India's thriving commercial sex trade and well-developed transportation system have meant that the AIDS virus has spread widely since it was first seen in India in 1986. The United Nations Aids program estimates that by the end of this decade, 20 to 25 million people will be HIV-positive in India - more than five times the number of people currently infected.

The virus has struck many different groups, but it is the women which stand out. A monogamous woman can be held in contempt by her in-laws if she contracts the virus from her husband. A typical example would be young women who marry...