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I have completed my four year Bachelor of Technology program at the
Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. I graduated in July 1998 with a
degree in Mechanical Engineering. Many of my courses and research
activities in the final year were in the field of Industrial
Engineering and Operations Research with a strong focus on production
and operations management. I am presently working in Tata Technologies
India Ltd., an information technology firm that is involved in the
areas of enterprise integration and CAD/CAM. I am applying for
admission and financial aid to the Ph.D. program in Operations
Management at the Krannert Graduate School of Management, Purdue
University. Detailed information about my academic record and my
research and other experience is attached to this statement.
I was introduced to mathematics and the physical sciences while at
school and it was in high school that I considered a career in this
area. The desire to study the applied physical sciences and mathematics
prompted me to take the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) for admission
to the Indian Institutes of Technology. I was ranked in the top 0.25 %
of the nearly 1,00,000 students who took the examination.
My undergraduate education at IIT Bombay has not only given me a
certain set of skills but has also helped me understand my fields of
interest and my academic strengths and weaknesses. This understanding
has made me realize that though the applied physical sciences appeal to
me, my strengths lie in applied mathematics and in abstractions of
reality. In particular, I am interested in the managerial aspects of
industrial and technological systems. This interest developed during my
junior year seminar titled ‘Productivity Management’ in which I
explored the relationship between manufacturing strategy and
productivity improvement. I continued further research in this area
through my senior year project titled ‘Decision Support System for
Quality Control’ which sought to investigate various decision making
mechanisms in the quality function and provide corresponding computer
support. The project also enabled me to appreciate the interaction
between manufacturing and the other functions of the firm especially
information systems. The reading of certain outstanding books during
the course of my research such as Skinner’s ‘Manufacturing in the
Corporate Strategy’, Deming’s ‘Out of the Crisis’ and Goldratt’s ‘The
Goal’ finally convinced me to pursue a Ph.D. in operations management
and an academic career thereafter.
My past work in the area of industrial engineering and operations
research was characterised by a dichotomy of approaches. The courses
that I took in this area dealt with various operational and tactical
issues. The basic aim was to understand a specific problem, model the
problem appropriately and find an optimal or reasonably optimal
solution using the techniques of operations research. This has given me
a good background in issues related to methodology, modelling, and
heuristic solutions. On the other hand, my research has been oriented
towards strategic issues. The basic thrust of my junior year
seminar and senior year project has been ‘integrative’. Through my
future research efforts I would like to understand this dichotomy
better. Initially, I want to study rigorous model-based methods and do
research on operational and tactical topics. After gaining a thorough
grounding in these topics, I am interested in applying the same
methodologies and techniques to strategic topics in operations
management.
I believe that I have the qualities to be a good researcher and
teacher. I am a creative person and often think in a
contemplative way about various issues of practical importance. Being
able to identify patterns and relationships that are not obvious to
others is perhaps my greatest strength. This will prove very valuable
because an integral part of being a researcher and teacher is to
perceive the balance between theory and practice, analytical rigor and
intuition. My communication skills are good and I like expressing ideas
and concepts both in oral and written form - an ideal platform for the
dissemination of knowledge in my chosen field of
specialization.
The Krannert Graduate School of Management is one of the best schools
of management in the world with a strong orientation towards research.
The diversity of research interests in the operations management group
is of particular interest to me. The eminent faculty and the
individualized nature of the doctoral program will definitely bring out
the best in me. I would like to reiterate that I possess the
background, the ability and the motivation to make a significant
contribution to Operations Management. I hope you will take a favorable
decision regarding my admission to the Ph.D. program and I look forward
to joining the Krannert Graduate School of Management and Purdue
University.
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