Sanjay Kumar (born 15 January 1976) is an Indian social/political activist. He is currently the deputy director of Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan, an organization in New Delhi that has worked for the rights of homeless people since 2000.
Kumar has been working in the fields of
social work
Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social work ...
,
social policy
Social policy is a plan or action of government or institutional agencies which aim to improve or reform society.
Some professionals and universities consider social policy a subset of public policy, while other practitioners characterize soci ...
and research since 2000. His main focus typically lies on the issues of
urban poverty
Poverty is the state of having few material possessions or little
homelessness
Homelessness or houselessness – also known as a state of being unhoused or unsheltered – is the condition of lacking stable, safe, and adequate housing. People can be categorized as homeless if they are:
* living on the streets, also kn ...
, underage employment, street dwelling children, old age pension, right to education, right to food and citizenship rights. Kumar is responsible for managing and implementing a campaign in Delhi with hundreds of volunteers to ensure access to shelters, health-care, skill development, and justice for marginalized people. He has been consistently organizing mass events/rallies, conducting census/surveys, documenting and researching interventions, establishing networks and advocacy groups with government departments, other NGOs, and movements. Kumar has been fighting against social inequality,
discrimination
Discrimination is the act of making unjustified distinctions between people based on the groups, classes, or other categories to which they belong or are perceived to belong. People may be discriminated on the basis of race, gender, age, relig ...
and sensitizing civil society for the realization of the larger goal of poor people within India.
Kumar is also associated as a research scholar on the issue of homelessness with the Department of Social Work, University of Delhi.
Education
He is currently in the pursuit of a PhD in Homelessness from the University of Delhi. He has achieved a MSW (Master of Social Work), UGC, NET, a diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication, a diploma in Rural Development, BA (Honours) and MA in History.
Publications and documentations
*Treatment of Homeless people with severe Mental Illness: Making a Difference
*"Begharo Ki Karah" case studies of homeless people
*"Meri Kahani Meri Jubani" The Testimonies of homeless people caught Under Bombay Prevention Of Beggary Act: published in "People Without A Nation" "Towards Reclaiming Our Humanity" - Published by his own NGO Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan
Awards and fellowship
Sanjay Kumar has received a scholarship for an emerging social entrepreneur from Leader Quest organization situated in London, UK (2007–08). He was also presented with a "True Legend Award" in 2016 by CNBC-TV 18. He has been a member in the Chief Electoral officer, GNCT of Delhi for Homeless people. Additionally, he also holds an award for an actively monitored and guided Night Shelter Volunteer's program (Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board) presented to him in 2015. Kumar was also awarded by UBM India Ltd. for the "Giving Back" NGO in 2013 at Mumbai, India.