era. Pic courtesy/@sovietlit

An Instagram account, @sovietlit, is revisiting the beauty of Soviet-era literature. The posts are about children's stories and folktales with a few on educational books on science and astronomy from the period. The stories, by Soviet writers like Galina Demykina, range from tales of ships and the high seas, to those of Ded Moroz, the sometimes good and sometimes evil Slavic version of Santa Claus. Stunning illustrations accompany the excerpts from the books. Some of these are by famous Soviet graphic artists like Gennady Kalinovsky, who also illustrated the Russian version of Mary Poppins and a few editions of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. There are posts also on Maxim Gorky's and Leo Tolstoy's children's stories and one on the subsidised translations of Soviet books widely available in India in the '70s, '80s and '90s.
@sovietlit, Instagram

Helping small businesses go big

The app currently has over 130 home chefs

Numerous small businesses have emerged in the lockdown. Mumbai-based Chaitanya Davda and Mihir Turakhia have launched Vocal for Local to provide these local entrepreneurs with a platform to turn their hobbies into successful businesses. "[Many] didn't have a platform to showcase their talent, manage deliveries and payment. They also had limited marketing budgets stunting their growth. So we came up with this platform exclusively for people working from home," says Turakhia. For an entrepreneur to sign up, there's a verification process with regards to packaging, quality and FFSAI registration/license.

Chaitanya Davda and Mihir Turakhia

After the verification of KYC documents, the venture gets approved. For a user, the process is simple: download the app, browse through the sellers/products and place an order like any other e-commerce platform. The deliveries aren't bound by radius. "A lot of home chefs are famous only among their friends and vicinity. We thought they should get recognition beyond their fixed circle and give users an opportunity to try specialities of different home chefs," adds Davda.
On: PlayStore and AppStore