Chennai NGO founder killed in Mali terror attack

Anita Datar, a resident of Takoma Park, Maryland, US, was a senior manager at Palladium, an international development firm with offices in Washington. She was in Bamako as part of her 18-year beat in global health and international development, when Islamist militants stormed her hotel on Friday morning. Anita was one of 27 people slaughtered on Friday when Islamist militants stormed a hotel and took 170 people hostage for seven hours.

Anita has a strong Chennai connect. She helped set up an NGO, Tulalens, which helped connect under-served communities to quality health services to improve lives. Anita was regarded as the mother of Tulalens, and believed deeply in their mission to help underserved women find quality healthcare. She was instrumental in helping them secure funding to launch their work in Chennai. Speaking about her, the team said, “She was so dedicated to our cause that she wrote a last-minute recommendation for Tulalens the morning she got on the plane to Mali. Anita’s spirit is woven into the fabric of Tulalens, and her impact will be felt by every woman we reach. Her dedication to helping people lead dignified lives worldwide, her uplifting laugh, and her unique ability to see the positive side in any situation will always remain at the core of our work.”

Priya Iyer, founder of Tulalens, wrote about Anita saying, “Anita Datar, my dear friend, was killed yesterday during the terrorist attacks in Bamako, Mali. I want to extend a loving hand to her parents, brother, and son. Her family is in my thoughts, and I want to offer them my support during this time of unimaginable pain.”

The team of Tulalens too paid Anita a tribute online. “The Tulalens family announces with a heavy heart that Anita Datar, our dear friend and founding board member, was killed yesterday during a terrorist attack in Bamako, Mali. We are devastated by her loss and are struggling to accept this as the truth. We want to extend a loving hand to her parents Ashok and Sunanda, brother Sanjeev, and son Rohan during this time of unimaginable pain.”