Dance moves, books and paneer keep Manika Batra busy

Manika Batra was in Pune when a nation-wide lockdown was announced in India in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 24-year-old paddler had no chance to return to her home in New Delhi while the lockdown got further extended during the past week.

Her training facility and the gym are shut, and every avenue that could help her take her mind of the unprecedented situation is inaccessible due to the restrictions imposed.

And like most across the country, Batra has been restricted to the confines of her apartment.

With an uncertain future looming large and with no clarity on what to expect, it's a period that can often test one’s mental toughness. But for Manika Batra, it’s a time to prove her mental fortitude.

In her recent column for the Times of India, Manika Batra has said that this is a period that she’s expecting the whole of humanity to come together and fight the coronavirus. “Whenever and wherever humans are affected, it is quite disturbing. This is too,” she said.

A fight for humanity

“For fighting it out, every individual will have to contribute. Governments alone can’t fight against COVID-19. They need our support."

Manika Batra has been doing her bit by staying indoors and making the most of the time to keep herself fit and by involving in some of the hobby activities that she would barely get time for. 

“I do skipping, stretching and normal exercise in my room and balcony of the apartment. It’s a safe environment,” she would tell the Hindustan Times.

But away from the physical stretches, the Indian ace has also been using the time to dive into some of her hobbies.

“Nowadays, I have time to read and actually finish books so currently, I am reading 'Good Vibes, Good Life' by Vex King. I want to finish that first and then my next book will be 'The Winning Attitude' by Jeff Keller. Also, I am hoping to re-watch some of the movies I like. Any movie which has Alia (Bhatt) in it, because I love her,” she said.

And then there’s dancing too.

“I have been dancing again. It’s good exercise too. And cooking is something I have added to my routine for the first time. I tried to cook paneer because I love it. I have come to realise I may not be a bad cook because I made it well. I tried my hand at some pasta too,” she elaborated.