Having retired from a successful career in the banking and finance sector in India and the United States, Mr. Bhaskara Kumar serves as the treasurer on the Board of Directors of Pallium India Inc. A native of Kerala, Mr. Kumar earned his undergraduate education in mathematics and physics from Kerala and his postgraduate degree in mathematics from Mumbai. After working for a decade in the banking sector in Chennai and Mumbai, Mr. Kumar moved to New York in 1983, where he earned an MBA in Computer Information Systems from the City University of New York. He then spent the next three decades of his career specializing in credit risk management and serving as a VP for J.P. Morgan, one of the world’s largest banks. 

While living in New York, Mr. Kumar learned about Pallium India through a close friend who introduced him to Dr. Rajagopal’s pioneering work in palliative care. He was inspired by Dr. Rajagopal’s selfless and dedicated initiatives in palliative care, and he longed for an opportunity to meet Dr. Rajagopal in person. Mr. Kumar finally met him in 2015 through a chance encounter in New York City, which marked the beginning of his volunteer work for Pallium India. Dr. Rajagopal immediately knew that Mr. Kumar’s knowledge and experience in accounting and finance was a perfect match for Pallium India’s efforts in the USA. Mr. Kumar was instrumental in establishing the initial framework for Pallium’s financial management in the USA, and he continues his relentless work through communication with donors and other fundraising efforts, including Giving Tuesday. During his trips to India, Mr. Kumar always takes the time to visit the Pallium India site in Trivandrum, and he also accompanies the Pallium India team on patient visits.

Mr. Kumar currently lives in Staten Island, New York. During his free time, he enjoys travelling and spending time with family. He is deeply passionate about Hindu Mythology and is a scholar of Vedic Teachings. This passion led him to a month-long pilgrimage in 2012 to Mount Kailash, which is believed to be the origin of the holy waters of the Ganges River. While he enjoyed the tough hikes, horseback rides, and exposure to the nomadic life of the Tibetans, he believes that the best part of his trip was the role he stumbled upon as a storyteller for the friends he made during that trip. These friends persuaded him to write a commentary on the Bhagawatha Purana, a revered mythological text of the Hindu tradition. Mr. Kumar spends almost twelve hours each day immersing himself in authoring this scholarly narrative and sharing it with his friends.
Mr. Kumar hopes to continue to serve Pallium and stay dedicated to the humanitarian work of the organization over the years to come.