At an entertainment program a few months ago, I watched with pride as a young girl performed a dance with great concentration, enthusiasm and verve, and most importantly, without any help. She had ataxia, a condition where the patient has difficulty maintaining her balance. Her successful completion of the dance was an achievement for both of us, the culmination of a year’s therapy. This incident reinforced my belief that the field of physiotherapy and rehabilitation was the right one for me, through which I could help individuals cope with any disability. For this purpose, I wish to do an MHS in physical therapy at the University of Indianapolis with a concentration in Neuro-Rehabilitation.

I developed an interest in the health sciences quite early in life, seeing my father, a medical practitioner, treating patients. I realized though, that many patients required more than just medicines for a complete cure. Especially in certain cases, where doctors gave life, the therapist made that life worth living. This got me interested in physical therapy, an inseparable part of health sciences.

During the four and a half years of my Bachelor’s degree at Sancheti Institute of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, Pune (India), we were exposed to all the aspects of physiotherapy. It was towards the end of the course that I had the opportunity to work with Dr. Mrs. Priya Bhide, a leading therapist of Pune (India). Handling patients with Cerebral palsy, Down’s Syndrome, Autism, Hemiplegia, Learning disabilities, Stroke et al helped me gain an overall perspective of the patient’s problems as regards the rehabilitation. To enhance my interest in these fields, I attended cources on Neuro-developmental treatment (NDT), NDT facilitation, Problems in Sensory Intergration, and Motor Control with Dr. Asha Chitnis, one of the foremost practitioners in the field of physical therapy, in Mumbai (India). It was here that she motivated me and fired my enthusiasm to learn further. Moreover, working while studying helped me correlate theory and practice.

My teachers inculcated in me a sense of responsibility, purposefulness, and the ability to make my work enjoyable. These experiences and our education were of utmost importance to me, enabling me to focus on the task at hand, while helping to set up the department of paediatrics and neurology at Sancheti Institute, Pune (India). Initially, managing a variety of cases with limited resources helped develop creativity in treatment strategies. Treating patients from all strata of society allowed me to take a holistic view of the patient and his family as a part of the team effort. A part of my duties includes supervising senior students and interns in their clinical work, something I find very fulfilling and satisfying. I believe that teamwork is an essential ingredient in the process of rehabilitation. It also requires inherent patience, a compassionate yet professional attitude, and willingness to share. I feel I am able to blend these qualities towards achieving the required goals in treatment and function.

To this end, a few of us colleagues founded an NGO names “Prayaas”, meaning an attempt, in May 2001, with a view to normalizing the outlook towards special children. Towards achieving this goal our maiden effort was a two-day camp with recreational activities for the 24 physically handicapped children with normal mental capacity, and counseling for their parents. The second project was more of an educational and field experience at an overnight camp in a village. In the future, I would definitely like to continue working for such organizations.

I believe that for a keener insight into any subject, it is important to research into both theoretically and clinically. Where theory being an abstract idea or a collection of ideas used to explain a phenomenon serves as a basis for experimenting, the clinical correlation helps to establish the veraciousness of that theory. Hislop said, “Specializing in the techniques of physical therapy will not be enough…we will have to specialize in the problems of our patients…” So, to have a holistic approach, further study into a topic is necessary, even to plan and achieve realistic goals. I wish to do an MHS for the purpose of achieving my goals of helping patients get into the mainstream of society as far as possible.

I feel I shall be able to pursue my interest successfully at the University of Indianapolis, which is one of the foremost universities in the field of Rehabilitation and Neurology, and offers a comprehensive program for the same, with a distinguished faculty. I am confident of meeting the high standards of hard work and commitment required for further studies. I hope to gain admission and make a positive contribution to my department as well as the university.

The purpose of learning is to gain knowledge and knowledge is the driving force that keeps the human mind going. It is the pursuit of knowledge that has been my motivation and has me apply for PhD in GENETICS in your esteemed University. I have always striven to realize my potential and I believe the academic program of Louisiana State University Health Science Center will best aid me in doing so.

I have graduated in medicine from Grant Medical College, Mumbai (erstwhile Bombay), which is one of the top five medical colleges in India. My first exposure to the science of genetics was through Biology curriculum in my High School years when I learned about the Mendelian laws, heredity, genetic diseases, mutations ect. Later at different points of time during my undergraduate years, I was exposed to the study of genetics as a part of the Anatomy, Pathology and Pediatrics courses. I found the subject fascinating and my growing interest decided that this was the field of study, which I wanted to pursue. I believe that genetics holds the key to understanding various things that happen around us especially to our own bodies. Study of genetics has the potential of opening hitherto unseen doors leading to find cures to the seemingly incurable diseases. My belief in this was strengthened while studying cases of Down’s syndrome, Becker’s and Duchene’s muscular dystrophy, a wide variet of inherited metabolic diseases ect. during my clinical rotations. I learned how genetics could be of great help and how karyotyping, chromosomal analysis, and various other cytogenetic and molecular genetic studies could prevent a lot of emotional and financial stress for parents. One particular case comes to my mind in which four children of the same family were admitted in the ward with Down’s Syndrome. I still remember the children very clearly and also the distress on the faces of their parents who were faced with the daunting task of raising these differently abled children. I can remember thinking then that if the parents had access to good genetic counseling and diagnostic techniques; this mental anguish could have been avoided.

Again, while studying Pathology during my undergraduate years of Medicine, I came across the concept of cancer-genetics. I was fascinated to learn about the association between cancer and human chromosomes. Ever since 1959 When Peter C. Nowell and David A. Hungerford opened a new chapter in cancer research with the discovery of the Philidelphia Chromosome, attention has been diverted to looking for a genetic basis for the occurrence of a wide variety of malignancies and tumors. I read voraciously about the various chromosomal aberrations, which occur in cancer (Translocations, Deletions, and Chromosomal Breakage Syndromes) and found in enthralling. I was assigned two cases of CML (chronic myeloid leukemia) in my medicine rotations and followed these over a month. I saw their chromosomal analysis results and they both showed the translocation of c-abl oncogene to the bcr gene showed the translocation of c-abl oncogene to the bcr gene of chr.22 (in other words, voth the cases tested positive for the Philadelphia chromosome). Other cases, which I saw and recognized as having a genetic origin, were of Wilms tumor and a case of Fanconis anemia. With the plethora of new avenues opening in the field of oncogenetics, selfdom a day goes by when a new chapter of this enthralling saga is not unfolded. Even with the brief exposure that I have had to the subject, it is evident to me that genetics is an integral part of Clinical Medicine. There cannot possibly be anything more stimulating than learning about the very origin of these diseases that the medical profession strive to eliminate. The future belongs to the study of genes, examining the pathology of cancers at the molecular and chromosomal levels and then as a final step trying to cure them. Genetics ever since its origin in 1865 with Mendel and his laws, has steadily gained prominence as an important adjunct to clinical medicine. Its significance as not only a conceptual basis for medicine but also for clinical practice is now fully recognized. As an example of the load of diseases of genetic origin on the community-‘According to a study based on One million live births, at least Five percent of the live born under twenty five had a genetic disorder of single gene, cytogenetic, multifactorial causation (Baird et al., 1988).’

Thousands of children every year die of no definable reason (e.g. S.I.D.S.). Almost 27-30% of these babies are now proved to be having some Inherited Error of Metabolism. These children often suffer from mental retardation, leaning disabilities, autism, dyslexia, scholastic backwardness ect. It is a difficult task to treat and rehabilitate these children. The most rational and cost effective way of preventing such difficulties is to have a comprehensive Neonatal Screening Program (NSP). I have been intrigued by the role genetics play in reducing the morbidity and mortality due to these conditions and hope to learn more about the same. Pursuing research concentrated on human diseases (like above) and Cancers, is my aim and I hope to fulfill it in you institution.

I believe that the passion that I have for learning more about genetics will ultimately lead me to do serious research in this area. However, I have to equip myself first by studying the fundamentals of the subject systematically. It is with this end in view that I have applied for the Graduate Program in genetics in the Louiisiana State University Health Science Center. I have carefully studied the prescribed curriculum and I do believe that it will equip me excellently to pursue my interest in this subject fruitfully. Having always been in the top five percentile in my classes, I am confident that if accepted, I have the commitment and ability to put in the necessary hard work that the challenging course schedule will undoubtedly require.

“Health is wealth” goes the well-known adage. Being healthy and staying fit has been one of the most oldest wishes of mankind and the health care industry works to achieve just the same. It is my pleasure to be associated with a field that strives to serve humanity and to cherish the wonderful gift of life.

The Pharmaceutical Industry has witnessed transformations more rapid than most other streams. With the latest advances streaming in, health care has increasingly shifted from a manufacturing oriented business to a knowledge-based industry. The newer challenges that this field faces excite me and I am keen to try my hand at unraveling these challenges with my skill sets. My foundation in Pharmacy combined with my degree in management endows me the requisite skills and knowledge that is essential for a thorough understanding of this field.

Having secured excellent marks in Physics, Chemistry and Biology, the subjects that count towards Pharmacy admissions, I got a change to ingrain myself with the intricacies of the pharmaceutical field. The course curriculum covers a wide spectrum of subjects that covered not only the core pharmacy subjects but also contributed to giving an understanding of allied fields like Psychology. The sandwich pattern of my course gave me the chance to gain some practical experience (one month) by means of in-plant training at German Remedies Ltd. During my training, I got well-rounded exposure to industrial working and understood the importance of man-machine and inter-personnel relationship, as I was required to communicate to both, the workmen and management. I understood the importance of application-orientation of projects in industry. I became especially interested in management since the smooth running of any company largely depends on the vision and skill of the management team.

The Pharmacy course included subjects like Business Mathematics that gave me an insight into the working of the business world. The course has shaped my mind to think logically and cemented the need for thinking innovatively. This aspect of thinking was further brought into focus during the research projects that I undertook during my Masters in Management Studies (MMS) course. I enjoy research because it not only stimulates me to explore the known in an attempt to discover the hidden but also is a good testing platform for the skills that I have amassed.

The foundation that was built in the Management course has empowered me to make more rational judgments about the industry. The generic approach of the course, which covers a wide range of subjects, has helped me gain an insight into the intricacies of the functioning of the industry. I got an exposure to the practical applications of these principles of management when I started working with Roche Scientific Company (I) Pvt. Ltd. As the company deals with super-specialty drugs, I had a chance to deal personally with specialist who perform specialized operations, as well as the patients who undergo these operations. It was during this time that the economic implications of the health decisions became obvious to me. This has further helped me by gaining a much needed understanding of both sides of the story – this, I think, would help me in finding deeper connections.

According to me, as newer vistas open in the healthcare sector, increasing complexity in the means and tools of treating diseases call for a systematic and trained approach in managing the issues that arise.

In a country like India, these problems are compounded due to disparity that exists in the wants and means – thus presenting greater challenges, which I hope to solve by application of my knowledge.

I believe that hard work; dedication and quest for knowledge can lead to accomplishment of life long goals. The joy of understanding things on my mind is what motivates me. That is the tonic that compels me to endeavor to solve every problem or unravel every puzzle. I believe that is how one understands the intricacies of life. To make this journey of life successful; one has to have a firm backing of values. I come from a typical Indian family where values like honesty; integrity and respect for elders and teachers are imbibed right from childhood.

Besides being strong academically, I have an inclination towards computers. The use of computers as an aid made research more interesting. I have used statistical packages like SPSS during my research projects in college. I have been an avid reader and love to read books right from the fictions of Michael Crichton to the subtle humor of P.G. Wodehouse.

Graduate studies will give me the ideal academic foundation and research opportunity to fulfill my goals. With higher education, focused goals and my existing talent, I am confident to excel in meeting my objectives and offer substantial contribution to the field of Healthcare. Thus a doctorate at Duquesne University shall be an immediate step towards realizing my dreams and goals and I eagerly look forward to an offer of admission with financial aid.

Admitted to: Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
For: MPA Masters in Public Administration



1.Discuss ways in which your past experience and background contributed to you decision to choose public service as your career. Demonstrate how the MPA program would be more appropriate for you than the MPP program, given your prior academic, quantitative background.

From school days I had interest in Social Work. I was awarded Grade A in Class X for my Social Work. During B.Com. I joined National Service Scheme (NSS), the social service wing promoted by the Ministry of Human Resources Development, Government of India. Within two years, our unit was being recognized for our contribution. We conducted Programs on Adult Literacy, Population Management, Health and Hygiene, ect. We even did a ten-day residential camp which we built a road. This experience enriched me as far as my interaction with a cross section of the society is concerned. It provided me an opportunity to interact with village elders, whom we motivated to learn reading and writing; young men whom we had to educate advantages of population control; people living in slums, whom we had to communicate benefits of Health and Hygiene, ect. During my second year with the organization I was given the responsibility to motivate other students to join as volunteers. I also interacted with Government Bureaucrats, Teachers, ect.

For a true appreciation of the work, it is important to understand the environment in which we had to perform. We operated on a very limited financial budget and in an environment in which we had to perform. We operated on a very limited financial budget and in an environment of general indifference towards social issues. For instance, we organized full day residential camps on a shoestring budget of USD 2 per person per day. To gain acceptance of our target group we had to make of number to visits. During this time, I had to make sure that my grades at college were maintained. In fact, I stood 4th in the University (among more than ten thousand students). I was also pursuing a professional course (Institute of Cost and Works Accountants of India) alongside all this activity. In India, social service is not considered as a career option. There is intense family pressure to consider safer career option like Accountancy, MBA, ect.

After graduation I worked hard to become a Chartered Accountant (CA). In India, CA is the premier qualification in field of Accounting and Finance. I was selected for training at Price Waterhouse Coopers (one of the Big Four Audit firms. I qualified examination with top honors and joined a stream of corporate managers. During three years with Price, I was exposed to different types of organizations. Business environment has further honed my analytical and decision making skills. I rose fast in corporate environment but there was this sense of restlessness. There was a great deal of challenge, but I did not get a sense of passion and emotional involvement, which I felt when I was with NSS.

There were these recurrent situations which I pricked my conscience. During a trek on the outskirts of Mumbai, financial capital of India, I saw bonded labor at work. Just think of it, bonded labor just Thirty Kilometers from Financial heart of India!! This and many more incidents like this made me uncomfortable.

In year 2000 I left my cushy job as a Senior Manager with Al Shaya at Kuwait and started my own consulting firm. On one hand I am advising the rich how to make more money and on the other I conduct business advisory services for economically underprivileged. I have collated around 100 micro self-employment projects. I am conducting training seminars wherein information on Government schemes, Institutional credit, banking, ect. is disseminated. People have found these useful. Here I give full credit to my experience at Shell. At Shell, a customer was first priority. The whole approach was to understand customer need and then provide tailor made solutions. By listening to people I find what their needs really are and then provide customized solutions.

I have excellent analytical skills, as reflected in my professional qualifications and experience. A hand on experience grass root level has made me sensitive to issues and concerns being faced by poverty-stricken people. A graduate degree in public affairs would accelerate my learning curve and provide an opportunity to meet with the best brains in the area. This blend of expertise and passion would help me in taking a proactive approach to social and economic development.

As regards my choice of MPA program over MPP program, I understand that MPA program prepares one for taking managerial positions while the emphasis of MPP program is towards policy analysis. I am more inclined towards implementation of projects and programs. I like to take a decision from drawing board to its implementation stage. Best of intentions can be marred by tardy implementation.

2.Analyze a public policy or public management problem and propose recommendations.

Absolute Poverty and Endemic Unemployment are two of the most important problems, which any developing country faces. In India, this problem has got magnified on account of its one billion plus population. Further, rising consumer expectations are putting a burden on land and other natural resources.

During first forty years after Independence, India followed a socialist patter of economy. Government is the largest employer, with nearly 20 million people on its payroll. Government entered into virtually each and every sphere of social and business activity. This led to large-scale migration of people from countryside to cities, leading to loss of labor in countryside and decay in cities; declining productivity of the economy as a whole and huge fiscal deficit. In early Nineties, the Indian economy was opened up. Role of private enterprise in wealth creation and employment generation was recognized. Efforts are being made to engage large businesses to set up projects.

Government is sponsoring various employment generation schemes, wherein finance is provided at a subsidized cost. These schemes have by and large proved to be a non-starter, primarily for two reasons. One, the basic structure of the schemes is flawed. For instance, in one of the schemes, finance upto Rupees One hundred thousand (USD 2000) is provided at a subsidized rate of 11% per annum, for a maximum period of Five years. This means that there is a repayment liability of Rs.2200 per month. For minimum subsistence, a person requires Rs.2500/-per month (USD 50/-). Thus an entrepreneur needs to generate Rs.56400/- per annum. Thus business needs to earn a return of Fifty Six percent per annum, right from day one. This is nearly impossible and this is one of the reasons why most of the financing done under this scheme becomes bad. Second reason is that it presumes that entrepreneur is aware of different employment avenues, together with their risk return payoff. This assumption is fundamentally wrong. Our knowledge base is limited by our experience of our immediate environment. It is only through education and experience that we expand our awareness. It is for this reason that a farmer who is growing wheat thinks twice of growing medicinal herbs, though latter may have higher earning potential. This leads to diminishing return on investment on labor.

There is a need to create a Knowledge based holistic model to deal with this issue. I believe that poverty is like a disease and needs to be treated as such. It needs prescription like any other disease. Using basic structure of Medical Industry, I have created a model. In Medicine, an ailment is identified. To provide solution for this ailment, Pharmaceutical companies undertake research and development. Based on initial finding, first clinical and then field trails are conducted. Approval from Regulatory authorities is obtained and then commercial production is undertaken. Medicine produced is then marketed. Doctors, who are independent professionals, prescribe the drug to patients. Thus there is a continuous system of knowledge creation and knowledge dissemination.

Similarly, societal/customer needs need to be identified and ideas generated to deal with the need. Ideas then need to be incubated to examine their techno commercial viability and if found feasible, ideas may be mass marketed. Training institutions would impart necessary training and create necessary credit and marketing linkages. Thus, the role of government transforms from ‘doer’ to ‘facilitator’. I have identified twenty such projects which have a potential to create employment for a million plus people. I am hereby illustrating one of these.

‘Wheat Germ Juice’ is also known as Green Gold. Herein wheat is germinated from Nine to ten days. Then it is pressed and juice is extracted. This Juice has many medicinal properties. They key limitation is that Juice needs to be consumed within half an hour of extraction. Further, it takes effort and time to grow saplings. This task of growing of wheat and extracting juice may be by individuals with Government focusing on training of people and conducting awareness generation program. With an initial investment of rs.5000/- (USD 100/-) this project has a potential to generate a monthly income of rs.4000/- (USD 80/-). This project itself has a possibility of creating employment opportunity for Fifty Thousand People.

In dealing with problem of absolute poverty it is necessary to understand that effort should be made to eradicate ‘absolute’ component of poverty. There has been and will always continue to be ‘relative’ poverty. A self-employment entrepreneurial-knowledge based model of growth would help to deal with unemployment and poverty on a long-term basis.

3.Describe An Even Or Experiences In Which You Exercised A Significant Leadership Role


‘Journey of a thousand miles start with a single step’ says a Chinese proverb. I never knew that my proposal for building a Badminton court would ever become a rallying point of social gatherings, which would finally take the form of a club.

In October 1990 the city of Lucknow was under curfew and I had lots of time on hand. I suggested to my friend that instead of wasting our time it may be a worthwhile idea to build a badminton court. With some persuasion and motivation he agreed. We drew a broad blueprint as to how we shall go about the project. Our first and foremost priority was to organize a place where the court could be built. There was this plot of land, lying very near to our house which was being used as a garbage dump. We zeroed in on this vacant plot of land. The plot was the right size. It as covered on three sides. This provided us shelter from strong winds. Our next priority was to take permission from the owner of the plot. I got in touch with the owner. He was initially hesitant, but I could persuade him as to our honesty and intentions. A common friend put in a word. This facilitated the process.

The day we got permission I, together with my fried, started cleaning the plot. As the city was under curfew, we could not hire any help for the purpose. Initially soiling of hands was not very pleasant. But once we got in the mood the work became fun. By this time neighbors started showing interest. Around mid day we wend to each and every house in the neighborhood and invited them for a gathering. People streamed in, more our of curiosity than anything else. I introduced them to the project, explained what we are doing and how we are going to go about it. What resources in terms of time and money are expected from them and what advantages would flow from the project. Since the city was curfew bound the large gathering attracted police personnel who came to inspect what was going on. I would say the policy were very enthusiastic and cooperative. They agreed to overlook our activity.

Some people expressed open support – some genuine and some out of boredom of curfew, some were cautious and adopted a wait and watch attitude and some conveyed in not uncertain words that we were fools. They said it was foolish to do all this during a curfew. By the end of the day we had ten individuals who were working on the plot, cleaning garbage. We used a sweeper’s wheelbarrow to cart the garbage away. When we had cleared the garbage, we found that the ground was very uneven. We were very disappointed. Then I asked an engineer living nearby, what alternatives we had and what we needed to do. He not only suggest us a very simple method but also agreed to oversee the leveling of the plot. By the end of the third day we had cleared the garbage and leveled the plot. With girls taking care of refreshments lots of boys jumped into the project. We had more hands than we actually needed.

Next we needed poles. Short of money we decided to use a bamboo pole for the purpose. This was courtesy a police officer. He helped us in obtaining the pole from a contractor nearby. With rudimentary knowledge of electrical work we put in lights, ect. An voila! By end of fifth day the court was ready for use. I admit that it was a bit rough to use. But we reasoned that once people start playing on it, it shall level.

Badminton court soon became a hit. My parents were happy that garbage was cleared. People had a place to play. A Doctor who was staying just opposite our house recorded that people had lost inches around the waist and were much fitter. The interaction on the court spurred social activity in the neighborhood. There was more of partying and interaction. People interacted more during festivals. The divisiveness of communalism was forgotten with people of all faith participating in each other’s festivals. This interaction helped when there was a water scarcity in the neighborhood. People formed an action group and forced the corporator to take urgent action, providing the maxim ‘United we stand, divided we fall’ true.

After a few years our family left the neighborhood. When I visited the place recently I found that on the plot a house has been built. However, people had converted a municipal land lying vacant, into a park. It had a badminton court, a walking track and a place for Yoga Lessons. This incident taught me a great lesson. People support good intentions. Leadership which is constructive and committed will always find support. It is all about taking initiative and having commitment. Everything else follows. God helps those who help themselves. As some one has remarked ‘leaders do not do great deeds, they do small things greatly’.

Admitted to: Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts
For: MA International Economics



1.Plans For Graduate Study and Future Career

The 21st century has heightened new changes that the world is only just beginning to get used to. As far as international trade is concerned Globalization, Liberalization and Privatization have joined Liberty, Fraternity and Equality as maxims to live by. With the WTO beginning to dramatically influence the nature of world trade and the IMF and World Bank provided the much needed funds for projects that will benefit mankind, we wee the nations of the world coming together, sharing their resources to remove boarders that have existed so long, forming one world with more happiness and prosperity for developed and developing countries alike.

Economics is a subject so vast that one cannot begin to fathom its reach. Studying it has given me the ability to look ahead and see more opportunities and fields of specialization that I did not believe existed. Just studying Economics at the undergraduate level is not enough to provide a student with anything more than a basic understanding of the subjects in general and much less of a particular field like Econometrics of International Trade.

Having graduated in Economics from India’s premier institution St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, and done my post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration from St. Joseph’s College, Bangalore, I would like to get more westernized perspective on Economics and Finance. Since the United States of America is without doubt the most influential nation where Economics is concerned and Boston is a hub of financial activity, it seems only natural that I wish to study there. The Graduate School of International Economics and Finance at Brandeis University is recognized as one of the top schools in the United States of America for these subjects, and I would like to attend the Maief program at this prestigious university. This program will give me a rigorous grounding in the basics of International Economics, which will hold me in good stead, as well as allow me to study other applied fields of Economics like International Finance and Trade.

This Masters program will help me move a step closer to my career goal of working at the IMF or the World Bank. International Finance and Monetary Policy are fields that interest me particularly. India has the potential to be an Economic Power and by working in India for these institutions, I believe I can help it receive the financial assistance that it needs to grow and develop at a quicker pace than before, so that it doesn’t get left behind in the World Economy. Having lived in India all my life, I am acutely aware of the need for aid and monetary loans from these international organizations to fund basic facilities like public transport in a particular city, or for a larger but desperately needed project like the construction of a dam to help millions of farmers in that area, who depend solely on the proceeds of their crops for their existence. These matters are complicated but aid is necessary for economies to grow and develop to match their counterparts so that the world is full of ‘haves’ and not ‘have nots’. Graduating with a Master of Arts in International Economics and Finance from a prestigious university like Brandeis, will definitely open more windows of opportunity for me and will increase my chances of working at these international organizations that hold the fortunes of nations in their book.

2.Academic Background

My prime motivation to study Economics further is my love for the subject and the feeling that I know too little about it to consider myself to be good at it. It is a subject that has fascinated me from the day I took my first Economics class. I found the subject easy to grasp and seemed to have a natural flair for it. In fact, while most of the class has studied Economics in high school, I was taking my first class ever and was doing well with it. In the first year of college, my original plan to study Psychology as a major gradually got replaced by Economics and from there, there was no looking back. I switched from the Psychology Honors Program offered by St. Xavier’s College. This program complements and supplements the regular University curriculum. While the University prescribed courses are aimed at catering to the needs of a larger section of the student population and hence ten to lay greater emphasis on wider coverage of concepts, theories and issues rather than their in-depth analysis, the Honors Program reverses this process of learning and encourages students to explore area beyond the realms of the University syllabi, stimulates deeper analysis of the issues and provides greater teacher-student interaction.

I was a member of the Economics Honors Program during the years 1999-2002. The highlight of my involvement with this program was participating in the first Xavier’s Model United Nations in December 2001 where I represented the Kingdom of the Netherlands as a member of the Economics and Finance Committee (ECOFIN) of the UN. The topic area for the session was “Effectiveness of Economic Sanctions”, and I received a ‘Special Mention’ for my efforts to bring the session to a successful conclusion by drafting a resolution that took the interest of the International Community into consideration. I also presented a seminar paper to faculty and students on “The Opening up of the Insurance Sector in India” as part of the departmental seminar on “Monetary Economics-Institutions, Theory and Policy”. I also attended a Lecture Series organized by the department of Globalization, its contradictions and challenges. The Lecture Series spread over six months covered a wide range of topics such as the Global Market and Multi – National companies, International Debt, Globalizations and East Asian Countries, Media and Migration, Globalization and Ecology and Globalization and Human rights. I presented a paper on the Human Development to Report of the UN Development Program and highlighted the various aspects that each annual report concentrates on and compared India’s ranking with that of other countries with similar socio-economic climates. In addition, I also did a project on Industrial Relations in India and the effect of Politics on Trade Unions.

Studying Economics as my major in college and being a part of the Honours program especially, has given me a lot of exposure into International Economics, Globalization, Finance and Trade. The project work that I undertook has already allowed me to grasp many key aspects of these subjects which I believe will be very useful both for the Maief program that I am applying for and in my future career.

College/University: John C. Whitehead School of Diplomacy, Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ
Degree: MA Diplomacy and International Relations

My first brush in the field of International Relations was in high school, where I studied Humanities. Pursuing my graduation in Political Science was a natural progression.

I completed my BA from St. Xavier’s College, Calcutta, ranked amongst the top 5 institutions in India. I studied Political Theory, Thought, and constitutions of countries, Public Administration and International Relations. The Indian society, its unity in diversity, the present conflict ridden world and the quest of the United Nations to resolve them intrigues me.

I read about the roles of the UN, EU, ASEAN and SAARC. The recognition of Human Rights in America is known and I wish to draw lessons from the American experience, which can be meaningfully implemented in India.

Women in India continue to be discriminated against in politics. To counter this anomaly, 33% seats were to be reserved for women in the Indian Parliament. This step itself was discriminatory and had become a debatable issue. I represented my college and spoke against the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill in the Youth Parliament, a debate on contemporary politics, organized by the State Government. Although this Bill was rejected, this issue remains controversial.

The education with the School of Diplomacy & International Relations at Seton Hall University will give me an opportunity to share my experiences of the Indian subcontinent. The focus will be on the pressing issues of the 21st century, which include the Green Revolution, the ecological imbalance, population explosion, poverty, child labor and illiteracy. I will bring to SHU this experience, characteristic of India, and make presentations of these complex issues by drawing parallels with those prevalent in other countries. I believe that will be a perfect fit in SHU.

SHU is unique among U.S. graduate schools in its focus on International Organizations and Public Policy, Economics, Environmental Policy, and serves as a center of excellence for research in these areas. It is know to integrate critical elements of World Trade, Human Resource Management and global politics into a distinctive curriculum. The courses you offer will give me the chance to study subjects like criminal law, human rights and Asian Area Studies.

It is my desire to go for higher education in a reputable university like yours, where I will get an exposure and the right blend of courses. I intend to use my educational experiences to maximize my opportunities for a career that will be personally satisfying. Today an education in IR is not only relevant to those seeking careers in government institutions, but also in corporate entities. Given the opportunity, I would like to pursue a doctoral program in IR.

I am interested in studying under erudite scholars in SHU and interacting with the multifaceted students your schools is known to draw. I intend to forge partnerships that can work towards addressing some of the complexities. It all of us could give a small bit of ourselves, then this would become a better place to live in. There is an urgent need to contribute to the upliftment of the millions in my country. I want to be a part of it and what better way to do this than to choose a career in the study of IR at the highest level.

I believe that my education background, my experiences, preparation and my ‘will to succeed’ makes me a strong candidate for the Master of Arts in Diplomacy and International Relations program in your university.

This application is very important to me because completion of a PhD degree in Mathematics will be the best chance for a unifying career development with my labor of love - mathematics. I am confident that when I become a serious and mature researcher my desire to make a contribution to mathematics and to our understanding of this world will remain my main driving force.

I don't remember when I became keen on mathematics. At first it was only entrainment as I found it exciting to solve intricate problems. Later it became something more than a mere hobby. I particularly enjoyed the ineffable feeling of triumph when you realize that the problem is solved; that you have got the idea. I think it is the profundity of this feeling that made mathematics my chief enthusiasm. I have taken part in Olympiads and Conferences. The most valuable contribution of these competitions was a possibility to meet the same enthusiasts in mathematics. I was particularly impressed when I was invited to participate in an International Summer School and Conference in the ancient town of Pereslavl-Zalessky. There I had an opportunity not only to work on appealing research problems but also to interact closely with working mathematicians such as X and Y. It is difficult to describe the feelings that overwhelmed me but they did incite me to further progress.

Being a high school student I was doing a course on inequalities at Kiev State University where I conducted my first research work. It was essentially proof of Karamat inequality that utilized properties of convex functions and Murhead inequality. It was unforgettable, how the main idea of my central proof dawned upon me. That evening I went to sleep the happiest boy in the world. Although, relatively simple, I did something really innovative, something that no one had ever done before with elementary methods. That was my first moderate contribution to mathematics.

Later, while being a freshman at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT), I refined the proof and presented it at the 52nd MIPT Scientific Conference where it was honored the first prize.

In my fourth year when students of our University get involved in research activity, Professor X suggested to be my supervisor. Under his guidance I wrote my thesis ”Integration of Multivalued Mappings“ and defended it with Honors. Essentially it consisted in a study of necessary and sufficient conditions under which there exists Riemann integral of multivalued maps. My task was to find some classes of sets of attainability and to investigate relation between Lebesgue and Riemann integral for Multivalued Maps. In this work I analyzed properties of spaces of compacts with Housdorff metric and properties of support functions of convex compacts and applied these theoretical findings to several problems of theoretical mechanics. During this work I acquired a broad range of research experience and background necessary for further research in convex analysis.

My current research work is devoted to differentiating of multivalued mappings and differential inclusions. The main task is to become familiar with ideas and approaches introduced in the Sci. D. thesis of Professor X and to improve the results that are obtained in it. One of the most challenging tasks in the project is to obtain Pontryagin maximum principle in Hamiltonian form from Lagrange form (in terms of tangent cones).

After graduation I plan to continue my scientific career in mathematics. Differential games, convex analysis and Optimization theory are of particular interest to me. I have the strongest incentive to advance as far as I can in this captivating science and feel confident that application to the University of Chicago is the best possible step to accomplish it. I would regard my admission to your University not only as a great honor but also as a great responsibility and an obligation to work hard.

When I heard that theoretical strength of a material is higher than its practical strength as much as hundreds times and that is all only because of presence of cracks, I was surprised. I decided to learn this phenomenon and carried out great number of various investigations to understand how cracks grow and how to predict demolition of materials with cracks. Now I can definitely say that I approached the final explanations of these questions.

I have been interested in science for a very long time. In high school, I attended additional physical course that included theoretical training as well as work in a school laboratory. There I first tried myself as an experimentalist making a simple hologram. When I started my studies at Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT) my interest in experimental physics only increased. MIPT opened great opportunities for my growth. After close acquaintance with laboratories of our department and their researches, I decided to work in field of experimental mechanics.

Investigations of mechanical properties of materials attracted my attention. In my second year I had spent all my spare time in the laboratory and it allowed me to make great progress in my investigations. My first research project was about stress concentration, especially at the top of the crack. My oral topic at Final Exam in physics was "Determination of stress concentration at the top of the crack". Later my interest shifted to more complex problem - investigations of crack creep growth and creep fracture. With results of this research, I took part in Scientific Technical Conference of MIPT with report "Investigation of kinetics of cracks by polarization-optics method". I was the only student from my Department who took part in this Conference. My work won third place award in the section "Physical Mechanics" and as one of the best works of the Conference will be published in the collection "Transactions of MIPT 1997". Currently I prepare my latest work for publication in scientific journal "Applied Mathematics and Mechanics".

Work in the laboratory gave me many qualities that will be needed for successful Ph.D. study. The strongest is skill to work with laboratory equipment. Participation in Scientific Conference developed my public speaking skills. That all and Bachelor of Sciences that I will receive next June will help me in graduate study at Your University. Another skill that work in the laboratory gave me is skill to communicate with people and as a result I became the captain of my department soccer team and later the captain of my institute soccer team. In addition, I think my participation in the Students' Theater helps to form my personality. I think I will not only enhance scientific potential of Your Department, but also enrich cultural and sport life of Your University.

Unfortunately the latest changes in Russia brought about not only positive democratic reforms and political freedom but also reduction of employment possibilities for scientists and curtailment of stable government subsidies for scientific projects. As a result the concerns about students suffered a lot. All this encouraged me to look for possibilities to continue my study in the USA. I think it would be a good chance to receive high-level education under guidance of strong scientists and excellent teachers and with the help of first-class equipment.

In this essay I am going to concentrate mostly on the incentives that stimulate me to pursue further studying, and reflect the motives for my choice of Princeton University as well as state my future career objectives.

I have chosen to work in the area of international microeconomics because it has such a demand for new ideas. At the same time it requires a good mathematical background and has obvious implications in real life.

My education suits this field very well, I have Master of Science with Honors in the field of applied mathematics and physics and a Master of Arts in economics with a specialization in international economics. I already have extensive research experience both in applied sciences and economics, know basic economic models and have strong background both in abstract modeling and data manipulation. All this probably makes me an economist, but my objective is to become a good one.

I have been taught by very good lecturers. After course I took with Professor Branson I decided that there is nothing more interesting than international economics. Professor A made issues of monetary economics and government policy fascinating. Lectures delivered by Professor B attracted me to labor market problems. I enjoyed listening to them and want to teach my mind to operate in a similar manner -- attention is paid to every individual fact and each formal problem solved reflects a real economic situation.

While writing my master's thesis I had a chance to see that a simple look at a graph can be more useful than application of sophisticated economic techniques. One of the reasons I want to study further is to reach at least the same level of intuitiveness and panoramic view of the subject as my teachers have.

My Master of Arts degree was in the field of Health Economics, which I am very interested in. It was mostly empirical dissertation. My dissertation was titled ".." and I worked under the guidance of Professor C. The greatest part of my work was devoted to macroeconomic cross-country econometric (panel data) analysis. The task was complicated by the necessity to work with omitted variables and low quality data as well as the low reliability of data for developing countries and countries in transition.

We also made efforts to build a model that explains the impact of macroeconomic parameters on health deterioration and the probability of death. My master's thesis has been presented at the "Russian Economic And Political Institutions In Transition" conference and currently we are preparing it for publication.

At this time I am also doing empirical research devoted to inflation and monetary policy. I feel cautious specifying which area of economics interests me most for further study, but I do not think that this is a drawback. I find economics particularly attractive for the fact that it is broad, and has not yet been split into a set of narrow sub-branches -- economists all speak almost the same language. I also think that in the face of complexity we face in this discipline, it would ineffective to specialize too narrowly.

This year I realized as I had not before that I wish to continue my studies. Being a teaching assistant in Professor A's Macroeconomics and Advanced Macroeconomics classes, I understood a lot of effort must be applied for a good student to turn into a good teacher. I feel that a similar gap lies between a good student and a good researcher.

I am a hard-working and determined person, and I am ready for a new leap in my economics career. I will work hard in hope that the quantity of the effort I put in will result in high quality knowledge. The fact is that the best possible supervisors and a highly competitive atmosphere are necessary for this quality. The only reasonable decision for me was to aim for such a place. All this gives me the motivation to apply to Princeton University.

Admitted to: Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, as a Transfer Student from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

For: Remainder of Undergraduate degree


1.Please state your reasons for transferring to Penn. If this is not your first change in colleges explain your reasons for the previous transfer. An evaluation of your college education to date and why your education goals may be better served at Penn should be addressed. If you have not been enrolled in school continuously since high school graduation, please indicate how you have spent your time.

I have been nurtured within a family enterprise established over a century ago. The group deals with trade and export of an agro-based commodities to Eastern and Western Europe, South America, Japan, and Southeast Asia. It is evident that market demands are shifting and business needs to reinvent it self to stay ahead of competition. Work experience as a summer trainee in my father’s company has further strengthened my desire to bring a comprehensive set of skills to traditional systems. Having actively participated in client meetings and having gained an understanding of agricultural commodities markets and export trade, I know that I would like to return to this enterprise, bringing to it the innovations and strategies necessary to thrive in a rapidly changing global economy. This is the long-term, the future.

To achieve this, I need to rely on relevant experiences that foray into a logical combination of finance, marketing and its retail component. I gained significant exposure to finance through a summer spent with Merrill Lynch in India. I learned that finance was the fulcrum that underpins all activity. I am inclined to pursue a short-term career in the are of FMCG or food manufacture with a distinct tilt towards retail. The family enterprise exports bulk commodities. I would like to grow and expand the business by adding retail component to it. The Wharton Business School will help me lay the groundwork in my efforts to learn about business strategy, brand loyalty, product placement and distribution, so that I am successfully able to reach the consumer. Having the opportunity to participate in Prof. Kahn’s marketing classes will be an invaluable lesson in my pursuit of the end goal.

Being part of the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program at the University of Michigan has fuelled my interest in research. I have filled every moment with learning in Michigan but now feel ready to take on new challenges. At the Wharton School, I would especially welcome the opportunity to be part of the Weiss Center for International Financial Research, and have a chance to increase my knowledge in international finance and its impact on world economies, under the guidance of distinguished professors like Prof. Marson and Prof. Dumas.

The Wharton Business School’s emphasis on personal qualities like leadership, dynamism and vision along with specialized knowledge will provide a base to etch a career that may span continents both physically and ideologically as business integrates. Interaction with highly qualified and talented students from all over the world will be an education in itself. Additionally, the opportunity to study and learn from a group of achievers, thinkers and doers will be an enriching experience professionally and personally. I believe that the Wharton Business School will instill in me the theories that drive good business decisions, in order for me to make intelligent choices when I come into my own.

2.First experiences can be defining. Cite a first experience that you have had and explain its impact on you.

Resilience in the face of stern opposition is formidable to achieve, especially having to overcome the anxiety. This was never more poignantly driven home as the test of mettle on court.

A hushed silence pervaded; I was struggling through the last set; I could sense the pain of lost. I know I had given away the match too easily because I had lost the will to challenge after losing the first two sets. Having played the last point into the net, I dropped my racket to the ground. With slumped shoulders and my head hanging low I walked over to congratulate my opponent on a win well deserved. That loss, and my own anger with myself, proved a turning point for me. That evening, my coach and my teammates helped me understand my loss and my attitude. They directed me to transform my anxiety into a positive weapon. I still had a second chance when I played the same opponent the next day in reverse singles. No doubt, my opponent was better than I was, but I was determined with a new resolve-to give him a run at all cost. It worked, I won. I learned an important lesson; it did not pay to lose heart. The thrill of that hard-earned win and the pride at having the courage to bounce back will last me a lifetime.

There is a potent danger in winning a large part of the time-it can make one complacent about striving to rise above prior trophies. It happened to me too as I participated in competitive tennis at the University of Michigan. Little did I envisage that the talent pool was quite unlike what I had dealt with while in school. The stamina and electricity in the game I witnessed around was unlike any previous experience I might have had. I was unprepared, out of my depth in the midst of such driven sports people and I knew I had to reassess my self. I had to infuse my game with the punch I would need to succeed. As the realization dawned, I set myself up against excellence and have come a long way since my first match.

It is special to be a member of the UMICH Junior Varsity Tennis Team – it stretches every reserve of energy and every strategy one may devise to win. There is camaraderie that I draw upon in the face of an indomitable opponent and those are the moments that one appreciates the cheer of teammates on the stands. It is vital to belong and equally necessary to do one’s best in the interest of one’s buddies on the team. It has enriched me as I observe the best. It has taught me to share the few things I know and to carry along those that could do with encouragement.

I practice as if my life depends upon it. I have given my best and I have stayed on the team for the two years that I have been at college. Together we are a force to reckon with – alone I know that perseverance will pay me the dividend I continually seek.