Anand to work for AIDS awareness campaign

New Delhi, Apr 20 (UNI) Avahan, the India AIDS initiative of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, today announced that Grandmaster Vishwanathan Anand will be its ambassador to create awareness against HIV/AIDS.

Anand will be part of Avahan's public education campaigns to create favourable atmosphere for HIV prevention efforts in India.

''It is imperative for all sectors of the society to join hands and work together to contain the epidemic,'' said Anand.

''We hope to create a significant understanding and compassion through out campaign as we concentrate on removing the stigma attached to the disease and are able to bring a message of urgency and promise to the people of India,'' he added.

Besides targeting the general public, the Grandmaster will focus on mobilising the much-needed engagement by business and industry and non-resident Indians.

He also plans to engage in on the ground activities in his native state Tamil Nadu, which is also one of the states hit hardest by HIV/AIDS.

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