Sabi "Doc" Kumar
{{short description|American surgeon and politician}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name=Sabi "Doc" Kumar
| image =Sabi Kumar.jpg
| caption =
| image name=
| state_house= Tennessee
| district= 66th
| term_start= January 13, 2015
| term_end=
| preceded= Joshua Evans
| succeeded=
| party=Republican
| birth_date={{birth date and age|1947|7|14}}
| birth_place= British India
| alma_mater= University of Miami
| occupation= Politician, surgeon
| education=
| spouse= Linda
| children= 1
| residence= Springfield, Tennessee, U.S.
| website=
}}
Sarbjeet S. Kumar (born July 14, 1947) is an Indian–American politician and physician. A member of the Republican Party, Kumar, a retired surgeon, has been a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives from the 66th district since 2015, representing Robertson County. He chairs the House Insurance Committee, and is the first Indian American to be elected to the Tennessee State House.{{Cite web |title=Rep. Sabi Kumar is first Indian-American in Tennessee House |url=https://m.rediff.com/news/commentary/2014/nov/05/rep.-sabi-kumar-is-first-indianamerican-in-tennessee-house/c75b9f5cead9a0b6b816cea46d00e8eb |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=m.rediff.com |language=en}}
Medical career
Kumar immigrated to the United States from India in 1970. He completed his medical residency and fellowship working in Miami from 1971 to 1977,{{cite web|url=https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/legislatorinfo/member.aspx?district=h66|title=Representative Sabi 'Doc' Kumar|publisher=Tennessee General Assembly|access-date=3 August 2024}} when he moved to Springfield, Tennessee, where he continued his career as a surgeon.{{cite web |title=About |url=http://www.sabikumar.com/about-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221111131616/http://www.sabikumar.com/about-1.html |archive-date=November 11, 2022 |accessdate=May 3, 2019 |website=SabiKumar.com}}
Kumar holds the patent for a clamp device, sometimes called the "Kumar clamp", used in gallbladder surgeries.{{cite patent|country=US|number=5224931|title=Method and device for performing cholangiography|status=patent|pubdate=1993-07-06}}
Political career
In 2014, Kumar ran for the Tennessee House of Representatives' 66th district after incumbent Representative Joshua Evans decided to run for the Tennessee Senate. Kumar won the Republican primary on August 7, 2014, with 43% of the vote.{{cite web |title=State of Tennessee, August 7, 2014, Republican Primary |url=https://sos-tn-gov-files.s3.amazonaws.com/20140807_RepublicanPrimaryCounty.pdf |accessdate=May 3, 2019}} On November 4, 2014, Kumar won the General Election unopposed.{{cite web |title=State of Tennessee, November 4, 2014, State General |url=https://sos-tn-gov-files.s3.amazonaws.com/20141104_CountyTotals_01.pdf |accessdate=May 3, 2019}} Kumar was re-elected in 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024. His current term ends in 2027.
In 2023, Kumar supported a resolution to expel three Democratic lawmakers from the legislature for violating decorum rules during a pro-gun control protest in the State Capitol Building. The expulsion was widely characterized as unprecedented.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/06/us/tennessee-democrats-office-removal-voteindex.html|title=Tennessee's Republican-led House expels 2 Democratic lawmakers over gun reform protest, fails in bid to oust a third|last1=Andone|first1=Dakin|last2=Young|first2=Ryan|last3=Simonson|first3=Amy|last4=Almasy|first4=Steve|website=CNN|language=en|access-date=April 7, 2023}}{{Cite web |date=April 6, 2023 |title=Tennessee's House expels 2 of 3 Democrats over guns protest |url=https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-lawmakers-expulsion-d3f40559c56a051eec49e416a7b5dade |access-date=May 11, 2023 |website=AP NEWS |language=en}} Prior to his expulsion vote, Democrat Justin Jones accused Kumar of putting a "brown face to white supremacy;" Kumar also stated that Jones had pointed in his face and told him, "Kumar, they will never accept you."{{cite web |title=Tennessee Republican called 'brown face of White supremacy' by expelled Rep. Justin Jones|url=https://www.foxnews.com/video/6324163660112 |website=Fox News |date=April 8, 2023 |access-date=April 8, 2023}}
Kumar ran as a pledged delegate for Nikki Haley in the 2024 Tennessee Republican presidential primary.{{Cite web |title=Sabi 'Doc' Kumar Committed to Nikki Haley |url=https://sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com/s3fs-public/document/2024%20PPP%20Delegates.pdf}}
=Committees=
In the 2015 legislative session, Rep. Kumar did not serve on any committees.
In the 2017 legislative session, Rep. Kumar served on the following committees: Education Instruction and Programs and Health (vice chair).
In the 2019–2020 legislative session, Rep. Kumar served on the following committees: Finance, Ways, and Means Committee and the Health Committee.
In the 2021–2022 legislative session, Rep. Kumar served on the following committees: Calendar and Rules Committee, Health Committee, and the Insurance Committee (chair).
Personal life
Kumar lives in Springfield, Tennessee, with his wife Linda, and has a daughter named Nina. Prior to his retirement from the medical practice, he worked as a surgeon at the NorthCrest Medical Center in Springfield. He is a Methodist.
References
{{reflist}}
{{Tennessee House of Representatives}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kumar, Sabi}}
Category:American physicians of Indian descent
Category:American politicians of Indian descent
Category:Asian American and Pacific Islander state legislators
Category:Republican Party members of the Tennessee House of Representatives
Category:Indian emigrants to the United States
Category:Asian-American people in Tennessee politics
Category:Asian conservatism in the United States
Category:21st-century members of the Tennessee General Assembly