Page 34 - 01-Jan-Feb-2024

This marks the third year that Edify’s January issue has celebrated the great people, organizations and businesses that make contributions to this city that go above and beyond the norm. Without further ado, here are our Edifiers for 2024.
PHOTOGRAPHY ERIC BELIVEAU
FURNITURE COURTESY OF CIRCA LIVING
PULKIT KUMAR
W hen Pulkit Kumar arrived in Edmonton, he was nervous. It was 2017 and the 18-year-old, Indian- born American citizen had come to Canada to
study at the University of Alberta.
While his classmates were out making friends, going
to parties and studying, Kumar spent much of his early collegiate days in a deep depression.
“It was really tough on me,” Kumar says. “At one point, I didn’t know if it was day, night or what month it was.”
Kumar sought treatment, received a diagnosis and was prescribed antidepressants.
“I became acutely aware of the need for health-care solu- tions that prioritize the overall well-being of the individual,” Kumar says.
Today, Kumar has helped co-found and organize several groups and initiatives.
He’s worked with the Rural Surgical and Obstetrical Networks of Alberta (RSONA) — an initiative aimed at increasing access to obstetrical care for rural communities — as a policy advocate and representative of the University of Alberta’s Office of Global Surgery. Starting in 2024, it will receive a $10 million yearly grant from the province.
“I focused on integrating sustainable health-care practices into the program, ensuring that surgical and obstetrical care in rural Alberta aligns with long-term health system sustainability,” he says.
Kumar is the co-founder and president of The Service Over Self Foundation, which carries out work abroad.
“A significant focus of our work has been in Manipur, India, where we set up temporary clinics and relief camps during a tribal conflict, providing immediate health-care access to over 10,000 displaced individuals.”
Other work includes constructing eco-friendly homes and implementing water purification systems in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, and Science for All, based out of Bihar, which connects volunteer college students with underprivileged kids.
“I want to be a catalyst for global change,” he says. “I’m driven by a belief that we can achieve a more equitable health-care system.” — JESSE COLE
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Community Builder
EDIFIERS 2024