Community Voice
Vijaya started her journey in the field of HIV/ AIDS in 2000 and has been active member of the CAB at BJMC, and John Hopkins University Clinical Trial University since 2008. Beginning with her training in social work in 1998, her dream has been to serve people living with HIV. In 2002, she became associated with the NGO Prayas, a Pune-based non-profit organization in India working on HIV/AIDS and sexual health. Looking back, she feels that starting her work with Prayas was a turning point in her career and personal life. Vijaya feels that the founders of Prayas have played a significant role in her personal and professional career for cultivating values and developing her perspective towards HIV work and her life.
Vijaya is an active member of the GCAB and has served on several sub-committees (Protocol Development and Implementation Subcommittee and Site Management and Clinical Care Committee) and working groups (Field Representatives Working Group) as a GCAB representative. She has been an active member of CAB Women’s Working Group for the last three years. Vijaya has also worked as a mentor for new GCAB members from around the world. She is known for explicitly sharing her input in CAB and GCAB meetings. Her intense experience with the HIV community provides critical insights for protocol review and developing training/educational material for research participants, ultimately helping recruitment and retention of participants in ACTG HIV and TB studies. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she became involved in conducting capacity-building sessions for counsellors and outreach staff working for the BJMC clinical trial unit, focused on developing dialogue with the community and motivating them to take part in clinical trials. She hopes that the ACTG will be able to advance comprehensive care for people aging with HIV and increased inclusivity of women living with HIV in research.
Vijaya enjoys her life with her mother (Sudha) and her younger brother (Milind), an entrepreneur in Pune, her greatest supporters. Her hobbies include cycling, physical fitness, trekking, and staying in tune with nature.