In aid of a cause: Profile of L. Ramakrishnan of SAATHII

[Guest guest]

In aid of a cause

L. Ramakrishnan is putting to good use his specialisation in the bio-

medical sciences to help those involved with HIV/Aids prevention

work

HELPING HAND Ramakrishnan: `I have always been concerned with people

marginalised'

What you like about L. Ramakrishnan is his emphasis on methods. A

Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Texas, Ramakrishnan, as

Country Director, Programs and Research, at Solidarity and Action

Against The HIV Infection in India (Saathii), trains activists

involved in direct action against HIV/Aids in methodology. " There

should be systematic data collection. There should be an emphasis on

how best you can get your work to impact - be it an educational

programme, a treatment programme or condom distribution programme.

And how do you know the work has produced the best possible results.

To assess impact, methods have to be rigorous both at the pre-

intervention and post-intervention stage, " he says.

Academic skills

He further observes: " My focus on methodologies to study population

dynamics and interaction between species led me to an interest in

host-pathogen relationships in agriculture and epidemiology, the

study of diseases. " Ramakrishnan is putting to good use his academic

skills in the bio-medical sciences and imparts training to members

of advocacy groups as part of Saathii.

While Saathii is based in Chennai and has a branch in Kolkata, it

works in co-ordination with two agencies in Bangalore, the Dharani

Trust and Janastu.

" The trust helps us in advocacy and use of its social scientific

expertise in campaigns against HIV/Aids. Janastu is a group of

computer professionals who help NGOs use IT for whatever objectives

they have at hand at low cost or no cost at all. They offer a free

software, Pantoto, which can be customised. It is a content

management system that helps in the formation of the modules for

research. Saathii too uses their software, " says Ramakrishnan.

Ramakrishnan can opt to work in a corporate set up or teach in any

U.S. university, which, in fact he did at the University of Texas

for sometime in his 14-year stay in the U.S. But he has taken up

work - training direct service providers - that makes his academic

training socially relevant.

How did he happen to take up HIV/Aids particularly? " My advocacy is

motivated by personal reasons as much as my involvement with social

issues. I have had friends who have been afflicted by HIV/Aids. I

have always been concerned with people marginalised because of

gender, sexuality or community affiliations, which is the case with

HIV. My work with Saathii is fulfilling just as it was when I worked

with survivors of domestic violence. "

Ramakrishnan, in the middle of research and advocacy, has been

playing the veena too. He received training in the veena from

Sangeet Natak Akademi Award winner Kalpakam Swaminathan, who has

been involved with Adiyar Kalakshetra and the Government College of

Music, Madras. He has also been trained by well-known veena player

S.R. Janakiraman.

For more information on Saathii , call (44) 23741118 or 98414-76101

or e-mail saathii@...

Saathii's objectives

Organisations at the frontlines of the battle against HIV/AIDS are

in the urgent need of strengthening their competence across 34

states in India. In response to meeting their needs, Saathii

supports government and civil society through the following

programmes: Advocacy for increased attention and political

commitment on HIV/AIDS; networking to bring people from multiple

sectors together and foster collaborations; information

dissemination to bridge knowledge gaps; technical and financial

assistance to strengthen and expand HIV/AIDS services.

PRASHANTH G.N

http://www.hindu.com/mp/2005/07/26/stories/2005072601000400.htm