Dr. Mahesh Kumar started his career in the Provincial Development service, a State civil service as a Block development Officer. He has worked as District Development Officer in 4 districts of Uttarakhand. He has also contributed as District Mission Manager, NRLM and Incharge Project Director, DRDA in three different districts of Uttarakhand. He has been a key administrative functionary of important National Mission and Programmes and has immensely contributed as the State Project Coordinator, Mahatma Gandhi NREGA Cell Secratariat, Dehradun. He has also worked as Registrar, Kumaun University, Nainital for two years.

              Dr. Kumar has done his M.Sc. and Ph.D. degree in Horticulture from G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar. He did his Bachelors in Agriculture from the same university. He has also done Masters in Social Work in which he has been awarded the University Gold Medal. He is also having Post graduate Diploma in Rural Development and has also done his MBA from Uttarakahnd Open University.

                Beside all this, Dr Kumar has also qualified the National Eligibility Test (NET) conducted by ICAR and has also published scientific and popular articles. His published work on Standardization of leaf sampling techniques in Bael (Aegle marmelos) has been widely accoladed. An accomplished Volleyball and hockey player, Dr Kumar owes his disciplined demeanour to the NCC training and the ''B'' and "C' certificates that he earned therein.