With her family's support, Anandi fought social stigma and discrimination, becoming a well known face of the positive women's network.
Two years after her marriage, in 1997, Anandi Yuvaraj found out that she was HIV positive. Today it has been nearly two decades since that day.
About a year later, Anandi Yuvaraj's marriage broke up. But she refused to let her positive status define her life, finding joy in pursuing her interests in drawing, music and travel.
Her niece Kanchana says, "When she speaks about HIV, she exudes a positive energy. We should not judge those who are living with HIV. We should support them. That is what I have learnt from her."
With her family's support, Anandi fought social stigma and discrimination, becoming a well known face of the positive women's network. She also works as a consultant.
"You know you have one life and I want to make it the best. Millions of people who are HIV+ also invest in their life and you know they make sure that they blossom and their dreams come true," says Anandi.
It is a view that resonates with Vikas Ahuja, former President of the Delhi Network of Positive People. Vikas, 43, has lived with HIV for over two decades.
Vikas says, "When we introduce ourselves, we always say that my name is Vikas Ahuja and I am HIV+ and I am living with HIV since 1993. My CD4 count is 400 or so.The reason why we introduce ourselves this way is to make ourselves accept that yes I am HIV+ and I am living this way and I am living a very healthy and productive life."
He says HIV has become a manageable disease thanks to the free anti retro viral therapy programme rolled out by the Government about ten years ago. Proper medication and nutrition are necessary to manage HIV like any other disease.
However, the biggest challenge is stigma and discrimination, that can often prove to be a death sentence for those living with HIV.
"To my community members, I would say that HIV is a very small virus. By the grace of God we have been given much more power compared to that small virus which is there inside our body," he says.