Satyam committed to work for creating HIV/AIDS awareness

Bangalore, Apr 6 (UNI) Software major Satyam Computers has expressed its commitment to work for creating awareness about the dreaded HIV/AIDS and not to discriminate against those affected by the disease.

Informing this to UNI, Mr V R Sawmithri of Satyam Foundation Human Resources Department, said ''The company will involve itself in various activities to create awareness about HIV/AIDS and protect the interests of those affected.'' He said the company had also taken a policy decision not to subject its new recruits to HIV/AIDS test and show no discrimination against any employee suffering from the disease. It would provide continuous education to all Satyam associates on HIV/AIDS.

Mr Sawmithri said the company would work in tandem with educated youth, particularly engineering students, to ensure that awareness was created and the affected people protected. Efforts in this regard had already been made in Bangalore and Hyderabad and this year it would be taken up in Chennai and later in Pune.

Mr Sawmithri said as per the policy, the company would provide soft skill training to all the affected to earn additional income to meet their medical expenses. Training would be provided in Microsoft and data entry, he added.

To a question, he said funds were raised internally for implementing the task. Each of its 28,000 employees contributed Rs 20 per month towards the fund. The funds were not only being used for creating HIV/AIDS awareness, but also for other welfare projects.

He said Company Chairman Ramalinga Raju's dream was to ensure that proper awareness was created about HIV/AIDS and no stigma attached to it.

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