The Untold Stories of India's COVID Lockdown: BBC Journalists Reflect on Their Horrors

As India marked five years since its first COVID lockdown, BBC journalists shared the stories of desperation, loss, and resilience that defined their reporting during one of the most challenging periods in the nation's history. These accounts reflect the stark realities faced by individuals grappling with the crisis, illustrating profound moments of helplessness as they witnessed society's struggles against a failing healthcare system.

On March 24, 2020, India plunged into its first COVID-19 lockdown, setting off a chain of events amid a global pandemic that resulted in untold suffering. As the World Health Organization estimated the fatalities in India at over 4.7 million — a figure tenfold higher than official claims — the country's healthcare infrastructure buckled under the pressure. Now, five years later, BBC journalists reflect on the toll this ordeal took, recounting moments where they themselves became part of the very narrative they were reporting.

Soutik Biswas from BBC News recalled the chilling moment in the summer of 2021 when a distressed spouse pleaded for oxygen for her dying husband in Delhi. The situation escalated to such a point that hospitals were ill-equipped, and basic supplies like oxygen became precious commodities, making survival feel like an uphill battle. “Oxygen, oxygen, can you get me oxygen?” became a desperate refrain echoing through the streets, a mantra marred by the physical and emotional toll of the ongoing pandemic.

Yogita Limaye chimed in, sharing her heart-wrenching experiences at the GTB hospital, where she witnessed families outside the gate begging desperately for medical attention that never came. The haunting echoes of grief and urgency filled the air, amplifying the sense of helplessness as hospitals became battlegrounds devoid of essential resources. The death count rose unchecked, and the somber air surrounding the funeral pyres was a stark reminder of the depth of loss that the nation grappled with during those tumultuous weeks.

For Vikas Pandey, covering the pandemic took on a deeply personal dimension as friends and family reached out for help, facing tragic losses. One brutal story involved an individual who helplessly lost both his father and pregnant wife within days as they fought for oxygen. Such incidents lingered in Pandey's mind, with unresolved questions haunting him about what more could have been done.

Geeta Pandey recounted her own struggles as she navigated Delhi during the lockdown, capturing the desperation of thousands searching for a way back home. As families became separated, her experiences underscored the emotional toll the lockdown exerted, further exacerbated by fears of infection with each passing day.

Anagha Pathak also shared a poignant moment while encountering a destitute pregnant couple on the Mumbai-Agra highway, unable to provide them the help they desperately needed due to strict protocols. Five years later, she still reflects on their plight, emblematic of the countless struggles faced by migrants across the country during the lockdown.

As India reflects on this painful chapter, these journalists’ first-hand accounts serve as testimonials to the resilience of the human spirit amid overwhelming adversity. Their stories are reminders of a time when ordinary citizens showed extraordinary courage, and the fragility of life itself was laid bare before the world.