For the record, it’s for AIDS awareness

LUCKNOW: A new world record was attempted in Lucknow on Sunday morning when the students of the Indian Institute of Management Lucknow (IIM-L) made what they claim to be the largest mosaic of condom packets. They were attempting to break the record that is currently held by the AIDS Control Society of Hong Kong which they created in 2009. The verdict on whether IIM-L students succeeded in it or not will be declared around Thursday.
Conducted as part of INDEX, the annual market research fair of IIM-L, the event was organised in association with UPSACS (Uttar Pradesh State Aids Control Society) and Hindustan Latex Family Planning Promotion Trust.
Officials of UPSACS and Unicef were also present to witness the activity. “We are attempting the world record just to spread awareness among youth about HIV, AIDS and safe sex. Lack of protection is the major cause of HIV transmission and that’s why a mosaic of condom packets," said Sangeeta Pandey, joint director, IEC, UPSACS, adding, “The students approached us with the idea two months back and we willingly supported them.”
In the record created in Hong Kong, a total of 685 condoms packets had been used to create the largest condom mosaic – 3 feet 3.4 inches wide and 9 feet 6 inches long, while the students in Lucknow used nearly 4418 condom packets for their mosaic measuring 10 ft X 20 ft.
Citing the reason for attempting this feat, Akshari Goel, head of the INDEX core committee said, “UP is among the states which have the highest number of people infected with the AIDS virus. We, coming from a privileged background, feel responsible to create awareness about this. We have been regularly conducting activities to create awareness about HIV-AIDS and a week ago we also staged street plays at a mall in the city, in which teams from various colleges also participated.”
To give it a legal backing Vivek Srivastava, an advocate was also present at the event who later in the evening handed over a certificate of authenticity to UPSACS which will be sent to the Guinness World Records team as evidence of the activity. The three witnesses present during the activity were Dr Tulika Chandra from KGMC, Dr Luv Kush Dwivedi from the State Cultural department and Dr Mridula Sharma, General Manager, National Health Mission.