Shri Sujeet Kumar
Sujeet Kumar is an Indian politician who currently serves as a Member of Parliament (MP) representing the state of Odisha in the Rajya Sabha (The Council of States or The Upper House) since 2020. Apart from his political career, he is also a lawyer and trained arbitrator who has practised in the Supreme Court of India and various high courts and tribunals. Throughout his professional journey, he has held significant policy planning positions within the Government of Odisha, including serving as an Advisor to the Special Development Council (SDC) in the rank of Chief Secretary, as well as Special Secretary to the Odisha State Planning Board.
Notably, Sujeet Kumar is recognized as one of the youngest MPs to preside over a Parliamentary Committee and currently holds the position of Chairman of the Committee on Petitions in the Rajya Sabha. Additionally, he also serves as a member of several other committees, including the Standing Committee on Home Affairs, Committee on Official Language, Consultative Committee for the Ministry of External Affairs, Joint Committee on the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2022, and Joint Committee on Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2022.
Sujeet Kumar hails from Bhawanipatna in the Kalahandi district of Odisha. He obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering (BE) from Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology and a Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LLB) from Sambalpur University. He was awarded the prestigious Skoll Scholarship for Social Entrepreneurship, which enabled him to pursue an MBA at Saïd Business School, Oxford University. He further expanded his knowledge by acquiring a Master in Public Administration (MPA) from the esteemed Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), Harvard University.
Beyond his political endeavors, Sujeet Kumar is passionate about harmonizing law, development, and social entrepreneurship. He has provided strategic, legal, regulatory, and corporate governance advice to numerous start-ups, small businesses, social ventures, non-profit organizations, impact investors, and donor organizations both in India and internationally. He founded LexMantra, a full-service start-up and legal consulting firm that offers comprehensive legal and business advisory solutions to domestic and overseas clients, including investors, multinational corporations, and government agencies.
Sujeet Kumar has a notable background in social entrepreneurship and philanthropy. He has been serving as the Founder and Mentor at Kalinga Kusum, a social enterprise dedicated to addressing education challenges and promoting legal empowerment in rural communities in India through strategic philanthropy.
At Kalinga Kusum, Sujeet Kumar has taken on a leadership role in conceptualizing and guiding the implementation of the Child-Friendly Constituency (CFC) project. The first CFC initiative in India was implemented in the Khandapada Constituency, located in the Nayagarh district of Odisha, in collaboration with UNICEF. The CFC model aims to establish a platform where elected representatives can engage in structured dialogues with district officials and various stakeholders. Additionally, it aims to facilitate community participation in addressing issues that impact the well-being of children. This model is designed to optimize the utilization of resources allocated under existing policies of both the State and Central Governments.
By focusing on fostering collaboration and dialogue, the CFC model seeks to enhance the overall effectiveness of government initiatives related to children’s welfare. Sujeet Kumar’s involvement in this endeavor demonstrates his commitment to making a positive impact on education and legal empowerment in rural areas of India.
Sujeet Kumar has also made significant contributions to the development sector, including his work with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), where he managed the ‘ICT for Development’ Project in Odisha, introducing digital technology to remote districts of the state. Furthermore, he served as a Global Leadership Fellow (GLF) at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Geneva, where he played a pivotal role in identifying, selecting, and overseeing the Community of Young Global Leaders (YGLs) from Asia. He also managed an education task force focused on innovating educational models for rural schools in developing countries.
Sujeet Kumar is actively involved in various professional associations and societies, including being a life member of the Orissa High Court Bar Association, International Bar Association, The International Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ICADR), Indian Council of Arbitration (ICA), Construction Industry Arbitration Council (CIAC), Oxbridge Society of India, Harvard Club of India (HCI), and Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA).Sujeet Kumar is an Indian politician affiliated with the Biju Janata Dal party and currently serves as a Member of Parliament (MP) representing the state of Odisha in the Rajya Sabha (The Council of States or The Upper House) since 2020. Apart from his political career, he is also a lawyer and trained arbitrator who has practiced in the Supreme Court of India and various high courts and tribunals.
Throughout his professional journey, he has held significant policy planning positions within the Government of Odisha, including serving as an Advisor to the Special Development Council (SDC) in the rank of Chief Secretary, as well as Special Secretary to the Odisha State Planning Board.
Notably, Sujeet Kumar is recognized as one of the youngest MPs to preside over a Parliamentary Committee and currently holds the position of Chairman of the Committee on Petitions in the Rajya Sabha. Additionally, he also serves as a member of several other committees, including the Standing Committee on Home Affairs, Committee on Official Language, Consultative Committee for the Ministry of External Affairs, Joint Committee on the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2022, and Joint Committee on Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2022.
Sujeet Kumar hails from Bhawanipatna in the Kalahandi district of Odisha. He obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering (BE) from Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology and a Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LLB) from Sambalpur University. He was awarded the prestigious Skoll Scholarship for Social Entrepreneurship, which enabled him to pursue an MBA at Saïd Business School, Oxford University. He further expanded his knowledge by acquiring a Master in Public Administration (MPA) from the esteemed Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), Harvard University.
Beyond his political endeavors, Sujeet Kumar is passionate about harmonizing law, development, and social entrepreneurship. He has provided strategic, legal, regulatory, and corporate governance advice to numerous start-ups, small businesses, social ventures, non-profit organizations, impact investors, and donor organizations both in India and internationally. He founded LexMantra, a full-service start-up and legal consulting firm that offers comprehensive legal and business advisory solutions to domestic and overseas clients, including investors, multinational corporations, and government agencies.
Sujeet Kumar has a notable background in social entrepreneurship and philanthropy. He has been serving as the Founder and Mentor at Kalinga Kusum, a social enterprise dedicated to addressing education challenges and promoting legal empowerment in rural communities in India through strategic philanthropy.
At Kalinga Kusum, Sujeet Kumar has taken on a leadership role in conceptualizing and guiding the implementation of the Child-Friendly Constituency (CFC) project. The first CFC initiative in India was implemented in the Khandapada Constituency, located in the Nayagarh district of Odisha, in collaboration with UNICEF. The CFC model aims to establish a platform where elected representatives can engage in structured dialogues with district officials and various stakeholders. Additionally, it aims to facilitate community participation in addressing issues that impact the well-being of children. This model is designed to optimize the utilization of resources allocated under existing policies of both the State and Central Governments.
By focusing on fostering collaboration and dialogue, the CFC model seeks to enhance the overall effectiveness of government initiatives related to children’s welfare. Sujeet Kumar’s involvement in this endeavor demonstrates his commitment to making a positive impact on education and legal empowerment in rural areas of India.
Sujeet Kumar has also made significant contributions to the development sector, including his work with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), where he managed the ‘ICT for Development’ Project in Odisha, introducing digital technology to remote districts of the state. Furthermore, he served as a Global Leadership Fellow (GLF) at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Geneva, where he played a pivotal role in identifying, selecting, and overseeing the Community of Young Global Leaders (YGLs) from Asia. He also managed an education task force focused on innovating educational models for rural schools in developing countries.
Sujeet Kumar is actively involved in various professional associations and societies, including being a life member of the Orissa High Court Bar Association, International Bar Association, The International Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ICADR), Indian Council of Arbitration (ICA), Construction Industry Arbitration Council (CIAC), Oxbridge Society of India, Harvard Club of India (HCI), and Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA).