Indian website plays cupid for HIV/AIDS patients

By Rituparna Bhowmik

NEW DELHI (Reuters Life!) - Widowed at 30, HIV-positive Chhaya Tope had resigned herself to a life of loneliness, but a website for Indians afflicted with AIDS has given her another chance at love.

Tope lost her husband to AIDS. Six months ago, desperation drove her to post her profile on www.positivesaathi.com, and she has since been in regular contact with an HIV positive Indian man living in Canada, and they plan on getting married next month.

"When I got to know that my husband had transmitted the disease to me I was angry and bitter. I thought my life was over and even attempted suicide," Tope told Reuters.

"But my fiance is such a caring person. Since he is HIV positive himself he understands my situation. We are getting married next month, thanks to the website that made it possible."

Since its launch last year, around 460 men and women have registered their profiles on the site, and several have found partners who are willing to settle down with them

The website's founder, government employee Anil Kumar Valiv, said he had no way of knowing how many marriages his service had created, but added that he was happy to help HIV/AIDS sufferers, who are stigmatised in society.

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