Meet 82-year-old Mangalaso Bai from the Korba district of Chhattisgarh.

The senior citizen from Aurai village in Kartala tehsil is today a role model for over a thousand people in her village. 

There was a time when people in the village hesitated from getting a shot of the Coronavirus vaccine. Swayed by the misinformation around them regarding vaccination, many were wary of getting inoculated.

But 82-year-old Mangalaso Bai thought otherwise.

She was the first in her village to get vaccinated on March 13. And inspired by her, today, over 332 people have got the vaccine shot, including 273 people aged over 45. And others are queueing up to get vaccinated.

Mangalaso Bai, who continues to do her daily chores without any assistance, said, "When the vaccination drive began on March 1 (for people aged above 45), people were hesitant to h=get vaccinated. They thought getting vaccinated could create health issues -- even death. I got my first vaccine shot on March 13. I had headache and body pain, but I recovered the very next day. The villagers saw me resume my normal work."

Mangalaso Bai took her second dose on May 11.

Today, the doubts among people in this tribal-dominated village have vanished, and Mangalaso Bai and Aanganwadi workers have been spreading Covid-19 awareness. 

India needs more people like Manglaso Bai in its Covid-19 fightback.