World Aids Day: The HIV+ Man from Manipur Who Became Mr World

Mangalore Today News Network

Manipur, Dec 02, 2017 : What’s it like to live with HIV? Pradipkumar Singh of Manipur has been asked this question almost every other day. The typical image of a person who is HIV positive is of someone who looks sick, emaciated and fragile, but Pradip just doesn’t look like that. With his ripped muscles and imposing physique it’s hard to believe that he has been carrying the virus for the last 18 years.

 

With easy access to narcotics from across the border, Manipur is notorious for drug addiction. In the late 90s, it was fashionable to do drugs.

Pradipkumar Singh, Mr World, Bronze Medalist (2012)     I started doing drugs just for fun with a few young boys from my locality. It was a cool thing to do back then. Slowly I became addicted and we were sharing syringes among friends.

Pradip suspects he got the virus through reused syringes. His HIV positive status was diagnosed in Guwhati in the year 2000.

 

Pradipkumar Singh, Mr World, Bronze Medalist (2012)   Tears rolled down my cheeks. I thought I had just a week or two to live. I knew nothing about HIV and AIDS.Bed to Benchpress

The first few months were really tough for Pradip; his friends shunned him and he had lost a lot of weight. He fought pangs of depression but the doctors advised him to boost his immunity and regularly take medicines. The first step for Pradip was to gain his weight back, so he started bodybuilding.

Pradipkumar Singh, Mr World, Bronze Medalist (2012)  There was nobody to guide me. I kept working out, eating good diet and taking my medicines regularly. Slowly the results started showing.

In 2006 Pradip participated in Mr Manipur Bodybuilding competition where he won the bronze medal. Still, he was not prepared to make his status public. It was only in 2007, when he won the Mr Manipur title, that he announced his status to the world.

Pradipkumar Singh, Mr World, Bronze Medalist (2012)I wanted to be on the top when I announce to the world that I am HIV positive. That was the only way I could fight the stigma. I also didn’t want people to have pity on me.

Pradip won the Mr South Asia title in 2012. Then came the big one – a bronze in the Mr World contest.

courtesy:Yahoo