I have decided to pursue a master's degree in data science that will provide me with rigorous hands-on training and prepare me to use data and analytical tools to identify business opportunities, generate business insights and create business solutions. The importance of incorporating a data-driven approach into policymaking to minimize financial risk and improve business sustainability became increasingly clear to me during my work as a credit and risk analyst at ICICI Bank. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The amount of data available in financial markets and the business world is growing exponentially, and people skilled at managing and analyzing that data are well poised for growth. The MSDS program at the Data Science Institute (DSI) with an integrated curriculum of quantitative and technical courses will help me learn how to transform data into intelligent information and master programming skills for application in various functions. I would be particularly interested in taking courses such as Machine Learning, Advanced Quantitative Analysis and Risk Analysis to develop a background in finance. I am also attracted to DSI because of their focus on experiential learning through capstone projects and centers of excellence. I reviewed the brief description of the capstone and faculty projects listed on the website and was amazed at the diversity and scope of those projects. These factors make DSI an automatic choice for me, and if given the opportunity, I would like to contribute to such areas of research. My educational background in engineering and management studies provided me with the necessary prerequisites to thrive in the MSDS program. I completed my undergraduate studies in Computer Science and Engineering from Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal University, one of the oldest and most prestigious private engineering universities in India. The university counts Satya Nadella and Rajeev Suri among its alumni. My engineering curriculum included courses in linear and matrix algebra, calculus, probability, stochastic processes, etc. I also became proficient in programming in both C++ and Java. In one of my projects I wrote a program in Java to do multiple data transfer protocols after encrypting the data using AES and DES algorithm. After graduating in engineering, I joined Indian Institute of Management, Rohtak for management studies where I specialized in finance and IT management. At IIM, I was introduced to business statistics, time series analysis, integer programming, simulation tools and their application in business. After completing my undergraduate studies from IIM Rohtak, I joined Sonata Software Ltd, one of India's leading IT companies as an account manager. My role at Sonata Software Limited was to oversee a portfolio of assigned clients, develop new business from existing clients and actively seek new sales opportunities. I also lead the annual budgeting and forecasting process for my portfolio. In collaboration with my pre-sales and implementation team, I needed to ensure that proposals and projects were delivered within expected deadlines. My clients were spread across multiple industries such as telecom, retail, e-commerce, manufacturing, etc. I was able to increase my portfolio revenue by over 40% during my time at Sonata Software. While working at Sonata Software, I was also studying to become Chartered –.