Tata group chief N. Chandrasekaran feels the Covid-19 pandemic will not be controlled unless tests can be conducted “at scale”.

For this generation “there is little that compares to the six-month period we have just experienced because of the Covid-19 pandemic”, he said. Working as one, deploying the group’s expertise, collaborating to increase capacity, raising national self-reliance, deploying technology for creative solutions and helping people in tough times have been the themes of this extraordinary time, Chandrasekaran said.

“The past few months have been very challenging, but they have also been a great demonstration of the value of collaboration. I am proud of how we have worked together to battle this disease,” chairman of Tata Sons — the holding company and promoter of all Tata Group companies — said in a group newsletter.

Chandrasekaran added, “Now, as we navigate the uncertain journey into the post-pandemic future, we will need to respond according to our principles of simplicity, synergy and scale and, above all, to foster the mindset of ‘One Tata’.

“Collaboration has been our watchword, and the pandemic has shown the importance of living by our principles.”

While sharing several steps taken up by the group, he stressed on the need for increased testing saying, “This pandemic will not be controlled unless we can test at scale.”

Chandrasekaran said polymerase chain reaction (PCR) kits are a scarce commodity and reagents for testing have to be imported. Sample collection, processing and transport require specialised equipment and trained personnel.

“The Tata group has invested in technology to make testing easier, faster and cheaper,” he said, adding the conglomerate has completed a research pilot with the help of the country’s most eminent scientists that proved the value of a ‘Minimum Testing Maximum Intelligence’ approach in the Kolar district of Karnataka.

This process uncovered evidence of silent transmission among high-risk groups such as health workers and police personnel which enabled us to predict the spread of the disease at a time when Kolar had no confirmed positive Covid-19 cases, he stated.