Abstract The present paper examines the themes of social pretense and vanity as reflected in Dr. Deepak Chaudhari’s short story collection WELCOME 2020! & Other Stories. Social pretense refers to the tendency of individuals to present a false or curated identity in order to gain social acceptance, while vanity denotes excessive pride in one’s appearance, status, or achievements. Both traits emerge strongly during times of crisis, revealing the fragile foundations of human ego and societal structures. Set against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, the collection realistically portrays the political, social, educational, economic, and emotional transformations experienced by Indian society. Through stories such as Something is Better Than Nothing! Thank God! The Memory Card, Ambulance Never Stops…, Khichadi, and others, Dr. Chaudhari highlights how individuals struggled with fear, uncertainty, and isolation while simultaneously clinging to social image and superficial pride. The pandemic not only disrupted bureaucratic and social systems but also exposed the hidden layers of human hypocrisy, self-centeredness, and the desire for validation. The study also focuses on the representation of women characters in the collection, emphasizing how social pressures and gender expectations intensify during crises. Dr. Chaudhari, as a contemporary Indian English short story writer, skillfully blends seriousness with subtle comic elements to depict the psychological and cultural realities of lockdown life.b Thus, the paper concludes that WELCOME 2020! serves as a significant literary reflection of the Covid-19 era, unveiling the complex interplay between social pretense, vanity, and human resilience in modern Indian society.n social pretense, vanity, and human resilience in modern Indian society.
Rajesh Pundlik Suryavanshi (Sat,) studied this question.