New Delhi, Oct. 13: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation today released its first grant of $67.5 million for the prevention of HIV/AIDS in the two most HIV-endemic states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, reports our special correspondent.

Last year, Microsoft chief Bill Gates had come to India, interacted with non-government organisations working on HIV/AIDS and announced a grant of $100 million to contain the infection. Recently, it increased the amount to $200 million.

The board of the Gates Foundation AIDS initiative in India had its first meeting today. It was attended by Tarun Das, director- general of the Confederation of Indian Industry, Azim Hasham Premji, chairperson, Wipro Corporation, Sudha Murty, Infosys Foundation trustee, Kapil Sibal, Congress MP, and cricketer Rahul Dravid.