Chetan Kumar

Chetan Kumar (born February 24, 1983), also known as Chetan Ahimsa, is an American Kannada-language film actor and social activist.

He was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, in the United States, to parents originally from Karnataka, India; his father is a surgeon and his mother an anesthesiologist.

He finished high school as the valedictorian at Marist High School in Chicago and later graduated from Yale University in 2005 with a Bachelor's degree in South Asian Studies, emphasizing comparative theatre.

Full Name	Chetan Kumar
Other Name(s)	Chetan Kumar Ahimsa
Occupation	Actor/Social Worker/Activist
Date of Birth	24-February-1983 (43 years)
Birth Location	Chicago, Illinois, United States
Gender	Male
Nationality	American
Zodiac Sign	Pisces
Height	168 cm
Weight	65 kg
Eye Colour	Black
Hair Colour	Black
School	Marist High School, Chicago
College	Yale University, US
Qualification	Graduate
Hobbies	Traveling, Listening to music

After completing his education, he earned a Fulbright Scholarship and moved to Karnataka in 2005 to study rural life, folk theatre, and traditional performing arts. Upon arriving in India, he worked as a teacher at a village school near Mysuru and became involved in theatre with the group Vistara, performing in plays that deepened his connection with Kannada culture.

His film debut came in 2007 with the gritty underworld drama Aa Dinagalu, which brought him acclaim and won him the Udaya Film Award for Best Debut Actor, establishing him as a fresh and serious talent in Kannada cinema.

Over the years, he has taken on a variety of roles ranging from intense and brooding to emotionally charged performances. In 2009's Birugaali and 2010's Suryakaanti, he explored action and romance genres.

His most celebrated performance came in 2013 with the hit film Myna, where he played a college student in a complex love story; this role earned him wide recognition and solidified his place in Sandalwood (the Kannada film industry). He is also known for other films including Dare to Sleep and 100 Crores.

Deeply committed to social justice and activism, he identifies as an Ambedkarite and has frequently voiced strong stances on issues such as caste discrimination, marginalization, indigenous and tribal rights, LGBTQIA equality, and farmers' and workers' welfare.

His willingness to speak out against powerful entities has occasionally drawn controversy; in 2023, he was arrested over a tweet critical of religious-nationalist rhetoric, and his Overseas Citizenship of India status came under scrutiny. Chetan Kumar married his long-time partner Megha on February 2, 2020.