The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : On a tricycle, a youth with a mission

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 03, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

On a tricycle, a youth with a mission

K. Manikandan

Physically challenged 23-year-old on yatra across State to create awareness about AIDS

TAMBARAM: Undaunted by speeding cars and lorries on the Grand Southern Trunk Road, A. Nelson continues his journey. What makes Nelson's journey special is that he is on a mission: not in an open jeep or a two-wheeler, but on a tricycle.

This physically challenged 23-year-old native of Tuticorin started from Kanyakumari on August 15 to create awareness among the masses, particularly those in villages, about HIV/AIDS.

"I think I have succeeded to an extent as two men of Tiruvannamalai vowed to change their lifestyle," Nelson, who has been crippled since infancy, said.

What makes him an instant hit among schoolchildren, youth, villagers and passers-by is the simplicity with which he narrates the importance of awareness and causes of HIV/AIDS and how infection could be prevented.

A diploma holder in Cooperation, Nelson is currently pursuing a degree through corres pondence. The third of eight children, Nelson had always wanted to do something for the society. "I want to do nothing but social service," he replied, when people wanted to know what his ambition was.

He had undertaken similar awareness programmes in the southern districts on the tricycle he received from the government. But this is the first time he is covering such a long distance.

Starting from Kanyakumari, he covered Tuticorin, Tirunelveli, Virudhunagar, Madurai, Sivaganga, Pudukottai, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, Tiruchi, Cuddalore, Villupuram and Kancheepuram districts before arriving in Chennai. He subsequently went to Tiruvannamalai district and on Saturday was seen heading back to Chennai.

He said that at the moment, there was a need for awareness programmes to be taken up on a large scale to the remotest of villages. "In some villages, people had not even heard about it (AIDS). Some others asked `why do you talk to me about a woman's disease?', " he said.

Acknowledging that though he had received overwhelming support from the Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society, the administration and the police in all districts and from the villagers he had met, Nelson said there were still some who asked why he had to go to all this trouble.

"People at the Block Development Offices, petrol filling stations and the residents in some remote villages were only too glad to give me food and accommodation," Nelson said.

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