Raj Kumar became an active member of the Pakistan-U.S. Alumni Network following his participation in the State Department-sponsored Global Undergraduate Exchange Program in 2013. He served in various leadership positions within PUAN and secured grants totaling $10,000 for projects focusing on countering violent extremist voices and promoting pluralism in society. Through one of his initiatives, “Days of Interreligious Youth Action – Promoting Peace through Arts, Sports, Dialogue and Music,” Raj and his 10-person team brought together 500 community members from different ethnic and religious backgrounds to paint and share messages of peace through art and Sufi music, as well as teach teamwork and sportsmanship lessons. Through another grant, Mr. Kumar provided training to women about Pakistani laws that protect their rights. Raj recognizes the power of traditional and social media to influence views; he wrote a piece titled “My Journey as a Pakistani Hindu” that was picked up by a leading English-language newspaper in Pakistan, Express Tribune. He also has spoken about the role of youth in addressing violent extremism on a prominent Pakistani TV network, Dawn News, and has been profiled by a prominent Facebook page, “Humans of Pakistan.”
