Noori Saleem: The TransWoman Who Mothered Through HIV By Rhythm Wagholikar

In a world that often punishes difference, Noori’s journey reflects quiet defiance and enduring grace. Her life story transcends personal transformation, constituting a broader legacy of resilience, advocacy, and unwavering compassion. Rhythm Wagholikar remarks, "Sitting across from her in a modest Tamil Nadu office, I found myself in the company of more than a woman!! I met a revolution, draped in a saree"

Noori Saleem has earned numerous certificates and awards.

Born as Noor Mohammed in Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu, Noori grew up amid sorrow losing her brother, sister, and mother by the age of four. Her early years were marked by loss, and her identity became another source of strife. “I talked and walked like a girl. I didn’t try to…it was just who I was,” she says, her voice calm but unwavering.

Her community reacted with cruelty. Her father, who claimed to prefer daughters, beat her in an attempt to ‘correct’ her. Her stepmother was equally harsh. At 13, fleeing relentless abuse, Noori escaped to Madras, seeking dignity in a world that offered little understanding.

She returned home only after her father’s death, only to be met with another rejection, plans for her to marry a woman. She left again, this time permanently, journeying to Bombay where survival demanded unthinkable choices. “It wasn’t a decision…it was desperation,” she says of entering sex work. But amid hardship, she found a flicker of light, a man from the army who offered her love, and with it, the strength to affirm her identity through gender-affirming surgery. “There were no painkillers. But that pain felt like freedom.”

The relationship, though real, was fleeting. He was transferred to the far off Islands; she stayed behind. Survival again pushed her. It was during this time that she first heard whispers of a new illness! AIDS!

On 22 July 1987, Noori’s was diagnosed with HIV positive, one of India’s second recorded case. She was told she had two years to live. “I felt utterly alone,” she recalls. But another doctor, Dr. Usha Raghavan, offered her a lifeline. “Why sit in the dark?” she asked. “Come into the light.”

That invitation became her compass.

Noori began working at the clinic for a modest salary, stitching blouses by night to survive. Soon, her pain changed into purpose. She joined the Community Action Network, where she learned to promote awareness about HIV, safe sex, and health education. There was no manual, just lived experience and determination.

In 2001, encouraged by a supportive doctor, she founded the South India Positive (SIP) Network providing counselling, healthcare, and livelihoods to those living with HIV. She named the SIP Memorial Trust in honour of three lost friends—Selvi, Indira, and Palani and ensured it would always be led by people living with HIV. “Only we understand what it means to live this life,” she says.

Two years later, she discovered an abandoned baby near a garbage dump. A note revealed the mother was HIV positive. Noori took the child home. That single act of compassion seeded a larger dream…a home for children orphaned or abandoned due to HIV.

Today, that vision grows. Her shelter is home to over 200 children, all under the watch of the Child Welfare Committee of Tamil Nadu. Her adopted sons: Vinod, Anand, and Malhar were raised through her consistent effort, as she taught herself tailoring to support them. She was their provider, protector, and home.

The walls of her office may hold accolades from World AIDS Day, International Women’s Day, and Transgender Day of Visibility but she points to the children as her true reward. “They are my reason,” she says.

Her home remains full of life, but her vision now stretches toward permanence. “We’ve completed 85% of the new shelter,” she shares with hope.

Despite her significant impact, state support remains elusive. Medicines are scarce. Meals are uncertain. “There’s no government aid,” she states plainly, yet without resentment. She moves forward, sustained by donations and willpower.

Her impact extends beyond the shelter. Noori played a key role in the formation of India’s Transgender Welfare Board, a landmark in gender justice. Once silenced, her voice now contributes to policy.

Yet, beneath her advocacy lies profound humanity. She not only advocates for rights but also provides support.

Over coffee, Rhythm asked her what she hopes for most. “I want to be remembered by my name,” she says quietly. “I want to begin and end with dignity.”

Her aspiration is to one day receive a government recognition not for herself, but for the thousands whose responsibilities she has taken on. “It’s not prestige I seek,” she says. “I want people to know that a woman like me existed… who turned pain into purpose.”

Noori’s life is dedicated to the unseen, the unheard, the unloved. It is shaped by courage, softened by compassion, and driven by purpose. The transition from Noor Mohammed to Noori reflects a personal and social transformation, through which she has come to represent not only an individual identity but also a broader symbol of a movement, hope and home.

Noori’s experience is not defined by a single narrative. She embodies the lived realities of many, holding multiple stories through her actions, her empathy, and the supportive space she has established—shaped by both personal hardship and compassion.

This in-depth conversation with Noori was conducted by Rhythm Wagholikar, a writer, cultural curator, and changemaker whose work traverses music, literature, and social welfare. Known for creating the world’s first gramophone-shaped book Swarlata, a tribute to Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar, Rhythm is recognized for his unique storytelling formats and philanthropic endeavors. He authored a Swarmandal-shaped book on Gaan Saraswati Kishori Amonkar and led the Public Relations Council of India YCC as Pune Chairman from 2016–2018. A firm believer in using art and empathy for social good, Rhythm has worked extensively with NGOs supporting orphaned and abandoned girls, he remains dedicated to documenting stories of hope, courage, and transformation like Noori’s that contribute to a broader understanding of the pursuit of a more inclusive and equitable society.