Anandi Yuvraj
India
Anandi Yuvraj is the Asia Pacific Regional Coordinator of the International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS (ICW), based in India. Prior to joining ICW, Anandi worked as Program Manager for HIV and Sexual Reproductive Health at PATH’s India office, where she managed an advocacy project of the Global Campaign for Microbicides (GCM) in India. She was also employed by the International HIV/AIDS Alliance in India as Senior Programme Officer for over five years. During this tenure she became involved with the Global Fund fight for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria as the Board representative of the Communities Delegation ( 2004-06). She is also a member of the national advisory board of the Indian chapter of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative. Additionally, she served as a steering committee member, advising the development of national strategies for phase III of the National AIDS Control Programme in India. Anandi serves on the Board of the International Partnership on Microbicides (IPM) as well.
Since testing HIV-positive in 1997, she had played a vital role in broadening political and social responses to the epidemic in India. She began her work by establishing a local organization to support fellow people living with HIV in her own community, which continues to be a strong and effective program. She has been instrumental in mobilizing communities affected by HIV and AIDS, to raise their voices, needs and concerns to build supportive environments. Anandi has played a crucial role in mobilizing the civil society in India to influence the NACP-III through national level consultations. Anandi obtained a Masters in Zoology from Madras University in Tamil NADU, India with a specialization in fishery biology. She completed her thesis from the same university for Masters in Philosophy. She brings her experience in policy and advocacy, programme and financial management of HIV and AIDS programs at various levels to her position on the ICASO BOard of Directors.