They decide their lives, not HIV

Here is a story of how adversity decides to hold the lives of a few youngsters in its grip and finally gives up in desperation. Thirty men and women infected with HIV from across the country met at a special matchmaking event in surat and decided not to let the disease decide the way they led their lives. They agreed to marry each other, hoping to end the isolation the deadly infection often brings.

The men and women met at the "HIV + Find a Life partner" session late on sunday in surat. They were brought together by a local voluntary group working with HIV/AIDS patients.

For over two hours, they shared their experiences, discussed their families, medical histories and professions, with some even introducing their prospective partners to accompanying relatives, before agreeing to marry.

"We hope to die on a positive note even though we are infected by this Virus ", said Sanjay Joshi, a Surat engineer, who lost his wife to AIDS four years ago.