In Patna, kidney patients still speak of Dr. Hemant Kumar as someone close to divine, and that reputation is not without reason. Rising from the town of Jamalpur in Munger district, he is now counted among India's most respected nephrologists and has been honoured with the country's prestigious Padma Shri award. Even today, a clinic named after him operates in Patna's Shekhpura locality, where kidney patients travel from far and wide to seek treatment.
From Munger's classrooms to a fresh start in Patna
Dr. Hemant began his schooling at Eastern Railway Boys High School in Jamalpur. Both his matriculation and intermediate examinations were cleared in the second division, meaning there was no dramatic topper's story at the very start of his journey. After completing his intermediate studies, he enrolled for a BSc in Botany at R.D. and D.J. College in Munger, but could not finish that course. That unfinished chapter turned out to be a turning point: he moved to Patna to continue his education and decided to build a career in medicine instead.
The long road from MBBS to a pioneering nephrology degree
He completed his MBBS from Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College in Jamshedpur. He then went on to earn an MD in Medicine along with a Diploma in Chest Diseases in Patna. His real breakthrough, however, came at Banaras Hindu University, where he earned a DM degree in Nephrology, making him the first doctor from Bihar to hold a DM in Nephrology. In the years that followed, he went on to head the Nephrology departments at both IGIMS and PMCH.
Building kidney care from the ground up
It was largely due to Dr. Hemant's efforts that PMCH began offering round-the-clock, 24-hour dialysis for the first time, a significant step for that era. He also played a key role in developing kidney disease treatment and free dialysis services at several hospitals, including Gardiner Hospital in Patna. He is credited with introducing Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis, or CAPD, on an ongoing basis in Bihar. His work consistently focused on making kidney treatment accessible to newborns, pregnant women, cancer patients, the elderly and poor patients alike.
A social worker, teacher and researcher as much as a doctor
Dr. Hemant has never confined himself to being just a physician; he has taken on the roles of social worker and teacher with equal seriousness. He founded the Patliputra National Kidney Foundation, through which awareness campaigns have been run every year on World Kidney Day. He is also counted among the key figures promoting deceased organ donation in Bihar. His contribution to medical education and research has been notable as well, and his research on severe kidney disease during pregnancy and kidney related problems in newborns has drawn praise at the international level.
Administrative posts and a national footprint
Over his long career, Dr. Hemant has held several important administrative and national responsibilities. He served as Deputy Medical Superintendent at IGIMS, held the role of Controller of Examinations, and was a member of the institute's Governing Board. He also served as President of the Indian Society of Nephrology's Eastern Region and played an important role on committees involved in national level policy making. He has received fellowships from prestigious bodies including the International Society of Nephrology and the Indian Society of Nephrology, along with Lifetime Achievement awards.
2025 brings the Padma Shri and a new post at AIIMS Gorakhpur
The year 2025 turned out to be the most memorable of Dr. Hemant Kumar's life. On 25 January 2025, he was honoured with the country's prestigious Padma Shri award for his service to poor and needy kidney patients. He is believed to be the first nephrologist in the country to receive this honour. About six months later, on 14 August 2025, he was appointed chairman of AIIMS Gorakhpur. Despite these landmark achievements, he continues to run his clinic in Patna's Shekhpura area, where he still personally attends to patients.
