While most HIV positive people shy away from the society because of the stigma attached to it, Rao is not just declaring it openly, but is also determined to create public opinion in favour of HIV positive persons.

Talking to the newsmen here, Rao said he has decided to form a HIV positive peoples club in Chandigarh for creating general awareness about HIV and AIDS and removing the stigma attached to HIV so that people like him would not have to suffer for no fault of theirs.

Rao lost his wife and teen-aged daughter in a cylinder blast at his home at Chandigarh in 1995. Rao suffered severe burns in his leg while trying to save their lives.

As if the tragedy of losing his family was not enough, as a resultof the blood transfusions Rao was found to be HIV positive. He soon lost his job in a multinational company.

News of his medical status spread like wildfire. Rao was looked upon with suspicion even by relatives. He had to change several jobs whenever people came to know about his health status.

According to him, there is a lot to be desired in the way HIV patients are treated in India. The blood tests for HIV too are misleading, he claimed. After going through several international medical literature he has found out that the blood test which actually detect antibodies in a person, can show positive result in more than 75 cases of disease including TB, malaria, typhoid, jaundice, Hepatitis B, Herpes, STD and even in malnutrition cases.