my passion and working at the United Nations

 

 my passion and working at the United Nations

Till the age of 16, politics had always been my passion and working at the United Nations one day, a distant dream. An informal family trip to Vienna during the summer of 2017 turned out to be the most exhilarating and significant day of my life. I got the fantastic opportunity to visit UN headquarters at Vienna, and walking down the halls of the UN and witnessing people work on issues that I am deeply passionate about gave me a sense of belongingness as well as a sense of purpose. That visit impacted me profoundly and made me realize that the UN is not really a distant dream, and hard work and determination can pave the way for me to work there one day. Since then, all my energy and determination has been fixated on the same.

My interest in politics stems from the interdisciplinary nature of it. I am highly curious about states and markets, geopolitics, trade wars, political, economic institutions, etc. Two significant factors, country’s economy and the foreign policies that havbe a greater impact on its residents ascinated me and caught my attention. Hence, I find this particular course satiable for all my pertaining curiosities regarding the same.

Even during my under graduation while pursuing a triple major degree, I have never limited myself to one particular subject and believe that knowledge is permeable and free-flowing. Important economic problems are shaping the field of international relations today- rising US protectionism, US-China trade war, current economic slowdown, resource scarcity- are just a few of the many. Such observations pose an imperative question that fuels my interest in this field, such as an inquisitiveness as to what extent is politics affected by the economy and vice versa.

Being a citizen of the world’s biggest democracy- India, politics has been an intrinsic part of my life. From taking part in the electoral process to bearing the brunt of sudden government policy shifts like demonetization- such experiences led me to realize that politics is inescapable and affects our day to day life. As a result, I have always kept myself abreast with the latest news and developments taking place in international politics, moulding me into a politically conscious individual. To better reflect on these experiences and gain an in-depth understanding of the complexities of politics, I went on to pursue under graduation in Politics, History, and English from Christ University. Out of these three core subjects during my under graduation, I have always been more inclined towards Politics and International Relations. This interest encouraged me to write a dissertation titled- “Determining the Role of Social Networking in Rohingya Crisis,” with emphasis on the role of Facebook and other social media platforms. It enabled me to gain insight into the issue of international migration and its increasing relevance in contemporary times as well as the rising interference of social media in domestic and international politics and the threat it poses to the same.

Moreover, it allowed me to learn more about the economic history of Myanmar and led me to believe that bad governance and corruption are significant reasons for its stalled economic growth. It also refined my research skills and introduced me to theories of research methodology. I am particularly interested in how politics interacts with economics at the global, regional, and national level and thus wish to apply to the course of ‘International Political Economy.’ When I studied Dominick Salvatore’s ‘International Economics,’ I began to see how the international economy is the key to understanding the current landscape of international relations. To gain work experience in the real-world situation reducing the gap between my theoretical and practical knowledge, I pursued two prestigious internships after my graduation.

My internship experiences have taught me how to apply my theoretical knowledge in practical workspace. When I interned at Oxfam, India, I worked under the private sector engagement team on issued related to- Responsible Business, Fair Finance, Supply Chain Management, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). I found their work to be highly imperative to the society because by aligning businesses to the framework of ESG guidelines, the private sector can become one of the most influential sectors to contribute to the achievement of SDG Goals by 2030. To further my understanding regarding SDGs and its relevance today, I got involved in the Youth co: lab project led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in India, and currently, I am pursuing an internship with them. The project works towards empowering the youth through innovation and entrepreneurship. The internship allowed me to gain empirical and hands-on experience of policy execution at the grassroots level and to understand the intricacies of project management. However, mere skill enhancement is not enough for the holistic development of an individual.

Along with it, personality development is imperative, which I have developed through my extracurricular pursuits. During my under graduation at Christ University, I was actively involved with the Student Welfare Organization (SWO) and took the responsibility of being the Event Head for several events taking place in the college and helped organize them. It taught me how to manage stress, endurance, and time management. I also headed the Discipline Committee of History and Political Science Association for the academic year of 2017-18, which enhanced my leadership skills and helped me overcome my introvert nature and transformed me into a poised and confident individual. At the age of 13, learning the art of Kathak dance (a classical Indian dance form) taught me how to express myself better. Apart from academics, my interest also lies in music. I have gained extensive training in Indian Classical Music and pursued a junior diploma in the same, which has moulded me into a highly disciplined and focused person. Being inquisitive and creative by nature, my inclination towards extensive reading is quite obvious and I am especiallly drawn to the classic literature together with dystopian fiction. My favourites are Persuation by Jane auston, 1984 by George Orwell. All these extracurricular activities taught me the value of time and how to manage it effectively. I also acquired the skill of multi-tasking, which is essential for any individual to lead a balanced life.

I have chosen the United Kingdom as my preferred destination for pursuing post-graduation after deep thought. There are several reasons for this. However, the one that is the most obvious is that the country is acclaimed to be the best destination for postgraduate studies, especially in the field of International Relations. Most of the top universities in the world are in the UK, which makes it a place conducive for learning. It is a place where the brightest of minds from across the world meet and study together under renowned faculty. Secondly, the multicultural environment will make my learning productive and help me develop my abilities and skills in a way that is apt for today’s competitive workforce. The two-year return visa for Indian citizens also made the UK a promising study destination, and further, the time duration of the course, that is one year, will save me an additional year, tuition fee and accommodation expenses without compromising on the quality of education.

In the coming future, I see myself as a person who can work in international trade and development sector and work towards facilitating international peace and cooperation. Studying International Political Economy at your institute will allow me to grasp the complexities of the issues more deeply and enable me to carry out research and understand the extent to which various economic factors affect domestic and international politics and vice versa. Moreover, it will be a great experience to study the discipline with students coming from different backgrounds. Being situated in a multi-cultural context, I would be able to develop an all-encompassing, impartial, and unbiased approach towards understanding international politics. Having the opportunity to study at your prestigious university will lead me one step closer to my dream goals.