Ever since India started witnessing the Coronavirus outbreak in its territory, the frontline workers across the country have legged on the war field to shield and suppress the growth of the pandemic. The workers including doctors, medical staff, police personnel, sanitary workers, and authorities have been sacrificing their lives, standing on the grounds of rampant spread to rescue people from becoming a victim for the virus. 

The frontline workers are the warriors of India's COVID-19 combat mission as they are on war foot to contain the spread, cure the affected patients, and implement preventive measures. They stand on the active hotspots, treat the COVID-19 patients, and share hope by keeping the pain for themselves. In some way or the other, they have been largely contributing to the fight by enduring more hardships. 

Most of the frontline workers would inspire us through their painful stories and how they overcame the ordeal and one such worker is Thambidurai, who is currently working as the dialysis technician in Government's children hospital in Egmore, Chennai. He has been active and always near to children for the past seventy days since the outbreak. He neither has taken a leave for the past two months nor he wished to. 

When we reached out to Thambidurai to understand what made him work continuously, he said "I'm in the place of treating children who are affected and when I take a break from my work, their treatment would get deferred and at this tough time, I have decided to stay in the hospital to aid them in their treatment and to ensure that the children won't get wandered for the treatment".

He says that he got a full-coordination from the hospital administration to stay at the hospital and when asked about how he has been dealing with fatigue or getting exhausted, he stated that "the fatigue would disappear when I see the faces of children who are getting treated. I would get a sense of crying after seeing a child cries during the treatment and I would control it".

"After the treatment, the child would leave a smile and bid a healthy farewell and by seeing that my fatigue would disappear and I haven't taken leave for the past seventy days to ensure that the children get their timely treatments at their tough times". While we enquired about how his family is reacting, he further stated "My parents would call me home whenever I spoke with them due to the cases in Chennai but I would be disheartened if I leave these children".

"After getting appreciation from the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, Health Minister, and doctors, my parents feel happy and asked me to stay safe".  Thambidurai's tone exemplifies his commitment to serving the affected children and despite living amid the outbreak, he shares and sends hope for the vulnerable people like thousands of frontline workers who share their fight and story in some way that would inspire others to remain hopeful.

Thambidurai is a native of Dharmapuri district and he has been working in Egmore children hospital for the past three years. His service has been commended by many who are leaving more care and advise on him to stay safe. He is currently been working on a temporary basis and his friends wish that the government should make a permanent employee. Many of us are staying safe and hopeful through the painful and inspiring stories of the frontline workers, who can unhesitantly be called heroes or warriors.