Rahul Dravid: New spokesperson for Gates AIDS prevention programme

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The Wall has a soft centre.

TIMES NEWS NETWORK [FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2004 06:29:22 AM ]

Guess what Rahul Dravid did a few hours before flying out to Pakistan . He

lived-out his 'youth icon' status by spreading the message for safe sex — the

best preventive for HIV/AIDS — in the Capital.

Like IT superczar N R Narayanamurthy, Dravid too joined the battle against

HIV/AIDS in India by becoming a spokesperson for the Bill and Melinda Gates

Foundation's HIV/AIDS prevention programme.

Says Gates Foundation head, Ashok , " the amazing thing about Rahul is

his intellectual curiosity, his strong sense of justice and fairplay. Some time

ago, I asked him whether we could do something together on HIV/AIDS when he

returned from Pakistan . He said why wait, let's do something before I go. Rahul

Dravid's approach to the subject is a mirror image of his on-field strategy:

professional, result-oriented and sensible. "

If that wasn't enough, Dravid evinced interest in one more issue — other than

cricket — prior to his departure. Terrorism.

Says Rajiv Shukla, MP and BCCI official, who was with Rahul Dravid just before

he left for Karachi : " During the official interaction of the players with the

senior MEA and Intelligence Bureau officials, Rahul asked several questions

pertaining to Kargil, terrorism and the security aspects in Pakistan . "

And what was his mind frame? " Happy, confident, positive, all smiles! " says

Shukla. Bats off to Dravid!

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/555414.cms