Jim Goldberg's experience of India was shaped by poverty, class, and the pervasive presence of stigma about HIV. Goldberg spent time in Andhra Pradesh, the region with one of the highest HIV rates in the country. India's AIDS epidemic has been fuelled mainly by unprotected sex between sex workers, their clients, and their respective partners. This puts women at particular risk of being infected by their husbands, and it drives a rise in the transmission of HIV from mother to child. In some parts of India, sharing needles also plays a role.

Vijaya Saradhi Madasu, 36, was a teaching assistant until he became too ill with HIV-related tuberculosis to work. He and his wife, Jayasree, have a six-year-old daughter, Amrutha, and they learned they were all HIV positive five years ago during Jayasree’s second pregnancy. The HIV diagnosis led to a decision to terminate the pregnancy, and she was also sterilized. His return to work and promotion to tutor after he began treatment has been “like a rebirth” for him. They have strong support from extended family and Vijaya is newly determined to live to see Amrutha grow up.


Satyaveni Kamadi, 23, and her husband Ravi live in a highprevalence fishing port on the east coast of India with their four-year-old daughter, Hema Latha. All three are HIV positive. She began treatment later than she was supposed to but her health and outlook improved quickly after just one month. Initially depressed and by nature shy, Satyaveni has become more outgoing since joining a women’s HIV support group. She would like to join a tailor training course for HIV-positive women.


Veera Babu Mogili, 40, knew since he was a teenager that he was gay, but married at 25 and had two children. Now separated from his wife, he lives with his mother in a one-room house, spending much of his time with his closest friend, Lova Raju, who is also gay and HIV positive. Veera buys old newspapers and iron for recycling, but sometimes gets paid to have sex with other men, and was most likely infected through unprotected sex. Since beginning treatment, Veera's health and energy have improved, and he now uses condoms to avoid infecting others.


Mohan Rao Papala, 31, and his wife, Lakshmi Venkata, live in an alleyway of tiny homes with their two children, Karuna, 6, and Rama Krishna, 2. Both parents and Karuna are HIV-positive. Mohan Rao was a construction worker until he became too weak to work. Though his health has improved with antiretroviral treatment, his former colleagues are reluctant to hire him, knowing he is HIV-positive. When Lakshmi works as an agricultural laborer, Karuna stays home from school to care for her brother. Mohan Rao would like to buy a cart and become a fruit seller. Having enough food remains a constant worry for the family.

Nagasamudram Kumar, 30, is a software engineer living on the outskirts of Hyderabad with his mother. He abandoned plans to find a wife when he was diagnosed with HIV. After overcoming the initial shock, he joined an association of people living with HIV/AIDS. Though not open about his status, through this group Kumar hopes for “a positive alliance” with a woman who is HIV positive. His other goal is to further develop a foundation he set up as a college student that helps the socially deprived, including those living with HIV.