its been a couple of years...

Tiday - 7/27/05...its been exactly 2 years since I came here to the United States. In these two years I have learnt a lot, matured quite a bit, found a job(I hope i still have it when i go back from school!!) made little money...spent tons of cash...met some great people..have had a crush..learnt a little bit about a new culture...etc. etc., the list goes on. But however this blog is not about my life here...its is actually about the dreams and aspirations I had when I came here. Yesterday I was talking to a bunch of my friends and somehow they reminded me of my Statement of Purpose that I sent here to the University of Kentucky with my application packet. My SOP is the only thing I have really written in my life (besides meaningless blogs) and also the one I spent over 2 months writing and refining. Check it out!!

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
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I have a dream....said Martin Luther King Jr.

Not only in the context of the America of the 60's but also in today's context, this statement does convey a powerful meaning. For, dreams are what great achievements are made of. To me, dreams have always meant a lot. Be it the dream of owning that first remote-controlled car or succeeding in my engineering class, dreams have constantly paved the path for me in the pursuit of my goals. Right from my younger days, mechanics and machinery have fascinated me. The sheer power they produce have both intimidated and excited me. Little surprise that I decided that this was where my future was.

It's often said that success is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration. To me that 1% inspiration has always been my father. He started AMCON, a small industrial consultancy firm in 1982 (an offshoot of a company called IBCON Pvt. Ltd, started in 1940’s by an American, John Moore and developed into one of the leading Industrial Engineering consulting firm in India till 1982) and through sheer hard work and determination, transformed the firm into one of the leading consultancy firms in India. His success has left an indelible mark on my will to succeed too. With the 30 years of experience he has in Industrial Management, he has also been a source of immense knowledge to me in my endeavors.

The seeds to my future were sown in school where my obvious subject choices were Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science. These subjects not only provided me a strong foundation in engineering, but also furthered my interests in this field. As a logical follow-up, I took up Mechanical Engineering as my major in the Undergraduate course. I was fortunate in getting admission into one of the leading colleges in South India, namely Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering where I had the right environment to learn. The college attracts some of the brightest students and my classmates have been the greatest strength in my development through joint participation in seminars, organizing programs in college etc. During the course, I was exposed to subjects like Basic Engineering, Production Technology and Workshop, which gave me a lot of insight into present day manufacturing technology. I also took up Non-traditional Machining and Fluid Power control as my electives as I believe that these subjects have become an integral part of today's industrial scenario. During my third year, I developed a great interest in the field of Operations Research, a subject in which I am currently crediting. Subjects like Inventory Control, Job Scheduling, Assignment and Simulation have made me realize the immense potential this field has in store for the betterment of our industry. My natural flair for mathematics coupled with the fascination towards Operations Research and Manufacturing has made me choose Manufacturing Engineering, a subject that I believe gives me a phenomenal opportunity to pursue my interests in both fields.
To put my theoretical skills to good use, I took up industrial training at TAFE, a leading automobile manufacturer in India. As part of the training, I presented a project report on 'Cellular Manufacturing and Cost Control'. This project not only gave me an excellent opportunity to apply my theoretical knowledge but also introduced me to the concepts of cellular manufacturing and other Japanese concepts like 5S and Six Sigma. This project on cost control taught me the importance of waste management, made me think of ways to reduce cycle time and introduced me to concepts like 'Just in time' to cut unnecessary inventory. A number of my suggestions towards cost control were also implemented by the company. The most rewarding experience during the training was that it gave me an opportunity to observe closely the 'nature of work' of an Manufacturing engineer. Being a part of this setup, which was my future too, I knew I would love the challenge. And it indeed was!

I have always believed that my strength lies in my ability to think persistently about pressing problems till I come up with a plausible solution. The problem of depleting oil resources and rising pollution levels has made me realize the importance of Hybrid Vehicle technology. To this end, I presented a design paper on series Hybrid Vehicle Technology. This paper was very well received and the icing on the cake was the grant of US $2500 that I was awarded to make the Hybrid Vehicle. This indeed was a dream come true! This enormous success has not only reassured the faith that I have on myself but also instilled in me the confidence that "I can make a difference".

Just as the USA ranks highest in the list of countries, your university ranks among the best in the list of universities. During the course of my research about American Universities, the literature that I read about the department of Manufacturing Engineering in your university explains the clear thrust in my field of interest. It would indeed be a privilege to be an integral part of this highly acclaimed course in your prestigious university.

At this juncture, I would like to put forth my request to be considered for admission with financial assistance for the Master of Science program offered by the department of Manufacturing and Systems Engineering at your esteemed university. I can assure you that if I am admitted for the course, I will put forth my best efforts and ensure mutual progress.

When Martin Luther said those famous words, it reflected the stuff dreamers are made of - They see things not as they are, but as they will be! I am a dreamer and I am a doer. For a doer is one who makes what will be, what is! Every person's attitude determines his altitude and I am not afraid of heights!!

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Like most other SOP's I agree mine is a little exaggerated...but I can vouch most of it is true..and I still am in the pursuit of the heights I want to reach. This ladies and gentlemen is what I hope to do with my life!!