Yukteshwar Kumar
{{short description|Indian sinologist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2019}}
Yukteshwar Kumar (born 7 August 1970) is an Indian sinologist, born and brought up in Jagdispur. An alumnus of Jawaharlal Nehru University and Peking University, he taught from 1994 at Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, where he obtained his Ph.D. in 2002.{{cite web |url=http://www.visva-bharati.ac.in/Faculty/faculties/vidya_bhavana/chinese_language_culture/yukteshwar_kumar.htm |title=Yukteshwar Kumar |access-date=2009-02-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719002937/http://www.visva-bharati.ac.in/Faculty/faculties/vidya_bhavana/chinese_language_culture/yukteshwar_kumar.htm |archive-date=19 July 2011 |url-status=dead }} Earlier, he also taught at Jawaharlal Nehru University,{{Citation needed|date=February 2009}} New Delhi, and worked at All India Radio.{{Citation needed|date=February 2009}}.
After this he taught at Delhi University as Reader/Associate Professor in Chinese.{{cite web |url=http://www.du.ac.in/lname.html?lname=Kumar+ |title=Phone Directory - University of Delhi |access-date=2009-02-01}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}} He currently is Course Director of the Chinese Stream at the University of Bath.{{cite web |url=http://www.bath.ac.uk/esml/people/profiles.html |title=Department of European Studies and Modern Languages - University of Bath |access-date=2009-02-01}}{{cite web |url=http://www.sass.org.cn/ws.jsp?sortid=1164&artid=23703 |title=上海社会科学院 |access-date=2009-02-01}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}} Kumar has authored several articles and books.{{cite web|url=http://members.rediff.com/cheenabhavana/Cheena-Bhavana/articles.htm|title=Articles of Yukteshwar Kumar|access-date=2009-01-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080224190945/http://members.rediff.com/cheenabhavana/Cheena-Bhavana/articles.htm|archive-date=24 February 2008|url-status=dead}} He has provided opinion pieces and news items for Indian,{{cite web |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=defd513a-1953-4539-9d64-b9630fbde8d1 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20110606025031/http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=defd513a-1953-4539-9d64-b9630fbde8d1 |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 June 2011 |title=Crouching dragon, Hindustan Times |access-date=2009-02-01}}{{cite web |url=http://sify.com/finance/mf/fullstory.php?id=14707949&ctid= |title=Economic lessons from the East, Sify.com |access-date=2009-02-01}}{{dead link|date=September 2022|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}{{cite web |url=http://sify.com/news/imagegallery/galleryDetail.php?hcategory=14693398&hgallery=14692610 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080614134514/http://sify.com/news/imagegallery/galleryDetail.php?hcategory=14693398&hgallery=14692610 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2008-06-14 |title=China's first Padma Bhushan |access-date=2009-02-01}} Chinese, and British media including the BBC.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/chinese/simp/hi/newsid_7350000/newsid_7352500/7352581.stm |title=BBC 中文网 | 中国报道 | 印度想与中国竞争非洲资源？ |work= BBC News|access-date=2009-02-01 | date=2008-04-18}}{{cite web |url=http://www.yukteshwar.com |title=Home Page Yukteshwar Kumar |access-date=2009-01-24}}
A public library, "The Dr. Yukteshwar Kumar Library" was established in his name at Jagdishpur, Bihar in September 2023 which was inaugurated by senior IG officer Sri Vikas Vaibhav.{{cite web |title=नया बिहार बनाने के लिए युवा आगे आयें: आई जी |url=https://www.bhaskar.com/epaper/detail-page/ara/461/2023-09-19?pid=3|website=Dainik Bhaskar |access-date=20 September 2023}}{{dead link|date=May 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
In October 2023, Dr. Yukteshwar Kumar was bestowed with the prestigious accolade of "Social-Political Activist of the Year" in the NRI category by the Journalist Association of India, recognizing his unwavering commitment and impactful contributions to societal and political advocacy. {{cite web | title=Dr. Yukteshwar Kumar is selected for the 29th JAI Global Awards in Social Political Activist (NRI): Dr. H K Sethi | url=https://www.jaoi.org/2023/10/dr-yukteshwar-kumar-is-selected-for-the-29th-jai-global-awards-in-social-political-activist-nri-dr-h-k-sethi |website=Journalist Association of India (JAI) |access-date=15 April 2024}}
Politics
In the 2015 local elections, Kumar stood in Lambridge ward but failed to attract enough support to get elected, ultimately coming in fourth behind the Green Party, the Conservative Party, and another Liberal Democrat candidate.{{cite web|url=https://democracy.bathnes.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?XXR=0&ID=310&RPID=37312898| title=Election results for Lambridge, 7 May 2015 | date=7 May 2015 }}
Determined to become a Councillor, Kumar stood in the 2019 local elections and came second in the Bathwick ward poll,{{cite web|url=https://democracy.bathnes.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?XXR=0&ID=399&RPID=37312862| title=Election results for Bathwick, 2 May 2019 | date=2 May 2019 }} which resulted in his election as a member of Bath and North East Somerset Council for the Liberal Democrats.{{cite web |last1=Britten |first1=Elise |title=Local elections 2019: From racial abuse victim to the first ever Indian councillor in Bath |url=https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/local-news/local-elections-2019-racial-abuse-2831137 |website=Somerset Live |date=3 May 2019 |access-date=25 February 2020}}
In September 2020, Kumar was voted as the most influential person in Bath through an online voting system.{{cite web |last1=Elgee |first=Emma |title=Bath power list 2020: The winners revealed - who did you vote for? |url=https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/bath-power-list-2020-winners-4492701 |website=Somerset Live |date=7 September 2020 |access-date=25 October 2020}}
In May 2021, Kumar was appointed deputy mayor of the city of Bath. He is the first person of Asian heritage to take the role of deputy mayor of Bath.{{cite web|last1=Team |first1=Bath Echo News |title=Councillor June Player "delighted and honoured" to be next Mayor of Bath |url=https://www.bathecho.co.uk/news/community/cllr-june-player-next-mayor-bath-94468|website=Bath Echo|date=13 May 2021 |access-date=18 May 2021}}
=Controversies and defection=
On 30 December 2021, Kumar resigned from the Liberal Democrats, writing on social media that for the past three years he has endured "bullies", "manipulative lies" and "discrimination" from within the local party, and that he would instead stand as an Independent councillor for Bathwick.{{cite news|url=https://www.bathgazette.co.uk/post/deputy-mayor-quits-the-local-lib-dems-complaining-of-bullying-intimidation-and-racism|title=Deputy Mayor quits the local Lib Dems, complaining of bullying, intimidation and racism|work=Bath Gazette|accessdate=30 December 2021}}
These claims were strongly refuted by the Liberal Democrats who said that Kumar had been warned about his behaviour towards a female councillor on a number of occasions and, after he wrote that he was “thankful to God that perhaps he has chosen me to eradicate an evil person”,{{cite web |title=Setting the record straight |url=https://www.bathneslibdems.org.uk/dr-kumar-2 |website=BathNES Liberal Democrats |access-date=13 January 2022}} the party had chosen to contact the police.
Kumar has accepted he said these words, but claims that they were misunderstood {{cite web | url=https://www.bathecho.co.uk/news/politics/councillor-quit-lib-dems-denies-vendetta-97038/ | title=Bath councillor who quit Lib Dems denies 'vendetta' against colleague | date=17 January 2022 }} and should not have been interpreted as a death threat. The police have confirmed they advised the female colleague on home security{{cite web | url=https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/bullied-bath-councillor-denies-vendetta-6484764 | title="Bullied" Bath councillor denies "vendetta" as he quits Lib Dems | date=13 January 2022 }} to ensure she felt safe.
In July 2022 Kumar joined the Conservative group on Bath and North East Somerset Council.{{cite news |last1=Bath Echo |title=Independent Bathwick councillor joins B&NES Conservative Group |url=https://www.bathecho.co.uk/news/politics/independent-councillor-joins-conservative-group-99015/ |access-date=30 September 2022 |date=25 July 2022}}
In the 2023 Bath and North East Somerset Council election Kumar, standing as a Conservative, was defeated in his bid for re-election by the Liberal Democrats.{{cite web |title=Election results for Bathwick |url=https://democracy.bathnes.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?XXR=0&ID=622&RPID=52970269 |website=B&NES Council |access-date=14 June 2023}}
Media commentator
Kumar is often called by the Indian, British and Chinese media to appear on television and provide opinion on matters related with China and Chinese culture.{{cite web|last1=News |first=ABP| title=Dr Yukteshwar Talks About China's Negligence & India's Alertness In Handling The Coronavirus |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-w9u1gjAAY |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/Y-w9u1gjAAY |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|website=ABP NEWS |access-date=27 June 2020}}{{cbignore}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110208224050/http://yukteshwar.com/ Yukteshwar Kumar website]
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Category:People associated with Santiniketan
Category:Jawaharlal Nehru University alumni
Category:Visva-Bharati University alumni
Category:Peking University alumni
Category:Academic staff of Jawaharlal Nehru University
Category:Academic staff of Delhi University
Category:Academics of the University of Bath
Category:Liberal Democrats (UK) councillors