Imphal, January 02: Being a dream for every body builders, winning the Mister Manipur Contest, is undoubtedly no mean achievement, and it is all the more so in case of Khundrakpam Pradipkumar, who has been living with HIV for the last seven years.

''I have been living with HIV for the last seven years.

However, in these seven years I have worked hard to prove that HIV is not an obstacle in our endeavour'', said Pradipkumar, who is still in euphoria from winning the title of Mister Manipur contest in the 60 kg of the State Level Mister Manipur Contest organised by All Manipur Body Building Association here recently.

''Most of the time, people living with HIV always under estimated themselves and they think that they are not capable of anything in life which is not true.

We are capable of many things and in order to prove this we have to come out'', he exhorted.

He said, ''Winning the Mister Manipur contest has boosted my confidence and made me so happy that I keep looking at the certificate and the shirt given by All Manipur Body Building Association''.

Buoyed by the recent success, Pradipkumar is preparing for the forthcoming Senior Minister India Contest, 2008 scheduled to be held at Uttar Pradesh.

Born in the family of Khundrakpam Kalachand and Khundrakpam Ongbi Mema of Sagolband Khamnam Leirak as the fourth son of five siblings, Pradipkumar has keen taking interest in various sporting activities since childhood.

In 1987, he participated and won the title of the State Level Weightlifting Competition organised under the aegis of Sagolband Apunba Naharol.

However, in a twist of fate, he got into the company of bad companions of drug users and became a drug addict himself.

At first no one in the family knew anything about his drug habit as there was no perceptible change in his physical structure as he continued to exercise.

After passing his class XII examination, his parents sent him outside Manipur for further studies.

Even if he could overcome his drug habit while studying outside Manipur, he backtracked whenever he returned home and got into the company of the same old friends during vacations.

When his family members finally came to know about his dependence on drug in 1994, he tried his level best to kick the habit.

In 2000, he fell ill seriously and his blood test confirmed him to be HIV positive.

''When I learnt about my HIV status, I cried a lot.

I thought there was no future for me.

Word of regret 'Oh !' was the only thing that came from me over and over again'', Pradipkumar recalled.

After undergoing test for CD4 count in April 2000, Pradipkumar started ART treatment (Anti-Retroviral Treatment).

That time there was no facility for free ART treatment and he had to spend atleast Rs 30,000 every month for undergoing the treatment.

Luckily from December 2006, he started getting free ART treatment under NACO.

When asked about the time and the possibility of infecting/affecting with HIV, Pradipkumar said it might be around middle of 1980 while he was sharing syringe with his drug addicted colleagues.

'At that time, there was restriction on selling of syringes in the State and the pharmacists does not sell them without accompanied by doctors' prescription', Pradipkumar said.

'After knowing my HIV status, he started remaining at home taking care of my physical exercise and diet spending my time in gardening', he said, adding that by around 2001-02 he also started going to Eagle Guide Gym at Sagolband Khamnam Leirak, although it did not the required equipments for body building adequately.

Seeing his dedication, other body builders who frequented the Gym also started encouraging Pradipkumar and he took a resolute stand of taking up body building seriously.

'The only difficulties that I have faced in taking up body building was lack of adequate equipments and necessary diet', Pradipkumar, who has become a source of inspiration for many, added.

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