The Hindu News Update Service News Update Service Monday, April 6, 2009 : 0300 Hrs Health HIV positive body builder defies odd en route to glory
Kolkata (PTI): For many HIV positive persons life crawls towards a slow end after knowing about the disease, but for Manipuri body builder Khundrakpam Pradip Kumar Singh his "actual life started" in March 2000 when he learnt that he was contracted with the deadly virus. Defying doctors who had warned him against the rigours of body building, the 38-year-old from Manipur joined a gymnasium. Nine years down the line, Pradip Kumar has several achievements to his credit, including the 'Mr Manipur' title in 2007. He now wants to be a role model for millions of HIV positive people. Having thwarted the deadly virus for more than a decade, Pradip Kumar is still going strong with a positive attitude towards life. Here for the 49th Senior National Men's Body Building and Women's Fitness Championship being held at the Netaji Indoor Stadium, Pradip Kumar says he "needs support" in his mission to spread the message across and has an aim to open a world class gymnasium in his hometown, Imphal. A drug addict during his university days, Pradip Kumar contracted HIV through a shared syringe, but learnt about it years later. "But considering my young age of 29, the doctors in my home town Imphal did not tell me that I had AIDS. It was later in Guwahati, doctors told me about that I was HIV positive and then all hell broke loose. Everything was dark in front of me and I had lost all hopes," Pradip Kumar told PTI. In fact, it was the turning point of his life as he shunned all his "bad habits" and started witnessing life from a different perspective by taking up body building. "God gives everybody a chance and I took up body building thinking it as a chance to prove myself all over again. I took up body building seriously and all my perseverance paid off in November 2006 when I got a silver medal in the Mr Manipur competition," he said, recalling about his painful journey. The next year, he went on to become 'Mr Manipur' and became the brand ambassador of HIV/AIDS for the Manipur State AIDS Control Society. Pradip Kumar became sixth finalist in the senior category of the Mr India contest which was organised by Indian Body Building and Fitness Federation in 2008. In last year's Nationals in Aurangabad, he became fourth finalist, while in January this year he was second runner-up in the Senior Mr India Challenge Cup in Kerala. His story might resemble that of the legendary American basketball great Magic Johnson but Pradip Kumar said, "He (Johnson) quit basketball after knowing about his status but I took up body building and became successful after knowing that I was positive." "I wanted to prove that HIV is not the end of the world. I have proved it (HIV) wrong. I want to tell the world that HIV is not a disease and you can stay away from it by taking necessary precautions. I'm with this virus for more than 10 years, but I'm fully fit and without any illness. "I just take anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs every morning and evening and make sure that I stay away from rich food and contaminated water." Pradip Kumar, however, is struggling to make the ends meet and calls for help as the society's apathy towards the disease has made him to live in a penury. "It's very difficult for a common man to afford body building. In peak season, you have to spend about Rs 1,000 every day for nutritional supplements. I have no support and have to bank on my family," he said. "But I will never give up... I have no regrets in life and I will continue to fight. God has given me a chance and I am living my life all over again," he signed off. To unsubscribe send a message to [email protected] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in
