Amruta Soni shared the struggles she faced in her fight to get HIV positive people their due.
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00:00I had two degrees in my hand, one was MBA and the other was HIV positive.
00:04I know how to clap for myself and ask for my rights.
00:07Yes, that was my past.
00:09But today I am the present.
00:13I was very happy that I graduated from MBA.
00:15After graduating from MBA, I started telling my friends.
00:18And on the other hand, I get a test report that I am HIV positive.
00:22I had two degrees in my hand, one was MBA and the other was HIV positive.
00:27What should I make?
00:29Should I make a party or go into depression?
00:33I should take care of myself.
00:35I should carry a bottle of poison in my bag.
00:38I should find a place to drink poison and sleep.
00:42I am educated, how did I get raped?
00:45I got raped, so I left it.
00:47I came up with rape.
00:48I started fighting, so what is this new thing that God has brought in front of me?
00:52My life is over, why are all the mountains on me?
00:55Why?
00:56Why did God give me such a life?
00:58I was neither a man nor a woman.
01:00But why am I living and why am I dying?
01:03In the midst of all this society,
01:05hearing taunts that I am HIV positive
01:07and on top of that I am a hijra.
01:09Fighting so much,
01:11the Chhattisgarh government gave me the position of noodle officer.
01:16The position of noodle officer was given,
01:18two years passed, everything happened.
01:20Then I left for Patna.
01:22After going to Patna,
01:24I started working as the state coordinator of Bihar
01:27near the NCPI,
01:29National Coalition of People Living with HIV in India.
01:32Again a technical support unit,
01:34working with government,
01:36sitting with governments.
01:39It was the most difficult thing to sit with the governments
01:42and change their policy makers.
01:47Outside every IAS officer,
01:49a CCTV camera was installed.
01:52So I used to ask his PA,
01:54why is she here?
01:56Just ask her.
02:02If you go to the minister,
02:04the minister used to look from the CCTV camera,
02:06why is she here?
02:08If you go to a parliament,
02:10they also think the same,
02:12why is she here?
02:14But I didn't go anywhere for myself.
02:16I know how to clap and ask for my rights.
02:18But you were one of the people
02:20who were living with HIV.
02:22I went there for their rights
02:24as an advocacy officer.
02:27I went to ask for their rights,
02:29not for my rights.
02:31Because you had already snatched my rights
02:33when I was 16 years old,
02:35by separating me from my parents.
02:37But I didn't give up.
02:39I stood like a rock.
02:41There will be many HIV positive sisters like me,
02:44many transgenders
02:46who want to study like you,
02:48who want to sit next to you.
02:50If you want to change the time,
02:52then change yourself.
02:54And learn to walk with time.
02:56Because time doesn't stop for anyone.
02:58And today I don't stop for anyone,
03:00nor do I look back.
03:02Because I know what's behind.
03:04Because when I take one step forward,
03:06someone brings the past
03:08in front of me.
03:10Hey, your past says this
03:12in the magazine.
03:14Yes, that was my past.
03:16I am the present.