Shanker Foundation
Darjeeling, India
February 2009

Ramesh

Ramesh is 45 and discovered that he was HIV positive, just 8 days prior to these images being made.. He is unmarried and used to work as a security guard in Mumbai. Shanker Foundation met him when he was sick and got him to start drug therapy. Ramesh is still afraid of the stigma and is not yet ready to be out about his status in his community.

Currently he is working in a school and is slowing trying to come out to share his story and to support the foundation. He has started first line ART. He says, "Now I’ll not die, still there is time…” He believes it is the start of better life.