Sujeet Kumar (politician)

This article is about the politician. For the actor, see Sujit Kumar. For the field hockey player, see Sujit Kumar (field hockey).

• Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government
• University of Oxford - Said Business School
• VSSUT Burla

Sujeet Kumar
ସୁଜୀତ କୁମାର
Official portrait
Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
Incumbent
Assumed office 17 December 2024
Website	https://www.sujeetkofficial.com/ or https://www.officeofsujeetkumar.com/

Sujeet Kumar (born 17 November 1975) is an Indian politician of the Bharatiya Janata Party, ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]} representing Odisha in the Rajya Sabha (The Council of States or The Upper House of the Indian Parliament). ^{[5] [6] [7] [8]} He previously served as a Member of Parliament representing the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) from April 2020 to September 2024. In addition to his political career, Kumar is a lawyer and a trained arbitrator, practicing in the Supreme Court of India, as well as in various High Courts and Tribunals. He has held several significant positions, including Chairman of the Committee on Petitions in the Rajya Sabha, where he was one of the youngest members to chair a Parliamentary Committee. ^[9] Previously, he served as the Advisor to the Special Development Council (SDC) of the Government of Odisha, with a rank equivalent to Chief Secretary, ^[10] and as the Special Secretary of the Odisha State Planning Board. These roles involved senior-level policy planning and development responsibilities within the state government. He recently published a book titled "AI on Trial" along with Tauseef Alam. ^{[11] [12] [13] [14]}

Education

Sujeet Kumar pursued his education in his hometown of Bhawanipatna, situated in the Kalahandi district of Odisha. He later earned a Bachelor of Engineering (BE) degree from Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (formerly UCE Burla) and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from Sambalpur University.

Kumar was awarded the inaugural Skoll Scholarship for Social Entrepreneurship, ^[15] which facilitated his pursuit of an MBA at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. He further enhanced his academic credentials by completing a Master in Public Administration (MPA) degree from the Harvard Kennedy School at Harvard University.

Career

Kumar began his professional career as a software engineer with Infosys Technologies Ltd. He later transitioned to the development sector, working with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on its "ICT for Development" project in Odisha, which aimed to introduce digital technology to remote areas of the state. Subsequently, Kumar joined the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Geneva, Switzerland, where he was involved in designing and managing significant projects.

In 2011, Sujeet Kumar returned to India and established the Kalinga Kusum Foundation, a social enterprise, as well as LexMantra LLP, a business and legal consulting firm. He continues to serve as an advisor and mentor to these organizations, offering strategic direction and guidance.

Kumar's career spans multiple sectors, including corporate, government, and development work at international, national, and grassroots levels. He has participated in various conferences and forums both in India and internationally. In recognition of his contributions as a policymaker and legal entrepreneur, as well as his work at the intersection of law, technology, development, and public policy, Kumar received the Youth Inspiration Award in 2017. ^[16] His connection with the academics has lead him to be adjunct and visiting faculty and various universities and institution of India and abroad.

On 22 December 2021, Kumar was unanimously appointed as the convenor of the All Party Indian Parliamentary Forum for Tibet. ^{[17] [18]} He is also a founding member of the Formosa Club Indo-Pacific chapter and serves as the co-chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC). ^{[19] [20]}

Legal Practice

Sujeet Kumar is a practicing legal professional, working in the Supreme Court of India, various High Courts, and Tribunals. He also established a law firm LexMantra that provides legal services to domestic and international corporations, multinational companies, multilateral and government agencies, investors, and individuals.

Kumar holds memberships in several professional organizations, including being a Life Member of the Orissa High Court Bar Association, the International Bar Association, the International Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ICADR), the Indian Council of Arbitration (ICA), and the Construction Industry Arbitration Council (CIAC). He is also affiliated with the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), the Supreme Court of India Bar Association, and serves as a Patron Member of the Bar Association of India (BAI).

International Engagement

Kumar recently launched the Parliamentry Forum for 'Tech Diplomacy' fostering collaboration between legislators on the responsible and inclusive usage of emerging technologies.

Parliamentary Committees

Kumar is currently serving as the Member of Standing Committee on Member Standing Committee on Science Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change; Member, Consultative Committee for the Ministry of External Affairs and Member Indian Council of World Affairs.

Kumar has previously served on several esteemed Parliamentary Committees, including:

1. Chairman, Committee on Petitions of Rajya Sabha ^[21]

2. Member, Standing Committee on Home Affairs

3. Member, Committee on Official Language

4. Member, Press Council of India

5. Member, Committee on Rural Development

6. Member, Indian Council of World Affairs

7. Member, Committee of Privileges

8. Member, Committee on Information and Communication Technology Management in Rajya Sabha

9. Member, Consultative Committee for the Ministry of External Affairs

10. Member, Consultative Committee on East Coast Railways

Private Members Bills

Kumar has introduced several Private Members' Bills in Parliament over some very important issues. Key Bills introduced are:

1. The Sustainable Fashion (Promotion and Regulation) Bill, 2025 – This bill establishes a legal framework to promote environmentally sustainable and socially just practices in India’s fashion industry. It proposes creating a Sustainable Fashion Commission to regulate waste, ensure fair labour standards, and advance a circular economy. Key measures include green certification, awareness campaigns, and education, aligning the sector’s growth with sustainability, worker welfare, and national development goals.
2. The Viral Hepatitis (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2025 - This bill seeks to prevent and control Viral Hepatitis while safeguarding affected individuals' rights. It prohibits discrimination, ensures informed consent for testing and treatment, and mandates confidentiality. The bill directs government efforts toward antiviral therapy, awareness programs, and workplace safety. It also establishes grievance redressal mechanisms through Viral Hepatitis Complaint Officers and imposes penalties for violations related to discrimination and confidentiality breaches.
3. The Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Amendment Bill, 2023 - This bill proposes reservations for women in Central Educational Institutions to address gender disparities in higher education. It seeks to promote equality under Article 14 of the Constitution and enhance women's access to education, thereby enabling greater societal participation. ^[22]
4. The Antiquities and Art Treasures (Amendment) Bill, 2023 - This bill aims to strengthen the penal provisions under the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act to combat the smuggling of cultural heritage. It highlights the need to address insufficient punitive measures against the illicit export of antiquities and art treasures. The bill seeks to review and revise the penal provisions concerning the export or attempted export of antiquities and art treasures in violation of the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act. ^[23]
5. The Net Zero Emissions Bill, 2022 - This bill provides a framework for achieving net-zero emissions by 2070 in line with India’s commitments under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. It includes provisions for maintaining a vulnerable population registry to protect communities from severe climate events. ^[24]
6. The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2022 - This bill seeks to redefine procedural frameworks concerning bail provisions. It addresses the lack of definitions for terms like "Bail" and "Anticipatory Bail" in the current Code of Criminal Procedure and aims to refine the categorization of offences. ^[25]
7. The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (prohibition of advertisement and regulation of trade and commerce, production, supply and distribution) (Amendment) Bill, 2022 - This bill proposes amendments to the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003, including a comprehensive ban on tobacco use in public places and raising the legal age for purchasing tobacco products to 21 years. ^[26]
8. The Prevention and Prohibition of Witch-branding and Witch-hunting and Other Harmful Practices Bill, 2022 - This bill aims to prevent and prohibit practices such as witch-branding and witch-hunting. It proposes measures for protecting individuals, especially women, from associated violence and discrimination eliminating the torture, oppression, humiliation, killing, sexual assault, stigmatization, discrimination, ostracization while providing provisions for relief and rehabilitation of victims. ^{[27] [28]}
9. The Legislation and Expenditure Accountability Bill, 2022 - This bill seeks to enhance accountability and Parliamentary oversight in legislative and policy-making processes. It also aims to improve the quality of expenditure by the Union Government. ^{[29] [30]}

Public Cause

SDC Cup 2020

As the Advisor to the Special Development Council (SDC) of the Government of Odisha, Sujeet Kumar oversaw the organization of the SDC Cup 2020, a football tournament designed to engage indigenous youth from Odisha. The event featured competitive matches at district and state levels, culminating in a final match at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack, attended by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik ^[31] and Indian football legend Bhaichung Bhutia. Supported by the Football Association of Odisha (FAO) and the All India Football Federation (AIFF), the championship involved over 10,000 participants from nine tribal-dominated districts, with competitions held in both men’s and women’s categories.

Kalahandi Dialogue

Kumar initiated the “Kalahandi Dialogue” (http://www.kalahandidialogue.org/) held in September 2018, as a collaborative platform to engage stakeholders including policymakers, global leaders, development practitioners, entrepreneurs, social entrepreneurs, elected representatives, intellectuals, and local citizens in discussions on development. ^[32] The event, hosted in Kalahandi, aimed to foster dialogue and action on regional development issues and served as an inspiration for similar platforms.

Legislative Engagement

Kumar was involved in legislative engagement and advocacy through Kalinga Kusum, a non-profit organization, in partnership with UNICEF. This initiative aimed to orient Odisha Legislative Assembly members (MLAs) on areas such as budgeting, child rights, and ease of doing business. Kumar provides mentorship support to Kalinga Kusum and promotes the use of technology to enhance governance and address critical challenges.

Child-Friendly Constituency (CFC)

Kumar played a role in conceptualizing and implementing the Child-Friendly Constituency (CFC) initiative, developed in collaboration with the Kalinga Kusum Foundation and UNICEF. The initiative focuses on creating constituencies that prioritize child welfare and rights. The first CFC project in India was implemented in the Khandapada Assembly Constituency of Odisha’s Nayagarh district, with the support of local MLA Anubhav Patnaik. The project received recognition from UNICEF for its innovative approach to promoting child-friendly policies.

Awards, Recognition and Honorary positions

• Awarded by Shri Amit Shah, Home Minister, Government of India as a 'Special Appreciation' for promoting liver health and raising awareness about liver related diseases. ^[33]
• Odisha Youth Inspiration Award 2017, Odisha Diary Foundation ^[34]
• Mason Scholar and Hauser Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School, 2010–11 ^[35]
• Asia Pacific Leadership Fellow (APLP) at East West Centre, Hawaii, 2009-10. ^[36]
• Chair of Young Indians (Yi), Bhubaneswar Chapter 2012-13 ^[37]
• Global Leadership Fellow, One of twenty fellows selected by the World Economic Forum (WEF), Switzerland from about 3000 odd applicants, 2006 ^{[38] [39]}
• Adjunct Faculty, Sri Sri University (SSU) & Advisor, SSU Global Centre for Indigenous Study ^[40]

References

1. "Age Wise Members List".
2. Barik, Satyasundar (6 September 2024). "BJD Rajya Sabha member Sujeet Kumar resigns from Upper House of Parliament; joins BJP". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 30 December 2024.
3. "BJP nominates former BJD leader Sujeet Kumar for Rajya Sabha by-election from Odisha". The Times of India. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 30 December 2024.
4. "Former BJD MP Sujeet Kumar joins BJP". Hindustan Times. 6 September 2024. Archived from the original on 6 September 2024. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
5. "Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik announces Sujit Kumar, Subhash Singh, Munna Khan, Mamata Mahanta as #RajyaSabha nominees from BJD". 7 March 2020.
6. "Naveen names BJD candidates for all four Rajya Sabha seats in Odisha, no pact with BJP". The New Indian Express.
7. "Rajya Sabha: 18 candidates from five states elected unopposed". The Indian Express . 18 March 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2020– via Yahoo! News.
8. Mohanty, Meera. "BJD's majority should push Naveen Patnaik's candidate through to Rajya Sabha". The Economic Times.
9. "Wayback Machine" (PDF). sansad.in. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 March 2024. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
10. Bureau, Odishatv. "Sujit Kumar appointed spl secy of Planning Board". Sujit Kumar appointed spl secy of Planning Board. Retrieved 30 December 2024.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
11. "From Code To Court: AI On Trial Asks Who's Accountable When Machines Go Rogue". BW Businessworld. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
12. "Judgements Can't Be Robotised: Vice-President Launches Book 'AI On Trial'". BW Legal World. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
13. "VP Dhankhar bats for AI regulation". The Tribune. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
14. "Vice President Dhankhar emphasizes need for AI regulation, transparency, and ethical safeguards". firstindia.co.in. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
15. "Skoll | Sujeet Kumar" . Retrieved 5 January 2025.
16. "Sujeet Kumar receives Youth Inspiration Award of 2017 in Public Policy". Odisha Diary. 26 December 2017. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
17. temporary (23 December 2021). "All-Party Indian Parliamentary Forum for Tibet Successfully Revived Appointing Shri Sujeet Kumar as the New Convener - Central Tibetan Administration" . Retrieved 30 December 2024.
18. "Sujeet Kumar". International Network of Parliamentarians on Tibet. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
19. Jha, Lalit K. (17 September 2022). "China biggest threat to global peace order; need to create a counter-narrative, says IPAC". The Economic Times. ISSN   0013-0389 . Retrieved 30 December 2024.
20. "IPAC". www.ipac.global. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
21. Correspondent, Tathya (7 November 2022). "Sujeet Kumar; Chairman Petitions Committee". Tathya. Retrieved 5 January 2025.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
22. Kumar, Sujeet. "THE CENTRAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS (RESERVATION IN ADMISSION) AMENDMENT BILL, 2023" (PDF).
23. Kumar, Sujeet. "THE ANTIQUITIES AND ART TREASURES (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2023" (PDF). Sansad.in.
24. Kumar, Sujeet. "THE NET ZERO EMISSIONS BILL, 2022" (PDF).
25. Kumar, Sujeet. "THE CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2022" (PDF).
26. Kumar, Sujeet. "THE CIGARETTES AND OTHER TOBACCO PRODUCTS (PROHIBITION OF ADVERTISEMENT AND REGULATION OF TRADE AND COMMERCE, PRODUCTION, SUPPLY AND DISTRIBUTION) (AMENDMENT)" (PDF). Sansad.in.
27. Lakhera, Vitasta Kaul & Vedaant (13 December 2024). "Indian Women Still Die for Being 'Witches' in 2024". Frontline. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
28. Kumar, Sujeet. "THE PREVENTION AND PROHIBITION OF WITCH-BRANDING AND WITCH-HUNTING AND OTHER HARMFUL PRACTICES BILL, 2022" (PDF). Sansad.in.
29. Kumar, Sujeet. "THE LEGISLATION AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNTABILITY BILL, 2022" (PDF).
30. "Daily Mains Practice Question 17th March 2023". Legacy IAS Academy. 17 March 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
31. "Bhubaneswar: Football tourney in tribal districts to find, nurture hidden talents". The Times of India. 25 February 2020. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 30 December 2024.
32. Bureau, O. B. (27 September 2018). "Kalahandi Dialogue To Talk Development Where It Matters Most". Odisha Bytes. Retrieved 30 December 2024.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
33. "World Liver Day 2025 : Healthy Liver - Healthy India".
34. "Sujeet Kumar receives Youth Inspiration Award of 2017 in Public Policy". Odisha Diary. 26 December 2017. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
35. Bureau, Reporters Today (22 July 2020). "Sujeet Kumar, The Dynamic Young in RS". Reporters Today English. Retrieved 5 January 2025.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
36. Standard, Business. "Naveen inaugurates 'Kalahandi Dialogue' conclave". www.business-standard.com. Archived from the original on 7 November 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2024.{{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
37. "Sujeet new YI chair, Vineet co-chair".
38. "Sujeet Kumar". skollscholarship.org. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020.
39. "Skoll1 | Sujeet Kumar".
40. "JANUARY 2nd 2019 - INTERRATIVE SESSION WITH SUJEET KUMAR, ADJUNCT FACULTY AT SRI SRI UNIVERSITY - Sri Sri University". Archived from the original on 13 August 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2020.