Chief minister Mamata Banerjee stepped off the dais during the Independence Day parade on Red Road to greet and felicitate 25 Calcuttans who have survived Covid-19 and returned to fight against the pandemic.

The list includes doctors, nurses, lab technicians, ambulance drivers, resource teachers, block development officers, Asha workers, cleaning staff and police personnel.

All the 25 people had got infected while on duty.

The city police’s Rapid Action Force personnel march down Red Road during the celebrations Gautam Bose

Among them was hospital cleaner Manoj Kumar Ram from Beleghata ID hospital and Jitendra Hela from the School of Tropical Medicine. There were Asha workers Ratna Karmakar from the Nalmuri block primary health centre in South 24-Parganas and Sufiya Khatoon from the Biswanathpur block primary health centre at Deganga, North 24-Parganas.

The list of doctors included Narayan Chattopadhyay from Howrah district hospital, Shabnam Banu and S.M. Ayaz Ahmed from Calcutta Medical College and Hospital and BDOs Kamrul Islam and Bipratim Basak from Minakhan (North 24-Parganas) and Kultali (South 24-Parganas).

The list included ambulance driver Riyaz Gazi from Madhyamgram Municipality and laboratory technician Bani Kumar Patra from RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Mamata Banerjee hoists the Tricolour Gautam Bose

Many personnel have been subjected to humiliation in their neighbourhoods, stigmatised for what they do and threatened. They have stuck on with their work despite the hardships.

Unlike other years, the Independence Day parade was not opened to the public, keeping in mind the pandemic. The event was attended by a handful of dignitaries.

At the beginning of the event, Mamata Banerjee came down from the dais and met the 25 Covid warriors on Red Road.

“She spoke to each of them and greeted them for their courage for winning the Covid war and joining their office where they are again dedicated to fight Covid,” an officer present at the ceremony said.

The chief minister had been praising and supporting the role of personnel who have risked their lives to serve others during this crisis.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee felicitates Covid warriors during Independence Day celebrations on Red Road on Saturday Gautam Bose

According to sociologist Upal Chakrabarti of Presidency University, the felicitation of 25-odd “Covid warriors” was not just a felicitation of a few individuals but it sends a larger message to society on the service rendered by the entire fraternity who are braving the pandemic to do their duty.

“This is not just a positive message to all those who offered this service, which is no less than national service beyond political boundaries, but also a strong message that Covid is not about spreading panic but is a matter of management.”

Members of the Dawoodi Bohra community in Calcutta hoist the Tricolour at the Burhani Masjid in Topsia on Saturday morning Bishwarup Dutta

Around 50 members of the community had gathered at the mosque, wearing masks and maintaining social distance.

A community scout band played the national anthem before the flag was hoisted.