Hyderabad, March 22 -- On March 3, 2020 I got a call from Zafar Agha the editor of National Herald, Delhi requesting if I could write an article on the Corona Virus that had just started rearing its head in India.

It was both a pleasant surprise and also a tough call to take. I had just retired from The Hindu BusinessLine on February 29, after a long innings of 37 years as a professional journalist.

Honestly, I was looking forward to relaxing, taking things easy and spending time with family and friends. But, Zafar Bhai called again and his persuasive tone motivated me to take up the challenge. I had never met nor talked to him after leaving Delhi around 2001.

Within two days I managed to put together an analytical story on the deadly ...