Hemant Kumar

For four decades, Hemant Kumar has worked to make kidney care reachable for poor families in Bihar. In 2025 he was named for the Padma Shri in the field of medicine, from Bihar ^[1].

A first for Bihar

Hemant Kumar was born on 2 January 1960 ^[2]. After an MD in medicine he earned a DM in nephrology, the first postgraduate from a Bihar medical college to do so ^[2]. He headed nephrology at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences and at Patna Medical College ^[2].

New treatments and free dialysis

He is credited with introducing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis in Bihar, a form of dialysis patients can do at home ^[2]. He has championed what he calls the “3P” approach to kidney care, for children (paediatric), prevention and palliative care ^[2]. He also helped set up free dialysis services at several hospitals despite limited resources ^[2].

Awareness and organ donation

Kumar founded the Patliputra National Kidney Foundation, Bihar’s first, and has taken World Kidney Day awareness events into remote parts of the state ^[2]. He is a leading voice for deceased organ donation, coining the phrase “life beyond life” ^[2].

His research on kidney injury in pregnancy has been cited in The Kidney, the standard textbook in the field ^[2].