Police Commissioner spends time with children affected by AIDS

Students of the JSS College of Pharmacy forming a human chain to markthe observance of World AIDS Day in Udhagamandalam on Monday. Photo: M. Sathyamoorthy

Five children affected by AIDS had their dream come true on Monday — World AIDS Day — when they got an opportunity to meet City Police Commissioner A.K. Viswanathan and other officials at his office. They were aged between eight and 13 years and are studying in government schools in the city.

J. Sathish Kumar of Lead India 2020, which organised the event interaction, said that these children were from Karamadai, Selvapuram, Saravanampatti and Gandhipuram, in the city. Four of them lost their parents, who fell victims to the virus, and are living with their grandparents and relatives. Another girl lives with her infected mother.

On Friday, volunteers of Lead India met the children to distribute nutritious food in an NGO where the children had come for counselling. A 13-year-old girl expressed interest in meeting the City Police Commissioner and other officials there and to interact with them.

Their request was passed on to Mr. Viswanathan the same day and he agreed to spend time with them in his office on the occasion of World AIDS Day. The children spent nearly half an hour with the Commissioner in his chamber and were excited to interact with him and Deputy Commissioners of Police Pravesh Kumar (Law and Order) and R.V. Ramya Bharathi.

The Commissioner asked the children about their aspirations. When they said they wanted to become an Indian Police Service office and doctor, Mr. Viswanathan gave them tips on how to prepare themselves for their dream job. He expressed satisfaction in spending time with the children.

AIDS Day pledge

Collector Archana Patnaik, Deputy Director of Health Services S. Somasundaram, students of Bishop Appasamy College of Arts and Science, NGOs and about 100 AIDS affected persons took part at a uniform meal ( Samapanthi Bhojanam ) in the college, on Monday. In Pollachi, doctors in the Pollachi Government Hospital took the World AIDS Day pledge. During the observance, philanthropists who are helping persons affected by AIDS by distributing food supplements and extending other support to the victims were honoured.