Sonika Sanju Kumar vividly remembers the first time she stepped onto the running track. The rhythmic pounding of her feet against the ground drowned out the whispers of the stigma that had followed her for years.

“The only place where I am not discriminated against is when I am on the running track,” she says, her voice filled with determination.

Born with HIV, the ill-treatment due to the stigma surrounding the virus tormented Sonika more than the physical challenges of the condition. But today, as an accomplished marathon runner, she embodies resilience and hope, inspiring many others.

Sonia’s journey into sports began in 2009, when Elvis Joseph came to the Sneha Care Home, where Sonika stayed, to teach sports to the children. This association led her to know about the flagship event — ‘Champion in Me’.

The sports championship started in 2009 by the Bangalore Schools Sports Foundation (BSSF), and spearheaded by Elvis Joseph, became a turning point for Sonia, and many other children living with HIV.

From isolation to inspiration

Growing up in a small town in Maharashtra, Sonika lost her parents when she was one-and-a-half years old. “Nobody knew I was HIV-positive until I was seven years old,” she recalls.

“I was given a separate plate and tumbler. If I accidentally touched anyone, they would go and take a quick bath,” she shares, highlighting her deeply distressing childhood. “If any relatives came to our house, my grandfather used to ask me to sit under a tree in the backyard.”

Things began to change when she moved to Bengaluru in 2010. “Elvis sir used to come to my school to teach sports, and he identified my talent and potential,” she says.

“When I participated in ‘Champion in Me’........

© The Better India