Savneel Sangeet Kumar, born on 4 May 1990, is a Fijian mountaineer, academic, politician, and philanthropist.
Savneel was born and raised in Nadroga-Navosa Province, Fiji.
He completed his primary education at Tuva Primary School (formerly Tuva Indian School) and his secondary education at Nadroga Arya College.
In 2014, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree from Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) in New Delhi, India.
In 2015, Savneel joined the teaching profession in Fiji.
Savneel is a certified mountaineer. In 2018, he graduated from the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI) in Darjeeling, India.
In February 2018, he was elected President of the Fiji Mountaineering and Climbing Association (FMCA), a position he continues to hold till now.
The Fiji Mountaineering and Climbing Association (FMCA) is the national federation for mountaineering and climbing in Fiji.
In August 2020, he was elected President of Sport Climbing Fiji (SCF), another national sports administration role he continues to hold till now.
Sport Climbing Fiji (SCF) is the national federation for competition climbing in Fiji.
Through these organizations, Savneel has represented Fiji in mountaineering and climbing at international organizations such as the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC), the Oceania Council for Sport Climbing (OCSC), and the International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (UIAA).
In 2018, Savneel entered Fijian politics. He was selected by the National Federation Party (NFP) to contest the 2018 Parliamentary Elections in Fiji. Shortly after his selection, however, he withdrew his candidacy and resigned from the NFP.
In July 2020, he initiated the formation of a new political party by the name the Fijian National Congress (FNC).
Savneel has successfully integrated his passion for mountaineering and climbing into advocacy for the greater good. He takes a keen interest in addressing issues affecting Fijian society and the wider world.
In 2016, he undertook a 475 km long walkathon around Fiji’s largest island, Vitilevu, to raise awareness of child abuse and child neglect.
In 2017, he organized a similar walkathon around Fiji’s second-largest island, Vanua Levu. That same year, he partnered with the Foundation for the Education of Needy Children in Fiji (FENC Fiji) to raise funds supporting the education of disadvantaged children in Fiji.
In 2018, he led a 30-member Fiji Mountaineering and Climbing Association (FMCA) team on a long-distance walkathon around VitiLevu to raise awareness of non-communicable diseases in Fiji.
He plans to extend his advocacy initiatives by organizing long-distance walkathons in other parts of the world.
Beyond these efforts, Savneel is actively engaged with international peacebuilding organizations, including the United Religions Initiative (URI) and Religions for Peace Australia. He draws inspiration from the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi.
Through these varied roles, Savneel Sangeet Kumar has sought to contribute meaningfully to both his local community and the global society.