The Vogue Warrior

“There is no time to be scared. More than fear I feel an enthusiasm to get involved”, said Kerala’s Health Minister K K Shailaja while she posed elegantly for the cover of the November edition of the leading fashion and lifestyle magazine Vogue. It was with this attitude Kerala’s forward- thinking minister of health and social justice stood at the forefront and adeptly handled first the infectious Nipah virus, and now the pandemic.

Now, her name features among the small set of women in power who are lauded globally for their response to the crisis. The Indian edition of fashion and lifestyle magazine Vogue paid tribute to K K Shailaja, fondly called as ‘Teacher’, who made headlines for her work in response to the coronavirus pandemic, and featured her on the list of ‘Women of 2020’.

In a country where women rarely occupy high-profile public offices as much as the sea of men, this former high school chemistry teacher and first-time state health minister has won many hearts for being extremely approachable and caring.

Vogue lauded the steadfast efforts of the Shailaja Teacher for her swift action along with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and their co-ordinated efforts that brought down cases in Kerala to almost zero at a time. She was hailed as ‘The Coronavirus Slayer’ and it is not just for her perscient action in controlling the pandemic but for keeping Nipah at bay.

To honour Shailaja’s sturdy hand, which is “more than fear”and all about the “enthusiasm to get involved”, Vogue has even changed its Twitter display picture to Shailaja featuring on their cover page.

What the minister brought more to the table when things went awry is perhaps a little more empathy and transperancy and an uncanny ability to smile in the face of uncertainties.

Netizens were elated to find the corona warrior being honoured by Vogue’s Women of the Year for ‘cohesive leadership and systematic approach’towards the pandemic.

Earlier this year in June, the United Nations had honoured Shailaja for Kerala’s efficient management of pandemic. Fast forward to November 2020, she is still considered one of the few world woman leaders, who had accurately responded to the outbreak of the global pandemic, reports Vogue.