In his new avatar as the brand ambassador of India in the fight against Tuberculosis (TB), Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan on Thursday (September 10) expressed his deep commitment in helping eradicate the deadly disease from the country.

At a press conference held in Mumbai to announce the launch of 'Mumbai Dialogue: Towards a TB-Free India, Amitabh Bachchan along with US Ambassador to India, Richard Verma and Ratan Tata reiterated their intentions to help engage in erdicating cancer. Recollecting how he got associated with the fight against TB campaign, Amitabh Bachchan said: `I met ambassador Richard Verma at the Rashtrapathi Bhavan while I was attending an event. He told me about the cause that he wanted to propagate. I thought it was a casual chat but he followed it up with a letter and the details mentioned were closely connected with me and I felt attached to it. `

Amitabh Bachchan, who had also contracted TB in 2000 and then fought back, said if he could happen to him then it can happen to anyone else too. `I myself was a sufferer of TB in 2000 which was detected by accident. I then had to go through heavy doses of tablets and medicines. At the cost of sounding immodest, if TB can happen to me, it can happen to anyone else too,` he said.

Big B also raised concerns about the stigma that's attached to TB patients in our country. `The part that is unfortunate is when the TB affected individual gets discriminated from society especially married women. Marriage proposals go wrong..and if you are already married then you are almost thrown out of your house. This can be corrected and the stigma of making you an alien in society can be put to an end through our campaigns if we destroy the myth that women shouldn't be treated as barriers in society and TB itself can be cured with proper medication,` said the legendary actor.

The goal of the drive is to engage corporate sector to strengthen Union government's 'Call to Action for a TB -free India, launched in April. `I happily agreed to be part of this campaign for the country. I feel obliged to Government of India, to the Embassy and Ratan Tata,` Amitabh Bachchan said. Amitabh Bachchan had earlier been the face of polio eradication campaign in the country. He was brand ambassador by MCGM for its anti-TB campaign. The actor said it is important to eliminate TB just like polio had been eradicated through measures of awareness across the nation. `We made India polio free after eight years, thanks to the efforts taken for it. We need to choose dedicated workers who should be encouraged and given facility for bringing to our notice where help is required. I am happy to cooperate,` Big B said.

Calling it a silent killer, Ratan Tata said that the disease has assumed massive proportions making everyone concerned. ` It's something that has had stigmas in the past. It affects everyone from rich to poor. It's not a poor man's disease anymore. As a citizen, I want to help the government of India.`