Meet The Newest Member Of Our Support Team!

We are excited to welcome ROBERT KUMAR to the Arukah Support Team! Robert was the first leader of the Uttarakhand Cluster in India and initiated a disability program that has grown to support more than 1,000 families. He is now coming in as Arukah’s South Asia Growth Lead. In this blog, he shares his story and his passion as he starts his new role…

A little bit about you – how did your journey begin?

I grew up in a Christian boarding school, where I first encountered faith in a meaningful way. In Class 12, I made a personal decision to accept Jesus as my Saviour. That decision has shaped the direction of my life ever since.

I began my career as a pharmacist in one of the hospitals under the Emmanuel Hospital Association (EHA), serving in a remote area. After about three years, I began to feel restless. I wondered if I could continue doing dispensing work behind a counter for the rest of my life.

Around that time, God opened an opportunity for me to be involved in a small community outreach project. Initially, I did not enjoy this work at all—especially visiting homes as part of the Operation Mobilisation (OM) team. My role was to understand why people were not using toilets that had been constructed by Medical Ambassadors. But as I spent time in the community, listening to people’s stories and struggles, something began to change in me. I discovered a deep sense of purpose and felt that God was leading me in this direction.

Later, when I was invited again by EHA to join as a pharmacist in my hometown, I made an unusual request. Instead of returning to pharmacy work, I asked to serve in community health outreach. This surprised many people, because at that time, community health was often seen as a “punishment posting” for underperforming staff. But I was convinced this was where I was meant to be.

My wife, Veena, was a nurse, and together we joined Herbertpur Christian Hospital. I worked in community health, while she served in the hospital. We were blessed with two children—our daughter Neha, and our son Anugrah.

When Anugrah was born with cerebral palsy, our lives changed in a profound way. Through this experience, I became aware of how many children with disabilities in our communities had little or no access to services. This led me to initiate a disability program—the first of its kind across all 20 EHA hospitals. Over time, the Anugrah program has grown significantly, and today it supports more than 1,000 families through direct care and rehabilitation services.

In 2017, my wife Veena passed away. That was the darkest period of my life, as I was left to care for my son alone. Yet, through that time, I experienced God’s sustaining grace in a very real way. In His mercy, He helped me to stand again.

Later, God brought Annie into my life. She serves as the Vice Principal of the College of Nursing at Herbertpur Christian Hospital. She has been a great blessing not only to me, but to our entire family.

Over the years, I have had the opportunity to serve in different leadership roles. I worked as Project Director of Herbertpur Christian Hospital and later as Community Health Director for the entire Emmanuel Hospital Association network. When the community health Cluster was formed, I was entrusted with the responsibility of serving as its first president. These roles have been deeply enriching, and I have learned a great deal through them.

Now, after retiring from EHA, we live outside the hospital campus. Anugrah continues to stay connected with the program and contributes as a volunteer.  As I reflect on my journey, I can clearly see God’s hand guiding me—shaping and molding me through every experience. My life has not followed a path I would have planned for myself, but it has been full of purpose, learning, and grace. 

You're based in Dehradun — what makes it special to you?

Dehradun has long been a peaceful home for many retired people—a beautiful city nestled at the foothills of the Himalayas. It is known for its charm, rich heritage, and strong reputation in education, especially its well-known schools.

With its transition into the capital of Uttarakhand, the city has changed a lot, not always in ways I appreciate. Yet, I still feel a deep sense of pride in Dehradun. It continues to reflect a vibrant culture and has a strong and active Christian presence that adds to its unique identity.

What drew you to Arukah and what motivates you?

When I joined the Uttarakhand Cluster, I truly began to understand the power of partnerships. During the 2013 Uttarakhand floods, our resources were sufficient to support only about 600 families, while the need was overwhelming—especially among families affected by disability.

However, through the strength of the network and collaboration with partners, we were able to extend support to more than 6,000 families. That experience became a defining lesson for me: partnerships can multiply impact far beyond our individual capacity and reach many more people in need.

Joining Arukah is, for me, a continuation of that belief—living out what I have personally experienced about the power of working together.

Robert's family

What's your role with us, and what are you most excited about in this role?

My focus is on building partnerships and facilitating connections between different networks, particularly from a Kingdom perspective in India. What excites me most is the opportunity to strengthen what is already happening rather than starting new things — enhancing existing work and helping networks collaborate more effectively.

That said, it will be a real challenge for someone like me, who is naturally a doer. The discipline of facilitating rather than initiating will require intentionality.

How do you like to relax when you're not working?

In this season of life, I enjoy gardening, playing volleyball (whenever I get the chance), and travelling.

Thank you for being a part of the network, Robert. We are excited to have you on the Support Team!