Kumar Vishwas (born 10 February 1970) is a Hindi-language performance poet and an Indian politician and National Executive of Aam Aadmi Party.
Kumar Vishwas isn’t just a regular celebrity whom everybody knows, but quite an interesting and colorful character.. The more you got to know about him, the more curious you becomes- at one point, you would find him a die-hard patriotic revolutionist and at another, you would find him trapped in controversies of sexual harassment and plagiarism.
He is a college professor turned poet, social activist and a politician. He is best known for his oratory skills and poems. Not that politicians don’t write poems or poets would never get into politics, but being equally good in both is quite a rare thing. But this is what you expect from an erratic Aquarian.
Kumar Vishwas is not just a small-time poet doing poetry as a hobby, but, he is a poet of international repute. His fan following is not limited to India only. He is an international performance poet who has performed in Dubai, Japan, Singapore, and the United States. He is mainly a poet of the Shringara Ras– writes on beauty, love, romance and attraction. But, he writes on other issues as well such as corruption, atrocities against women, women empowerment and patriotism.
Vishwas has participated in poetry recitations and functions abroad including the USA, Dubai, Singapore, and Japan.
Vishwas supported the anti-corruption movement led by Anna Hazare. He is a member of the national executive of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). He contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election, as an AAP candidate from Amethi, but lost to Rahul Gandhi.
A sting operation was carried out by a media portal ahead of the 2013 Delhi Assembly elections that claimed that some AAP members, including Vishwas, had raised illegal cash donations.The AAP accused the portal of slandering the leaders of the party. Mediasarkar.com and AAP filed cross complaints against each other. The police promised action after a thorough investigation.
A video clip from Kavi sammelan in which he is shown making alleged derogatory remarks about Imam Hussain and Hindu deities and nurses from Kerala went viral on social media websites,various cases were registered against him. Vishwas responded that the clippings were doctored and later apologised for his remarks, saying it was not his intention to hurt anyone’s sentiments or feelings.
In 2016, Vishwas was accused by a campaign volunteer of molestation and making “sexually coloured” remarks. The courts ordered a First Information Report to be registered because of the complaint but an investigation by Delhi Police found no significant evidence to substantiate it.
In July 2017, Vishwas was accused of copyright infringement by Amitabh Bachchan in relation to a posting on YouTube. The video was taken down and compensation paid. This was around the same time that he was embroiled in a dispute within the AAP, which he had threatened to quit.
“Received appreciation from all other poet’s families, but a notice from you Sir. Already deleted the video and sending INR 32 as revenues received from the YouTube advertisements. Many Thanks” Said Vishwas.
Family
Dr Vishwas Kumar Sharma, better known as Dr Kumar Vishwas was born in a Gaur Brahmin family in a small town, Pilkhuwa, Ghaziabad. His father was a college professor and mother a housewife.
He is youngest among the 5 siblings. He has 3 brothers and a sister. Obliging to his father’s wish, he joined MNIT, Allahabad, one of the reputed engineering colleges in India, to become an engineer. But, machines didn’t interest him. So, he left engineering and followed his heart to study literature and make a career in poetry.
Dr Kumar Vishwas is happily married to another Hindi professor, Dr Manju Sharma Vishwas. The couple is blessed with two lovely daughters. Dr Vishwas and his wife were studying in the same college and both had a keen interest in Hindi literature.
Media
Vishwas has been a guest judge on the Indian Idol television show and a guest on Zee TV’s talent hunt show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li’l Champs.
Recognition
- Awarded Certificate of Recognition by California State Assembly
- Invited to Google HQ, California to address the Indians working there
- Invited to La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia to deliver a guest lecture on the topic “The life of poetry in modern India – culture, poetry and song”
