Normally, happenings like this would have surprised the Americans. However, his case turned out to be an exception. When he decided to run for the legislative position for a fourth consecutive term, the 110,000 strong Montgomery County citizens of District 17, found it exceeding easy to arrive at an answer. They chose him as their Delegate for the Maryland Legislature for the fourth time. As a result, Kumar P. Barve stretched his record as the longest serving official of Indian Origin in the American Congress.  He served the same district for the last 12 years in succession.

Forty three year old Kumar Barve finds his family roots in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Barve’s grandfather, Shankar L Gokhale was the President of Holkar College, Indore. In 1911, Gokhale arrived in America. Barve’s mother – Neera – was born in Schenectady, New York. However, Barve’s father, Prabhakar Barve, arrived into US much latter. After completing his architectural course in Hammersmith School of Building, London, Prabhakar reached US only in 1957.  Kumar was born in Schenectady, New York on September 8, 1958. He went to Paint Branch High School, Silver Spring, George Town University. 

Kumar Barve graduated from George Town University in 1980. He holds a BS degree in Accounting. Initially, he worked as a financial analyst. Currently, he holds a CFO position in two companies – QueBITS (a software development company) and Environmental Management Services (a toxic waste sites cleaning company).  Although, his activities in the business environment are not noticed, Barve’s achievements in the Legislative building are well reckoned. There is a good reason for this. 

Normally, Americans are reluctant to allow settlers to take part in deciding their government policies. In such a context, it is astounding that Barve has sponsored more than 72 bills in his 12-year legislative career along with other delegates in the Maryland Legislature. Barve has worked on many issues during his legislative career. The focus, however, is on Health Care reforms and Technology issues. He has chaired the Sub-Committee on Science and Technology a part of the House Committee on Economic matters. 

He has introduced and helped enact the Patient Access Act – the first bill in US to regulate HMOs. The Patient Access Act enabled the patients to see their doctors outside their HMO network. The Act prohibited those rules on health care providers that risked patient care. It also prohibited financial incentives that curtailed and compromised care. Barve was one of the architects of the Maryland’s law on insurance companies. That law banned insurance companies from using pre-existing conditions to deny coverage. He also worked on the Maryland’s Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act (UCITA). UCITA allows intellectual property rights to software developers. It also provides abundant protection to people who are buying computer equipment.

  Awards

  Barve received the Legislator of the Year award from the Montgomery County Medical Society, thrice. He is the chairman of the Montgomery County Delegation. He is also a member of the Indian Cultural coordinating Committee.

  Address

  Kumar P Barve
Lowe House Office Building, Room 222
84 College Avenue
Annapolis, MD 21401 – 1991
Email: [email protected]