Ieagle123 at 05:19, 12 March 2026

2026-03-12T05:19:49Z

New page

{{Short description|Indian activist (born 1976)}}
{{Multiple issues|{{BLP primary sources|date=July 2014}}{{notability|Bio|date=July 2014}}}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Jyoti Dhawale
| height = 170cm
| image =
| occupation = Community advisor, motivational speaker, writer/blogger
| years active = 2005-present
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1976|07|24}}
| birth_place = [[Namkum, Ranchi]], Jharkhand
| spouse =
| children = 1
| alma_mater = {{ubl|Air Force Golden Jubilee Institute, New Delhi |Holy Innocents High, [[Wellington, Tamil Nadu|Wellington]], [[Coimbatore]] |Kendriya Vidhyalaya [[Agra]], [[Secunderabad]] |Saint George's Convent [[Agra]], |The Air Force School [[Bagdogra]], |Sherwood Public School [[Hyderabad]]}}
| website =
}}

'''Jyoti Dhawale''' (also known as "Jo") is an [[HIV activism|HIV activist]] who works to empower people living with [[HIV/AIDS]] in [[India]] and across the world.

==Early life==
Jyoti was born July 24, 1976, at [[Namkum]] Military Hospital in [[Ranchi, Jharkhand]]. Her father, Group Captain Janak Narayan Dhawale, was an ex-NDA (39th Course) officer in the [[Indian Air Force]] and her mother was a homemaker. Dhawale grew up and was schooled in various parts of India. She finished her secondary schooling from [[National Institute of Open Schooling]], [[New Delhi]].

==Health ==
She developed bilateral sensorineural [[hearing loss]] at the age of 3 due to a bicycle accident. She strongly relies on lip-reading to follow the conversations and uses text messaging or video calls, instead of phone calls.<ref>[https://www.thewellproject.org/team-member/jyoti-dhawale-0 The Well Project]</ref>

==Medical negligence==
Dhawale underwent three [[forced abortion]]s; during the third one in 2005, she contracted HIV due to [[Medical malpractice|medical negligence]]. On her fourth forced attempt, she tested positive, and decided to go ahead with the pregnancy. On March 31, 2006, she delivered a healthy, HIV-negative baby born via [[Cesarean section]].<ref>[https://www.lifepositive.com/a-heroic-life/ Life Positive website]</ref>

==Career==
===Humanitarian work===
Dhawale is a supporter of the rights and equality of People Living with HIV/AIDS ([[PLWHA]]) and the [[LGBT community]]. She has been involved in activities concerning human rights, human trafficking, sex workers and women and child health since 2007. She has supported Bapuji Center for AIDS Research & Education, (B'CARE) since 2012 as a regional coordinator for its Hyderabad-Mumbai AIDS Ride 2014. She counsels HIV (infected/affected) and suicide-related cases and is also a motivational speaker at the Deep Griha Society in Pune.

===Activism===
Dhawale promotes awareness and education of PLWHA and works with PLWHA survivors and international activists. In December 2012, she took part in a short documentary film by [[Through Positive Eyes]], in collaboration with ''Heroes Project'', along with 13 other HIV-positive people. The project was co-directed by London-based South African photographer and AIDS activist [[Gideon Mendel]]. She has also worked with Roy Wadia, brother of [[Riyad Vinci Wadia]] who worked for [[World Health Organization]].

She is the creative manager and social media and public relations head for ''Black Swan Entertainment'', where she and her team produce stories of women empowerment for a TV show ('Stree Shakti').<ref>[https://www.lifepositive.com/a-heroic-life/ Life Positive website]</ref> She is also the ambassador for Beydaar in Pakistan.

===Featured in publications===
An interview with Dhawale was published in the Times of India stating an example of successful and satisfied life of a mixed-status couple.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/relationships/man-woman/Staying-positive-On-finding-love-after-HIV/articleshow/26626830.cms |title=Staying positive: On finding love after HIV |work=The Times of India |date=1 December 2013 |access-date=30 July 2014}}</ref> She works to inspire, motivate and encourage people living with HIV to live a healthy lifestyle.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/mumbaiyya.gal/posts/519098958181446 |title=Jyoti Dhawale - I am HIV Positive whereas my husband is... |publisher=Facebook |access-date=30 July 2014}}</ref> Her interview articles have been published in various sites.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thewellproject.org/users/mumbaiyyagal |title=Mumbaiyyagal |publisher=The Well Project |access-date=30 July 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author= |url=http://www.jaagore.com/power-of-49/i-am-positive-fight-against-hiv |title=Fight against HIV: I am Positive! |publisher=Jaagore |access-date=30 July 2014 |archive-date=29 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140729150305/http://www.jaagore.com/power-of-49/i-am-positive-fight-against-hiv |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thealternative.in/author/jyoti-dhawale-surve |title=The Alternative |access-date=30 July 2014 |archive-date=20 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140720090912/http://www.thealternative.in/author/jyoti-dhawale-surve/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Dhawale's work as ambassador for [[The Stigma Project]] enables her to create and spread awareness, art, provocation and education on a wide scale.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thestigmaproject.org/#!asia-ambassadors/cyq9|title=Asia Ambassadors|publisher=The Stigma Project|access-date=31 July 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20151120150952/http://www.thestigmaproject.org/#!asia-ambassadors/cyq9|archive-date=20 November 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
In her documentary video Life After HIV she speaks in brief about her journey.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://throughpositiveeyes.org/india/jyoti |title=Jyoti Dhawale |publisher=Through Positive Eyes |access-date=31 July 2014 |archive-date=9 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809194831/http://throughpositiveeyes.org/india/jyoti |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Endorsements===
Since 2012, Dhawale has been the Indian Goodwill ambassador of The Stigma Project, which provides insight into HIV stigma within countries/communities. The program enables her to create and spread awareness, art, provocation and education on wide scale.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thestigmaproject.org/#!asia-ambassadors/cyq9|title=Asia Ambassadors|publisher=The Stigma Project|access-date=31 July 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20151120150952/http://www.thestigmaproject.org/#!asia-ambassadors/cyq9|archive-date=20 November 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
Dhawale is also a face of [[RiseUpToHIV]] campaign with a tagline, "No Shame About Being HIV Positive."
The campaign received the 2014-2015 KarmaVeer Award from iCongo REX for selfless work through social activism and reaching out to break the myth against HIV.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7GQOlJ8biU | title=iCongo| website=[[YouTube]]| date=19 November 2015}}</ref>

==Awards==
In 2019 Dhawale was awarded the Gold Karmaveer Chakra Award for proactive voluntary citizen action. The award was instituted by the International Confederation Of NGOs (iCONGO) in partnership with the UN.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.https/ |title=The Well Project website |access-date=11 May 2023 |archive-date=19 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130819141428/http://https/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

She has also been awarded the Bharat Prerna Award, which honors disabled people, and the APCOM Hero Award.<ref>[https://www.thewellproject.org/team-member/jyoti-dhawale-0 The Well Project website]</ref>

==Personal life==
Dhawale lives in [[Nagpur, Maharashtra]].{{citation needed||date=October 2022}} and has one child.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dhawale, Jyoti}}
[[Category:1976 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People with HIV/AIDS]]
[[Category:Indian HIV/AIDS activists]]
[[Category:Indian social workers]]
[[Category:Indian women activists]]
[[Category:Indian LGBTQ rights activists]]
[[Category:Indian motivational speakers]]
[[Category:People from Ranchi district]]
[[Category:Marathi people]]
[[Category:Women civil rights activists]]
[[Category:Indian activists with disabilities]]

Jyoti Dhawale - Revision history

Ieagle123 at 05:19, 12 March 2026