Mangalore: HIV /AIDS Activist Veenadhari Remembered at Vorkady [MM/NF]
Pics Harshad Vorkady
Daijiworld Media Networl
Mangalore, Nov 2: Veenadhari, who spent her life consoling and caring for the HIV Positive and AIDS patients, was remembered at her own village , Vorkaday, in Kasargod district on Saturday November 1.
Veenadhari was popularly known as ‘Veenakka’ . She herself was a HIV patient. Instead of isolating herself from the world, she dedicated her life to create awareness among the HIV/AIDS patients. She encouraged the patients to live happily till their end. She died in a hospital in Bangalore on 2nd November 2007.
The programme was organized under the aegis of KAVAL, PEACE, JACK India, and the people of Vorkady.
Justice Sukumaran K, retired Chief Justice of Maharashtra High Court, inaugurated the function. Speaking on the occasion, he said that Veenadhari did not accept defeat easily. She fought against all odds and taught others to fight against it too, he opined.
There are many HIV/AIDS centers around the country . But there are no people like Veenadhari to fight against this disease. No one can replace her easily, he asserted.
Ajith Venniyur, spokesperson for KAVAL, said that Veenadhari’s fight was not only against HIV/AIDS, but also against the social stigma attached to the disease. The ideologies of Mahatma Gandhi inspired her to become a social activist. One should follow the paths of Gandhiji, for the welfare of all, he said.
The teachers who worked with Veenadhari, villagers of Vorkady and others paid tribute to her on the occasion.
Justice Usha Sukumar, retired Chief Justice of Kerala High Court, Dr Madan Mohan Naik, physician and social activist, K M Ahmed, Kasargod bureau chief of Mathru Bhoomi and Shanker Mohan Poonja, manager of SVVHS Kodlamgoru were the chief guests of the occasion.
P B Aboobaker, president of Vorkady Panchayat, presided over the function. N Venkatesh Rao, social activist and father of Veenadhari, welcomed the gathering. A two-day workshop on ‘Sixty Years of Development’ was held here in memory of Veenadhari.
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