Talks & Appearances

13 videos

Lectures, fireside chats, interviews, and book readings — on education reform, Harvard, Bihar's development, and the journey behind Katihar to Kennedy.

YouTube · Blue Ocean Education
How Dr. Sanjay Guides Students to World-Class Universities
A candid look at Dr. Sanjay's counselling approach — from understanding a student's story to building an application that stands out at Harvard, Brown, and other Ivy League institutions.
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YouTube · Way to Harvard
Way to Harvard | 5 Tips for Getting Into Top Universities
Dr. Sanjay shares actionable advice for students aiming at Harvard and top global universities — from profile building to writing essays that make admissions officers take notice.
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YouTube · Harvard Club of India
Fireside Chat: Full Scholarship at Harvard University
A fireside conversation with Seema Kumari and Sanjay Kumar on navigating the Harvard scholarship process and what it takes for Indian students to earn full funding at Ivy League institutions.
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YouTube · Indian School of Purpose & Impact
Traverse ft. Seema Kumari from Harvard
Dr. Sanjay Kumar in conversation with Seema Kumari — tracing her journey to Harvard and the larger questions of purpose, identity, and impact that shape India's emerging global leaders.
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YouTube · Indian School of Purpose & Impact
Traverse ft. Shri Sujeet Kumar, MP (Rajya Sabha)
A wide-ranging conversation on public policy, legislative leadership, and the responsibilities of India's elected representatives in driving social and economic transformation.
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YouTube · Indian School of Purpose & Impact
Traverse ft. Subimal Bhattacharjee
Dr. Sanjay in dialogue with Subimal Bhattacharjee — an in-depth discussion on strategic affairs, India's digital future, and the intersection of technology and national security.
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YouTube · Indian School of Purpose & Impact
Rajat's Journey: From Haryana to New Heights | Traverse
A student story episode of Traverse — following Rajat's unlikely path from Haryana to global opportunities, guided by mentorship, grit, and a refusal to accept a narrow definition of success.
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YouTube · Main Media
Gudri ka Laal #008 — Sanjay Kumar, Country Director, South Asia Institute, Harvard
In this episode of Gudri ka Laal, Dr. Sanjay Kumar shares his journey from a small Bihar town to Harvard — a conversation about class, aspiration, and what it means to carry your roots into the world.
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YouTube · Bihar Tak
Harvard से पढ़कर लौटे Sanjay Kumar की अच्छी पहल
Bihar Tak covers Dr. Sanjay Kumar's return from Harvard and the initiatives he's driving to open pathways for Bihar's youth to access world-class education and leadership opportunities.
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YouTube · The Journalist Adda
Harvard, JNU से पढ़े Bihar के Dr. Sanjay Kumar
An in-depth interview on education, identity, and ambition — Dr. Sanjay Kumar speaks on his academic journey through JNU and Harvard, and what Bihar's students need to compete on the global stage.
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YouTube · Vani Prakashan Group
#K2K Book Launch — 'Katihar to Kennedy'
Coverage of the official launch of Katihar to Kennedy — Dr. Sanjay Kumar's memoir tracing the path from a small Bihar town to the corridors of Harvard and the Kennedy School of Government.
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YouTube · PatnaBeats
Batkahi Bihar Se (S01E02) — Sanjay Kumar Singh
PatnaBeats' long-form conversation series — Dr. Sanjay speaks on Bihar, its potential, and the gap between what Bihar's youth deserve and what the system currently offers them.
Watch on YouTube
YouTube · Mission Holistic Evolution
Katihar to Kennedy — 80th Book Reading Series
Dr. Sanjay Kumar reads from and discusses Katihar to Kennedy at the 80th edition of this book reading series — a conversation on memoir, identity, and the power of an ordinary life told honestly.
Watch on YouTube

Podcasts & Media

6 episodes

Podcast conversations, news features, and social media appearances — from GenZ education debates to Daryaganj book fairs.


Written by Dr. Sanjay

21 pieces

Columns and op-eds published in Times of India, The Hindu, EducationWorld, and MoneyControl — covering education reform, gender equity, Bihar's development, and public policy.

The Hindu · Opinion
When Too Much is Too Little
The issue of food wastage must be fully understood, so that an effective strategy can be drawn up to tackle a national shame.
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Times of India · Edit Page
Holding Up Half the Sky: A Working Ecosystem for Women's Economic Freedom
Economic freedom isn't only about how much money women earn — it's about their freedom to choose what they want to do to earn.
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Times of India · Edit Page
Blueprint for a New Bihar: What Nitish Kumar Must Do This Term
With his new term, Nitish Kumar will become the longest serving chief minister of Bihar. A roadmap for what must change.
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Times of India · Edit Page
Bihar's Cracked Education System Demands Collective Action
Every day I see progress around my life, I worry about the students of government schools in Bihar — and why nothing has changed.
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Times of India · Edit Page
JNU's Crisis Matters Much Beyond JNU — Public Higher Education Must Not Be Compromised
The JNU impasse mirrors the watershed in India's entire public education system. The stakes go far beyond one university.
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Times of India · Edit Page
Young Country, Old Leaders: Politics Engages Youth But Doesn't Serve Their Interests
With 65% of India's population below 35, youth is the defining demographic. Yet politics consistently fails to serve their needs.
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Times of India · Edit Page
What Keeps Women from the Workforce: The Invisible Scourge of Sexual Harassment at Informal Workplaces
More than 90% of the female workforce is in the informal sector — yet their safety needs remain invisible to policy.
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Times of India · Edit Page
Teachers Fulfil an Enormous Responsibility Towards Society — Here's How We Can Help Them
Teachers are an integral part of India's growth story. We celebrate them one day a year, but seldom ask what they truly need.
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Times of India
Times of India · Edit Page
What Government Agencies Can Do to Ensure Safety of Migrant Workers
Migrant workers power India's economy yet fall through every safety net. A policy argument for structured state intervention.
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Times of India
Times of India · Edit Page
Make Sure Coaching Centres Operate Safely — Rejuvenate Public Education to Reduce Demand for Them
The coaching industry has filled a vacuum left by failing public education. The answer isn't to regulate one without fixing the other.
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Times of India
Times of India · Edit Page
Beyond the Board Exam: Students Who Scored Under 90% Also Deserve Attention and Appreciation
The obsession with topper lists leaves millions of students feeling invisible. A case for redefining what success looks like in Indian education.
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Times of India
Times of India · Edit Page
Break the Silence on Education — Quality Public Education Must Be on Top of the Election Agenda
Ahead of elections, parties promise everything except what matters most: fixing the schools where 80% of India's children learn.
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Times of India
Times of India · Edit Page
How to Turn Bihar Around: Fix Its Broken Education System and Harness the Energies of Young People
Bihar's young population is its greatest asset — but only if the state can build an education system worthy of them.
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Times of India
Times of India · Edit Page
Time for a #MeFit Movement: Addressing Physical Inactivity Among Indian Women and Girls
India's fitness discourse is almost entirely male. A call to reframe health as a women's rights issue, not a lifestyle choice.
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EducationWorld
Grades Inflation Destroying K-12 Education
The destructive fallout of haphazard, irresponsible evaluation of academic capabilities — and how inflated grades are hollowing out school education.
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MoneyControl · Opinion
Women's Silent Revolution in Bihar Through Microfinance
Jeevika's capacity-building programs for rural women helped them acquire farm and non-farm skills that expanded their economic agency and managerial abilities.
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Times of India
Times of India · Heartstorming Blog
Nitish Kumar on a Slippery Slope
An early-career political analysis of Nitish Kumar's governance and the risks facing Bihar's long-serving chief minister.
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Times of India
Times of India · Heartstorming Blog
Mind Over Marks
A reflection on India's fixation with marks and the psychological toll it takes on students and their sense of self-worth.
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Times of India
Times of India · Heartstorming Blog
Take It Easy, Parents and Students
Board exam season brings anxiety for families across India. A measured perspective on pressure, perspective, and what really matters.
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Times of India
Times of India · Heartstorming Blog
India's Demographic Might Under Threat
India's demographic dividend is not a given. Without urgent investment in education and skills, it could become a demographic disaster.
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Times of India
Times of India · Heartstorming Blog
Glory of Education Lost in Riots
When communal violence disrupts schools and universities, it is the next generation who pay the highest price — an essay on education under threat.
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Times of India · Full Archive
View All Published Columns
See full author archive ↗

In the Press

8 pieces

Appointments, recognition, and coverage in Economic Times, Harvard, MediaBrief, Times LitFest, and more.

Economic Times · HR & Industry
upGrad Appoints Dr. Sanjay Kumar as President, Corporate Affairs & Public Policy
Kumar brings over two decades of expertise in grassroot programmes and policy advocacy to India's largest online higher-education company.
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MediaBrief
upGrad Appoints Dr. Sanjay Kumar to Head Corporate Affairs & Public Policy Vertical
upGrad, Asia's higher edtech major, announced the appointment of Dr. Sanjay Kumar to spearhead its new Corporate Affairs and Public Policy vertical for India.
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Times of India · Times LitFest 2019
Featured Speaker — Times LitFest 2019
Dr. Sanjay Kumar, then India Country Director of Harvard's South Asia Institute, was featured as a speaker at Times LitFest, India's premier literary festival.
View speaker profile ↗
Harvard Mittal South Asia Institute
SAI Welcomes Sanjay Kumar as India Country Director
Harvard's Lakshmi Mittal & Family South Asia Institute announced Dr. Sanjay's appointment, recognising his leadership in bridging global institutions with Indian priorities.
Read announcement ↗
Harvard Mittal South Asia Institute
Sanjay Kumar Celebrates One Year as SAI India Country Director
SAI India Country Director Sanjay Kumar initiated the monthly India Seminar Series and expanded SAI's on-the-ground presence across India.
Read announcement ↗
Harvard · SAI
Harvard Mittal South Asia Institute
"Wastage of Food is Not Less Than a Social Delinquency"
Harvard SAI featured Dr. Sanjay's powerful op-ed in The Hindu on food wastage in India and its moral dimensions for a nation where millions go hungry.
Read feature ↗
Harvard KS
Harvard Kennedy School · Library
Katihar to Kennedy: The Road Less Travelled
Harvard Kennedy School's library collection features Dr. Sanjay's memoir — an autobiographical account of a journey from a small Bihar town to the hallways of Harvard.
View at Harvard.edu ↗
NITI Aayog
Harvard Club of India Journal · via NITI Aayog
Featured in Harvard Club of India Journal
Dr. Sanjay's leadership as President of the Harvard Club of India was featured in the journal, hosted on NITI Aayog's official platform — the Government of India's policy think-tank.
View journal (PDF) ↗