Soulful Conversations with Bithika Anand: Dr. Manoj Kumar, Additional Secretary, Union Ministry of Law & Justice

This episode of Soulful Conversations with Bithika Anand features Dr. Manoj Kumar, Additional Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of Law and Justice.

A Distinguished Alumnus of National Law School of India University (NLSIU) and a participant of the BGEI Programme at Harvard Business School, he brings with him a rich and impactful career spanning more than three decades.

Dr. Kumar’s journey reflects a blend of law, governance, public policy, and deep humanitarian commitment. He founded Hammurabi & Solomon Partners, the India Strategy Group, Lexxo LawTech and the India Unites Foundation, and has held respected roles including Vice-Chair, Energy and Natural Resources Committee of the Inter-Pacific Bar Association, Vice-President of the Society of Indian Law Firms, Vice-President of the Society of Construction Law (UK-India), and Visiting Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation.

Alongside his professional accomplishments, Dr. Kumar is known for his deep philanthropic engagement. As a Patron of Doctors For You, he has contributed extensively to healthcare outreach and emergency response. He supports projects focused on medical assistance during disasters and epidemics, neonatal healthcare, women and child welfare, education for the underprivileged, and rehabilitation of homeless and elderly citizens. He also supports Khirik Gaushala in Govardhan, home to over 150 rescued and destitute cows, and undertook the reconstruction of a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in his ancestral village, a deeply spiritual gesture symbolising the fusion of faith, culture, and community renewal.

For Dr. Kumar, life-defining moments often emerged from simple, profound experiences. One turning point was recognising that certain legal problems required solutions beyond the courtroom. He recalls a complex matter where the real resolution lay in revisiting a policy rather than litigation:

“That experience opened up my entire thinking as a professional. I realised that if I have to impact the lives of people, I need to move beyond the courtroom and go to the relevant table.”

This became the seed of his long-standing work in public policy.

Another powerful realisation came from his relationship with his father.

“For him, even the smallest achievement gave satisfaction. It made me understand that work is not about milestones, it is about how you touch lives.”

Dr. Kumar’s passion for wildlife, especially tigers, often surprises people.

“The jungle teaches balance. The tiger teaches grace. You may be the king of the jungle, but you do not make noise when you move.”

For him, the jungle is a metaphor for leadership, quiet strength, restraint and coexistence.

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The Soulful Conversations series looks into lawyers' lives beyond the law - their experiences, personal journeys, values and beliefs that have made them true achievers.

The series is presently in its second season. The last episode featured  Tejal Patil, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Wipro Limited.

The episode before that featured Vineet Vij, Global General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer of Tech Mahindra and its group companies.

The sixth episode featured Rajendra Misra, Executive Vice President & General Counsel of the Indian Hotels Company Limited, South Asia’s largest Hospitality group

The fifth episode featured Mayur Vasani, Head of Legal – India and affiliates, Indonesia, and the Philippines at Kenvue (formerly Johnson & Johnson Consumer Health Division).

The fourth episode of the second season featured Dr. Akhil Prasad, the Country Counsel-India and Company Secretary with Boeing India.

The third episode featured Group GC at HDFC Bank, Sudhir Kumar Jha.

The second episode featured Deepak Acharya, Chief Legal Officer of Aditya Birla Group, while the first episode of the second season featured Dr Sanjeev Gemawat, Managing Director and Group General Counsel at Essar Group. The third episode featured Dr. Vivek Mittal, the Executive Director of Legal and Corporate Affairs at Hindustan Unilever Limited.