A crowning achievement of sustained community service, during her 36-year stay in the US, has earned her the prestigious “Mother Teresa of Chicago” award. It was conferred upon her by the Consul-General of Chicago.
For ships and sailors buffeted and tossed around like straw in a storm-tossed ocean, the only hope of survival and the safety of dry land is a faint, flashing beacon of light from a distant lighthouse on the shore. In much the same way, Santosh Kumar Kulshreshtha has served as a beacon of hope, succour and compassion for millions of immigrants seeking a better life in the US.
India-born US resident living in Chicago, Illinois, USA, Dr. (Mrs) Santosh Kumar has always been known take up challenges and selflessly work as a crusader for the downtrodden and oppressed and as a tireless spokesperson for those with no voice of their own, most particularly immigrants and refugees.
A crowning achievement of sustained community service, during her 36-year stay in the US, has earned her the prestigious “Mother Teresa of Chicago” award. It was conferred upon her by the Consul-General of Chicago. This is in addition to the scores of awards and accolades presented to her in the past so many years.
The iconic symbol of the towering Statue of Liberty that greets immigrants as their ships enter New York harbour, is a reassuring sight indeed, a powerful symbol of hope and promise. Adding to its imposing grandeur and magnificence are lines from the poem ‘The New Colossus’ by celebrated poet Emma Lazarus, inscribed on a pedestal, upon which stands this majestic icon.
The most moving among these lines are the following:
……….“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
But this assertion delivers little on its promise as it ought to. It is common knowledge that immigrants often end up as unwanted dregs of society, left more or less to fend for themselves most of the time. But a guardian angel soon appeared on the scene and very soon became a committed champion for their cause – Dr. Santosh Kumar.
After her marriage in 1984 to Pramod Kumar, an IIT graduate from Kharagpur and a businessman and investor in the United States since 1970, she migrated to the United States in 1985.
Even in the US, Dr. Kumar could not curb her crusading spirit. And since the past 36 years she has been fiercely fighting for the rights of immigrants.,
Armed with her legal knowledge and experience of 18 years as a lawyer in India, she became a champion for the cause of millions of immigrants. She immediately took higher courses to specialise in US immigration laws.
The immigrants she began to work with were mostly from South Asia – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Eastern Europe – all trying to find their feet in a new country, a country they’d hoped would become a promised land for them. But their struggles more often left them disillusioned and lost, unable to cope with the culture shock of a new land.
Her most significant contribution has been the establishment of Metropolitan Asian Family Services (MAFS) and Universal Metro Asian Services (UMAS) in 1993, non-profit agencies working for the well-being of the community in Chicago, Illinois.
MAFS provides integrated services to the immigrant communities facing linguistic and cultural problems. After about 18 years of sustained work with a team of over 3,000 people and fully equipped 15 centres in US and India, Mrs. Kumar realised that MAFS / UMAS had limited scope since they could not provide the needed medical and residential services to the population.
So this torch-bearer of goodness set out to create ‘Metro Family Clinic’ and ‘Metro Home Health Care’ to deliver high-quality health services in a focused, caring and teaching environment, providing health advocacy to the community.
Her third venture has been the ‘Metro Senior Living’ a three floor building with elevator to be used by seniors to enjoy their golden years in a worry-free environment.
Mrs. Kumar has bagged many accolades in the United States for serving the community. The most prestigious among them was when she was declared “Mother Teresa of Chicago” and earned the community service award by the Consul General of Chicago.
Her long list of achievements includes ‘Award of Excellence’ in 1997, World Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005 by American Biographical Institute, USA. In 2007 Indian Community of Niles Township (ICNT) recognised her for her community work and in her honour Illinois Governor has declared October 17th as Metropolitan Asian Family Service Day. In 2010 she earned Pillar of community service award for “Outstanding Service to Older Adults”. She was declared President of Federation of Aligarh Muslim Alumina (FAMA). In the year 2013, she was presented Outstanding Community Service Award & Educational Impact Award.
Another one of her most significant contributions came about when the Covid crisis was at its peak in mid-2020 and India was facing a grave vaccine shortage. It was only on account of her intervention and personal meeting with President Joe Biden that emergency consignments of vaccines were sent to India and a resolution against India by the Chicago Council was struck down
Born in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India (Feb 1, 1950), Santosh showed a fiercely independent spirit and resolve to work for the common good of other people and fight against social injustice from the very beginning.
As a brilliant an dynamic criminal defence lawyer for 18 years, both in the courts of Aligarh (Sessions Court) and the Rajasthan High Court (Jaipur) and also as a Professor of Law at both these places, she has earned a tremendous amount of recognition for her stirling work and services.
It was during this time through her landmark judgment in several cases criminal she was instrumental in making radical changes and major breakthroughs in the Indian Judicial system. This was particularly so with regard to bride burning and child marriage issues in Rajasthan.
Her pioneering work for justice and upliftment of Adivasis in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan earned her recognition by the Indian Government and her work was viewed as an exemplary achievement.
Working as a strong advocate of Indian interests, Dr, Kumar has been providing much-needed support, guidance and funding to countless worthy causes and organisations in India as well. She always strives to strike a balance in life and firmly believes in the spiritual power of God.
International University of Vedic Wellness
More recently, Dr. Kumar has been directly involved in the setting up of an International University of Vedic Wellness, a long-cherished dream.
The inauguration took place on September 9, 2021, to commemorate the 48th death anniversary of Shambu Dayal Kulshreshtha, the late father of Dr. (Mrs) Santosh Kumar.
Dr Kumar said that the university will be built on a 40-plus acre campus in the Greater Chicago Area, USA, and would offer certification, associate, bachelor, masters, and Ph.D. degree courses in a formal setting.
A beaming Dr Kumar said with a distinct note of pride in her voice: “With this giant step, I’m fulfilling my lifelong dream to globally promote the precious knowledge of Vedic Scriptures, Science of Upanishads, Ayurveda and Hindu Philosophy to all”.
She added “one of the main purpose of the university will be to preserve and advance the values and principles of Hindu philosophy, religious scriptures and ideals enshrined in the ancient texts of the Vedas and the Science of Ayurveda, that are more than 10,000 years old.
She added that the initial funding for the University would come from her late husband Pramod Kumar’s Trust besides additional finances from family funds.
International University of Vedic Wellness Dean Dr. Vasavi Chakka, congratulated Dr Kumar for her foresight in establishing the university.
In her remarks Dr. Chakka, praised Dr. Kumar’s initiative, particularly at a time when twenty ” so called universities ” are launching a scathing attack on Hinduism in America.
Another Indian American Community Activist and Physician, Dr. Vijay G Prabhakar, praised the Hindu Dharma for its spirit of tolerance, inclusivenss and acceptance of all faiths according to the ideals of “Sarve, Sukhna Bhavantu” as well as “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”, which means .that the whole world is part of one family.
Leaders from across the United States who have sent congratulatory messages on the inauguration of the university include Dr. S.V Anchan, CEO, Safe Sea Group, New Jersey, Dr. Clarence Beals, CEO , Jordans Dreams, Chicago, Dr. Rani Youseffzai, Vice Chair, Congressman Danny Davis’ Multi Ethnic Advisory Task Force, Dr. Andre Ellis, CEO, No Adults Left Behind, Chicago, Neil Khot, National Chair, Indian American Business Coalition, USA, Dr. Ravi Govindaraj, Vice President, World Federation of Tamil Youth, USA, Dr. Anasha Holiday, Chief Community Outreach, The Global Eye-Digital Monthly and Anica Dubey, Global Outreach Chair, American Multi Ethnic Coalition, USA .
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