Vijay Amritraj launches AIDS foundation to help India

[Guest guest]

Vijay Amritraj launches AIDS foundation to help India

PREM KISHORE, India Post News Service

LOS ANGELES: As Vijay Amritraj, United Nations Messenger of Peace,

international tennis legend/media mogul/entrepreneur speaks

intensely and with a terrifying clarity to a celebrity filled room

at the Regent Beverly Hotel, you know this is not a sales pitch.

Amritraj is fervently exhorting the listeners to support the launch

of The Vijay Amritraj Foundation.

The money, he says is contributing to acutely needed pediatric care

to HIV/AIDS victims and creating AIDS awareness in India. India has

gone on record for being the country with the largest numbers of

AIDS cases around the globe. More than 1 million children, under age

15 have lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS. Children are

especially vulnerable as they suffer widespread abuse and

discrimination by being turned away from schools, orphanages, and

hospitals because they and their families are HIV positive. This is

due to ignorance and fear by the authorities.

Many teachers, doctors, government officials and ordinary people in

India still don't know the basic facts about HIV transmission and

AIDS care and the children are blamed for their bad behavior and

ignored.

Street children, children of sex workers, child sex workers,

children from lower caste suffer even more. Children do not get

information about HIV and the need to protect themselves. Even if

the life saving information about HIV protection is being given in

schools, the children have dropped out especially girls, who are

caring for a sick family or take over domestic work. Many HIV-

positive children are denied medical care because government

facilities are either unavailable or lack basic medical supplies.

Families caring for HIV/AIDS-affected children find it difficult to

pay school fees thus further preventing some children from attending

school.

The Naz Foundation, well known for its charitable work and excellent

reputation in Delhi, has been chosen as one of the partners in the

Vijay Amritraj Foundation project. Naz is already being supported by

the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, UNESCO and Ford Foundation.

Association of American Physicians from India (AAPI), well known for

their diverse projects, is collaborating in this venture. The

Foundation will also extend support to charities in India who have a

track record of working with HIV/AIDS projects.

Being a global Indian has become a way of life with 53 year old

Vijay Amritraj. Poverty, disease, illiteracy in any part of the

world is a challenge for him. He believes that children must fulfill

their dreams and ambitions and be fully alive. Even though AIDS in

India has wreaked havoc becoming the catalyst for disease and death,

the children can still be saved, he says. A strong advocate and

spokesperson for AIDs, Amritraj brings his extensive international

experience to the table as he plans outreach programs through his

Foundation and pledges " to make a real difference for those who are

most in need of the helping hand of humanity. "

Amritraj is looking for citizens who will raise funds, make

contributions, generate publicity as India grapples with the HIV

virus and is on the precipice of disaster. The Foundation will help

innocent children to survive, provide them with nutrition, health

care literacy and give them a beacon of hope. This dream can spin

off into visions of community centers, jobs, technical skills,

livestock, and address the stigma and discrimination attached to

AIDS.

On November 4, the Vijay Amritraj Charity Golf Classic will be held

at the Lost Canyons Golf Club in Simi Valley, Los Angeles followed

by a Gala Banquet at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly

Hills. Two hundred and eighty eight golfers are expected to

participate in this event.

Overwhelming support has come from the richest minority in the

United States, the Indian American community. Kingfisher Airlines is

the Title Sponsor. Dr Vijay Mallya, CEO of the airlines has come on

board along with major sponsors Rolex watches, Tata Consultancy

Services, Royal Indian Raj Corporation. Local sponsors who have come

on board include Northwestern Mutual, Maron Inc and Sudden

Inc.

As Amritraj says, we have to do something about it in our own way.

We must end the crisis. This is a compelling and urgent challenge.

The famed, charismatic Amritraj has always believed that the

Diaspora Indian will take up political reformation eventually. Right

now he is excited that large numbers are participating in an

energized manner whether it is in the political, social or cultural

context. He firmly believes that we must share the goodness of

ourselves with others and receive goodness from others.

http://www.indiapost.com/members/story.php?story_id=5471