User talk:Santosh Kumar Kulshrestha

Mrs. Santosh Kulshrestha Kumar is a counselor, professor, community leader and business –woman is the founder and the Executive Director of Metropolitan Asian Family Services, a not-profit agency working for the wellbeing of the community. Her passion for serving underserved and zest for taking new initiatives is apparent in her success as a “Mother Teresa of Chicago,” and “Wonder Woman.” Mrs. Kumar has served thousands of aged, destitute people through her work with Universal Industries’ not-for-profit branches, Metropolitan Asian Family Services and Universal Metro Asian Services (MAFS/UMAS). MAFS was founded by her in 1993 with a mission to provide comprehensive and integrated services to the immigrant population of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Eastern European communities facing linguistic and cultural barriers (www.mafsinc.com). Her companies employ over 3,000 people to serve the community from fully equipped 8 centers in USA and in India. After serving 18 years, she realized that MAFS/UMAS cannot provide needed services of medical and residential to our population, she set out to find the new solutions and created Metro Family Clinic - coordinated approach to deliver healthcare with the aim of achieving the best possible results for patients; Metro Home Health Care, a not for profit organization, dedicated to deliver accessible, high-quality health services in a focused caring and teaching environment while providing health advocacy for the community and people we serve and Metro Senior Living - three floor building with elevator to be used by senior to enjoy their golden years worry free and among friends and family environment In 1969 – Bachelor of Science, 1972- Bachelor of Law, 1974- Master in Law from Aligargh Muslim University, thus from science to legality, Mrs. Kumar decided to dedicate her life to those who do not have a voice. After completing her LL.M, she started teaching at the very young age of 24 in Aligarh University. She practiced in the Aligarh Session’s court as a Criminal Defense Lawyer from 1972 to 1977 and worked as a Professor in Law in VS Law College Aligarh until from 1977. In July 1977 she joined Jaipur University, Rajasthan and worked as a Law professor till 1986 and practiced law simultaneously. While practicing and teaching law she fought for the children and women of Rajasthan. She was instrumental in making many major breakthroughs in the Indian Judicial system, especially in bride burning and child marriage in Rajasthan. She also fought for justice and upliftment of Adivasis in Madhya Pradesh, in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan and her work got recognized by Indian government. For 11 years she was a professor of Law in Aligarh and Jaipur University before finally migrating to the United States in 1985 after marrying Pramod Kumar in 1984. She earned her equivalence Law degree from the United States in 1989 and her computer desktop publishing degree in 1992. 1.	Apart from her active legal and social practice of more than three decades, Mrs. Kumar fought an ill plagued society by contributing her resources and time. Mrs. Kumar has been honored by various organizations and she is the recipient of many awards and citation for her humanitarian, educational research, advocacy works. To list few: In 1995 City of Chicago Community service award was given to Mrs. Kumar for dedicated services to the elderly. 2.	In 1997a Award of Excellence was given to her by Office of Cook County Treasurer- for lasting contribution to the Ethnic Women’s Organization. 3.	In 2005 World Lifetime Achievement Award was given to her by American Biographical Institute, USA. The award was presented by GM Ewana, President ABI, 2006, (One of the major & leading authorities on the biographies of distinguished individuals worldwide). 4.	In 2007 Illinois Governor has declared October 17th as Metropolitan Asian Family Service Day, recognizing thereby exemplary services that this nonprofit organization provides to South Asian Diaspora of Chicago land. 5.	In 2007 Indian Community of Niles Township (ICNT) recognized Mrs. Kumar for doing God’s work in the community. She was given leadership and excellence in community services award by Vip Shah, president ICNT. 6.	National Indian American Association of Seniors Citizen (NIAASC), a New York based organization recognized MAFS as one of the best organization serving seniors in Midwest area (Oct 24, 2009). 7.	In 2010 State of Illinois award for a Pillar of community service award, Presented in Governor’s Conference Awards ceremony, by Mr. Charles Johnson, Director of Illinois Department on Aging, and Marta Parera, Executive Director of Coalition of Limited English Speaking Elderly, for “Outstanding Service To Older Adults” 8.	In 2010 she was given Community service award which was presented by Federation of Aligarh Alumni Association, for her dedicated services to the community. She was declared as “Mother Teresa of Chicago”, which was presented by Consul General of Chicago Honorable Ashok Attri and Dr. Shahid Siddiqui, president of FAAA. 9.	In 2010- Asian Health Coalition of Illinois given outstanding leadership in Community Health advocacy as Catalyst for the Change, presented by Dr. Namratha Kandula of North Western University of Chicago & Ravi Beaichwal anchor of ABC channel 7 News, USA. 10.	In 2010 Award of Excellence was given to her by Cook county Treasurer Maria Pappas for providing valuable programs to immigrant and elderly population for over 18 years. 11.	America’s Registry of Outstanding Professionals honors Mrs. Kumar Professional of the Year 2012 in recognition of Excellence, Dedication and Success in Administrative Law. 12.	Community-Engaged Research Partnership Award from ARCC Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, on May 15, 2013; 13.	Outstanding Community Service Award by Honorable Dorothy Brown, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, on May 28, 2013; 14.	Community and Educational Impact Award by Illinois State Treasurer, Dan Rutherford on May 29, 2013. Mrs. Kumar has been on the Advisory Board of State of Illinois Department of aging for two years. A tireless and influential advocate for the community’s interest and a strong voice on behalf of Indian Mrs. Kumar is a staunch ally to Indians everywhere. She has given the needed support, guidance and resources to worthy causes. She served as President of the Coalition of Limited English Speaking Elderly ((CLESE) 97-99, a nationally recognized organization, which provide support to ethnic seniors of limited English proficiency. She also served as a board member for the Asian Coalition on Health to make a difference in health policies for Asian and Pacific Islanders in various health programs. She served as a member of the ICIRR, an Advocacy group for immigrant populations in the United States in 2006. She was also on the Protect the ‘Elder Abuse’ committee in ethnic communities and acted as a Liaison Officer to the Case Management Unit of Illinois. Currently, she is serving as Advisory to the Community Care Program of the State of Illinois. She has held this position since 2008. She has served as a Member of the planning committee of the CCPAC of Illinois to offer her recommendations on the policies of aging. She was invited to address the White House Council on aging on cultural issues in the United States. Mrs. Kumar is also a part of Anugrah, a senior Center in Delhi; she was the presenter of the elderly Homecare Program in the conference on aging in November 2008 from the US in New Delhi. Mrs. Kumar also trained the founder of Anugrah on elderly care in Chicago in 2009. Mrs. Kumar imbibed the value of giving time, money and skills to other person from her parents Late Shambu Dayal and Satyawati Kulshrestha and her siblings and brother-in-law. She hails from Zamindar Kayastha community of Aligarh district Uttar Pradesh but born in Bharatpur, Rajasthan as her father served in Rajasthan State govt. as a Revenue officer. Mrs. Kumar married in influential family of Kulshrestha clan; Roshan Lal ji Mr. Kumar grandfather incidentally ruled Bharatpur State as ‘Dewan Bahadur’ appointed by the Governor General of India of British Kingdom instead of king of Bharatpur due to his infancy. Her in-law family was deeply inclined towards many philanthropic and charitable acts; they established several schools for girls and boys and gave shelter to numerous families in their ancestral haveli and help educating brilliant student of the society and set high standard of living. Mrs. Kumar husband, Pramod Kumar, engineer from IIT Karagpur and IIT Chicago also inherited the similar value system and hence supported her whole-heartily with his wisdom and resources. Working as a strong proponent of India’s interests, Mrs. Kumar has provided needed support, guidance, and funding to countless worthy causes and organizations and continues to do so. Mrs. Kumar always strives to strike a balance in life and firmly believes in the spiritual power of God. She is greatly influenced by the high ideals set by Lord Rama and she is staunch devotee of him and a living by these ideals in her daily life. She took Diksha of Gayatri invocations from the guru Shri Ram Sharma of Haridwar at an early age and served this organization in various capacities while in India and abroad. In the US, she helped in organizing Bharat Seva Ashram of North America founded by Pranabhanandaji Maharaj, an organization run by monks from all over the world. This Ashram carries out various humanitarian activities and develops the spiritual strength in human beings to do good to each soul. Mrs. Kumar has been the President of Bharat seva Ashram of the United States for the last 15 years. She works tirelessly through this organization to build the character of children born and raised in America. She encourages every parent to enroll their children in the summer camps and Sunday school classes of Vedic studies to remain connected to ancient the Indian value system while they remain in the modern world. Mrs. Kumar is married to Pramod Kumar, a Mechanical Engineer from IIT, Kharagpur and Master of Engineering from IIT Chicago. He is an investor and businessman and has been a US Resident since 1970. She is blessed with two sons: Prashant Kumar (age 27) a Computer Scientist and Sagar Kumar (age 26) an Industrial Engineer from Purdue University. Mrs. Kumar intrigues cosmopolitan look, she proudly says that God has prepared her for this endless journey of serving and caring, born in a staunch Hindu family, studied in Muslim environment in Aligargh Muslim University and working for seniors and community at large in the country that largely worships Christianity, she is a living example of – The world is a single family: Vasudhaiva Kudumbakam. And for this journey she gives credit to her family and friends like Bharti Mathur, Firdaus Jafri, Noor Khan, Rosemary Gemperle, Beth O’ Grady and Marta Pereyra. Mrs. Kumar says, they help her in broadening her horizon of understanding of different culture, religion and way to work in American society successfully. – thumbnail