Dr Suniti Solomon, who detected India's first HIV case, dies at 75

Dr. Suniti Solomon who was part of the team that documented the first evidence of HIV infection in India in 1986 has died in Chennai on Tuesday morning, reports a leading English daily.

Dr. Solomon was diagnosed with cancer three months ago, according to the report. She was over 75 years old. She is survived by a son, Sunil Suhas Solomon

Dr. Solomon detected and documented the first case of HIV infection in India when she was working as a professor of microbiology at Madras Medical College and Government General Hospital. She then set up a testing and counselling centre and an AIDS research group in Chennai.

She served and held prestigious positions in various organisations working in the areas of HIV research studies including US National Institute of Mental Health's multi-country HIV/STD prevention trial.

Dr Solomon worked for more than three decades using science to save lives.