Dr. Ajay Kumar belongs to a rare breed of medical professionals who combines academic excellence with deep concern for social welfare. Not without reasons, many among his colleagues and friends see him as an activist who not only wants to cure the suffering people, but, also the ailing society. He is a scientist, an artist, a technologist and a social worker & above all a humanist, all rolled into one to tend his fellow beings to overcome adversaries of all kinds –physical, mental and social to keep them healthy.
Born in a middle class family in the land from where Mahatma Gandhi had launched his crusade against the exploiters (Champaran) an ever-smiling had the schooling at Netarhat Residential School that is known for discipline and rigorous teaching. He started displaying his brilliance right from the childhood.
With heart of a poet and hands of an artist he could have been a painter. Instead he opted for a bigger canvas of medical profession. After having obtained a degree in medicine from Patna Medical College (formally ‘Prince of Wales Medical College’) under Patna University, he sailed to England to specialize in the area of urology. He could have very well stayed back to pursue a highly lucrative carrier there but driven by the sweet smell of Bihar soil, he returned to serve one of the BIMARU (ailing) states, his homeland with enthusiasm. He always quotes John. F. Kennedy, to remind the people around him “Don’t ask what the country has done for you. Ask what you have done for your country”. That explains his Philosophy.
At Patna, Dr. Kumar provided world class services to the poor & drown trodden while conducting researches in different fields of Urology, results of which were presented, debated and appreciated at various National and international fora .
But, he did not confine himself to his air-conditioned Chamber, Labs & Operation Theatres like prisoner, simply because he realised that besides the curative aspect of health management a lot has to be done in the fields of prevention of diseases. For this, poor and semi-literate people needed to be educated, his colleagues and staff needed to be motivated.
Being associated with Indian Medical Association in different capacities rising from grass root level to become its National President , he took a lot of initiative in survey and identification of prevalent disease. He also organised Rashtriya swasthya Mela at various places in the state in which more than Lakh people were examined for health deficiencies and provided medical support. As a national president of Indian Medical Association he has initiated many projects and public awareness programmes at national level with mercenary zeal. “Beti Bachao Desh Bachao”, “Anaemia Free Children”, “Care for Elderly”. “Disaster management Cell of IMA are the few of the projects close to his heart.
He is well know for his honest, frank and fearless opinion on matters of public interest which is reflected in his active national campaign against “Fake drug manufacturing” and “quackery” in India. He is ‘crusader’ of medical profession fighting relentlessly to protect the dignity and rights of his colleagues. But, he does not loose the opportunity of condemning misguided members of the profession and advise them to follow the path of truth and ethical practice. As amember of “Advisory committee on Ethics” of world medical Association (WMA) he has raised many issues of ethical medical practices,with special interest in “Ethical Dilemma in Human Organ Transplantation “, at different international fora.
Realising that uncontrolled population explosion was the main hurdle in the economic development of the Country and Bihar, he involved himself with the special campaign called “Jansankhya ke Virudha Sangharsh”. He organised a series of camps to make the people aware about importance of small family and terminal methods of family planning. He found that people, particularly in rural areas, were eager but there was none to educate and motivate them.
This finding led him to realise that without universalisation of quality of education and motivation proper health management and population control cannot be ensured. Hence he focused his attention towards innovative school system to promote quality education among the poor children. With the help of alumni of famous Netarhat Residential School, then in Bihar, now in Jharkhand, he setup a residential school at Purnea in Northeast Bihar. To promote Creativity and Creative Learning among the children, particularly belonging to lower middle & downtrodden class, he started Association for Promotion of creative Learning (APCL) in State capital. Through this organisation Dr. Kumar is silently spreading innovative education in the rural and suburban areas of Bihar.
This organisation has also done spectacular works in generation of environmental awareness through “Prakriti Jodo Abhiyan”. He has been taking keen interest on promoting welfare of handicapped children by organising special functions to convince them they are inferior to none.
Like a restless bird Dr. Ajay Kumar soars higher than any pursuit of excellence and service to the humanity.
