Mangalore: HIV/Aids Activist Veenadhari Given Final Adieu
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
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Managalore, Nov 3: The mortal remains of Veenadhari, an HIV Positive Crusader and social worker who died in Bangalore on Friday November 2 night, was brought to her brothers’ house at Kavoor at about 10 am on Saturday, November 3.
People from different non governmental organizations visited the house to pay homage to Veenadhari.
Former Mayor Divaker, Harsha D’Souza of NGO Task Force, Renny D’Souza of Velored, Ullal MLA U T Khader were the prominent persons to pay their tribute to her.
Veenadhari’s body was taken to Bolar Crematorium in an open van.
The van was stopped near MCC building for few minutes, where people in large number paid their final respects to the daring woman who spent her life fighting against the social stigma attached to AIDS.
Samajavadi party leader S P Chengappa, former minister Ramanath Rai, Congress leader M G Hegade, MCC corporators and others offered tribute to her. Later the mortal remains of Veenadhari were consigned to flames at Bolar Crematorium.
Positive outlook of a positive person
(Times of India)
Mangalore, Nov 4: Veena Dhari, a campaigner for the rights of HIV+ persons, who died of brain haemorrhage in Bangalore on Friday, had five years ago, shocked the conservative world, including her parents, by openly declaring that she was a HIV+. But, she lived her rest of her life with a positive attitude and worked for the good of such victims.
Mustering up courage in times of adversity does not come easily to all, but Veena not only herself overcame her plight, but also lent a helping hand to others like her. “During my work to create awareness among people and while counselling the HIV+, I saw a lot of negative energy among the victims. This is the same negative energy, which had sapped me. I think a positive mental attitude is the best way to combat HIV/AIDS. This is what I have been inculcating in affected people —- to have a positive attitude towards life,” she once said.
Veena had her quirks. She did not win many friends among the allopathic medical community as she opposed expensive Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART). She even rubbed some NGOs on the wrong side, whom she criticised saying they “secured foreign funds and spent them on conferences, hotels and flights, than on victims.”
Veena believed ART had several side effects and relied on nature for her health and longevity. She held several meetings with positive people and educated them on how to use those medicinal plants in day-to-day use. “This disease easily consumes people who don’t care about their diet,” Veena used to emphasise.
She learnt the use of many medicinal plants through K Laxman Shetty, retired principal, Government PU College, Maninalkuru. Her association with Value Oriented Education (VALORED) saw the birth of Karavali Positive Women and Children Network (KPWCN), which worked for giving better status to the victims and their children. For Veena, HIV was more of a psychosomatic disease. Her message to the victims was: “If you are HIV positive, nothing is lost. There is a lot of life to be lived — by thinking positively.”