The thirty-seven-year old Pradipkumar, while talking to this reporter at his Eagle Guide Gymnasium said, “I will compete to spread the message for those who are discriminated against because of the menace”. Pradipkumar had once shared syringes while using drugs during his college days.

Earlier, he never disclosed to anyone that he was a person living with HIV/AIDS. “Initially I thought of not disclosing my status until I achieved my goal, but after listening to Deepak’s courageous speech in a function, I thought, why not?” Pradipkumar said. Deepak, another popular name living with HIV/AIDS here is none other than the President of Manipur Network for Positive People (MNP+).

So today Pradipkumar who wants to dedicate his life to the cause of the menace is asking the people living with HIV/AIDS “to come out instead of hiding and to do the needful for the welfare of the society”.

This Utkal University graduate revived his long-cherished dream of bodybuilding one afternoon in 2001 after his friend Kh Dinesh who practices traditional martial arts urged him to shift from power lifting to body building. Since then there was no looking back. “Dinesh urged me to practice body building and then I started participating in this event since 2003” he recalls.

Come March and volatile Manipur might have reasons to celebrate if he wins in the senior 60-kg category Mr. India contest to be held at Meerut in Uttar Pradesh. Encouraged by friends and peers in the bodybuilding circuit and Non-Governmental Organisations working in the field of HIV/AIDS in Manipur, Pradipkumar has begun hectic practice as part of his preparation for the forthcoming national competition.

This young body builder who has now become a household name in this volatile border state after he won the Mr. Manipur title (60 kg) has lived on ART vaccine for the last seven years till date. “I cannot discontinue this you know, so I need proper diet and a lot of food supplement for the forthcoming national competition”.

The son of a retired government employee Kalachand and Memma, a former teacher, Pradipkumar is confident of achieving his goal in the forthcoming national arena. “With the people’s support, I am confident of achieving my goals this time,” he said.

After he won the Mr. Manipur title, Pradipkumar seems to be very busy this fortnight as he had been playing a vital role in most of the HIV/AIDS related functions across the state. In the past one week he was felicitated by the staff and members of various NGOs including Lifeline foundation, Social Awareness Service Organisation (SASO) and MNP+ in Imphal. Expressing their heartfelt gratitude to Pradipkumar’s achievement, the Lifeline Foundation Imphal presented him with a local made gymnasium equipment worth around Rs 16000 while SASO, MNP+ and Shivananda Sharma, regional coordinator of Asian Network of Positive People, Bangkok handed over Rs 18,000 in cash to meet his dietary supplements for a month.

His dietary supplements include a couple of litres of milk and 20 eggs daily apart from consuming other food supplements including those imported from abroad. “I am thankful to the staff and members of NGOs for their cooperation” he said adding, “the money they handed over to me will help me to support my daily diet at least for a month as I’m no longer dependant on my family”.