COMPUTER SCIENCE 31 SOPs of IITians-

Statement of Purpose-1


I am applying to Stanford University for admission to the Ph.D. program in Computer Science. I am interested in Theoretical Computer Science, particularly in the Design and ******** of Approximation Algorithms, Combinatory and Complexity Theory.

My interest in Mathematics goes back to the time I was at school. This interest has only grown through my years in school and high school, as I have learnt more and more about the subject. Having represented India at the International Mathematical Olympiads on two occasions, I have been exposed to elements of Discrete Mathematics, particularly Combinatory and Graph Theory, outside the regular school curriculum at an early stage. The intensive training programs we were put through for the Olympiads have given me a lot of confidence in dealing with abstract mathematical problems.

My exposure to Computer Science began after I entered the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay. The excellent facilities, courses and faculty have given me a firm background of the fundamentals in Computer Science. Having been exposed to the various facets of Computer Science in the course of my undergraduate studies, I have found Theoretical Computer Science most intellectually satisfying and stimulating. Courses like `Discrete Structures', `Data Structures and Algorithms’, Theory of Computation' and Algorithms and Complexity' have been my firm favorites. I find the problems in Theoretical Computer Science particularly appealing because of the flavor of abstract mathematics that I love so much. At the same time, the problems in this field have a concrete basis, originating from practical problems in Computer Science. This adds to their appeal.

Recently, a lot of exciting developments have taken place in the field of approximation algorithms. The Markov chain approach and the primal/dual approach have emerged as powerful techniques for the development of approximation algorithms. More recently, semi-definite programming has been used to obtain approximation algorithms for Optimization problems. An interesting connection with results in Interactive Proof Systems has yielded lower bounds on the approximability of various problems. I believe that these methods have a lot of potential. A lot of the pioneering work in these areas has been done by members of the faculty at Stanford. Prof. Rajeev Motwani has been involved in the work on Interactive Proof Systems and semi-definite programming. I have read about these results in the course of my seminar (Junior Thesis), my summer training at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Bombay, and my B.Tech. Project (Senior Thesis). I find them very fascinating and intend to work with problems of a similar flavor.

I am convinced that I should pursue a career in research and teaching. For me, problem solving is an exhilarating experience, unequaled by anything else. It would be immensely gratifying for me to be able to contribute something to the understanding of a subject that has given me so much pleasure and joy. It would also be wonderful to have the opportunity to share with others that feeling of pleasure and joy, through teaching. My few experiences with teaching, as a tutor for an undergraduate course and as a lecturer in student workshops, have evoked favorable responses and have been thoroughly enjoyable. I believe that I have the capacity to make the commitment and accept the challenges that a career in research involves. I am confident that I have the requisite aptitude, exposure and motivation to make a meaningful contribution to my chosen field.

My summer training at TIFR has given me the experience of working in an organization oriented towards research. In the course of the two months I spent there, my interaction with the Theoretical Computer Science group has taught me a lot of things and also whets my appetite for more knowledge. I realize how important it is, as a researcher, to interact with other people working in the same field, and at the same time, am able to work individually.

A good research career can only be built above the firm foundation of a good education. With my long term goal in mind, my immediate objective is to work towards a Ph.D. in Computer Science. Having done my undergraduate studies at undoubtedly one of the best undergraduate institutions in India, I would consider it my privilege to be able to pursue my doctoral studies at Stanford University and avail of the excellent infrastructural facilities and research opportunities it has to offer. I am sure that the stimulating academic environment and interaction with the distinguished faculty at Stanford will prove immensely fruitful and facilitate my development as an individual Researcher in my field. I feel that Stanford has a lot to offer me, and at the same time, I am confident that I would be able to make a positive contribution to on-going research work at Stanford.

Having decided that I will engage in the pursuit of a career in research, I am fully aware of the implications. I am aware of the kind of dedication, resilience and resolve that it calls for. I feel that I am adequately prepared, both in having the technical qualifications, and in having the right mind-set for doctoral level Research work. I look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship with Stanford University.






Statement of Purpose-2

My objective for graduate studies in Computer Science is to prepare myself for the long term goal of pursuing a career of teaching and research. I have nurtured a strong passion to become a scientist and pursue research. In the pursuit of Knowledge, I have always adopted a rigorous approach in order to attain an in-depth understanding of the subject at hand. This has amply reflected in my consistently brilliant career, always topping the class and having received numerous national level awards. With a GPA of 9.72, I am ranked first at the IIT among nearly 350 students.


I have been involved in research in parallel and distributed computing systems. I studied various problems in distributed systems and distributed databases including deadlock detection and resolution , termination detection , distributed snapshots and consistency. I have been attracted towards the field of correctness of parallel programs. I published a Technical Report reporting errors in two published deadlock detection algorithms and highlight their underlying deficiencies with respect to the distributed nature of computation. I am also involved in the development of an optimizer generator which would automate the process of writing optimizers based on the specifications of the optimizations. I am currently engaged in writing a paper on an efficient algorithm for performing global data-flow ********. The new algorithm that I have developed utilizes the notion of backward information flow to perform propagation using work-lists in an efficient manner. I have been in correspondence with Professor J.D.Ullman about my algorithm and other aspects of the problem.


I have chosen to pursue graduate studies at Stanford University because by working under the guidance of the distinguished researchers I am confident of making an original contribution in the field of Computer Science. My interest in research has burgeoned during my undergraduate studies at IIT. I have excelled in our well-rounded and exacting undergraduate program and have developed a solid background to take up research in Computer Science.

I have decided to go in for graduate studies which calls for a personal commitment to the fulfilling craft of independent research and that involves willingly making personal sacrifices of time , leisure and immediate reward . In turn I shall get intellectual satisfaction and the gratification of becoming a contributor to knowledge through research and the greater personal rewards of learning and discovery. I believe that I possess the motivation, intellectual ability and preparation to set out on this exhilarating and arduous path and to make Significant original contributions to your on-going research work.


I look forward to joining Stanford University as a graduate student at your esteemed department.







Statement of Purpose-3



GOALS-SECTION

I, {\bf Amit Chakrabarti}, am applying to Princeton University for admission to the {\bf Ph.D. program} in {\bf Computer Science}. My research interests lie in the field of {\bf Theoretical Computer Science}. More specifically, I am interested in the Design and ******** of Algebraic, Combinatorial and Number Theoretic Algorithms as well as their applications. Other areas that interest me are Theory of Computation, Complexity Theory and Geometric Algorithms.

My long-term goal is to be actively involved with research and teaching in an area that I love. I look forward to such an involvement as a faculty member at a reputed university. A Ph.D. in one of the aforementioned areas would be the crucial first step towards this goal.

PERSONAL-BACKGROUND-SECTION

Both my parents have done their Ph.D.'s in Mathematics and my father is an active researcher in Applied Mathematics. This had inculcated in me a love for Mathematics right from my school days. On the other hand, I entered school in the same year in which the ``personal computer revolution'' began in India; therefore I have, in some sense, ``grown up with computers''. My interest in Theoretical Computer Science is the combined result of these two influences.

MATHS-BACKGROUND-SECTION

While in high school, I was involved with the Mathematical Olympiad program and this culminated in my being awarded a silver medal at the 34th International Mathematical Olympiad. As a result of this involvement, I was exposed to basic Combinatory, Graph Theory and Number Theory at an early age. Moreover, the intensive training-cum-selection program I underwent has honed my skills and bolstered my confidence in problem solving. It has also whetted my appetite for problem solving and made me a regular reader of the
Problem sections of periodicals like {\em American Mathematical Monthly} and {\em Mathematics Magazine}.

I was chosen, by the National Board of Higher Mathematics, as one of 18 undergraduates all over India to participate in their nurture program, in parallel with my formal undergraduate training. The resulting three-year-long interaction with the School of Mathematics of the prestigious Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), has given me a substantial background in advanced mathematics (including Group, Ring and Field Theory, Linear Algebra, Real and Complex ********, Measure Theory and Topology). As part of this year's program, I am studying Commutative Algebra, Algebraic Number Theory and
Functional ********.

I hope to put my mathematical background to good use in my research work.

CS-BACKGROUND-SECTION

I am currently a senior undergraduate student of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay, majoring in Computer Science and Engineering. I had chosen this department for its academically stimulating atmosphere, excellent faculty and broad spectrum of courses, many of which have a strong mathematical flavor.

Now, having acquired a firm foundation in the various areas of Computer Science, I am sure that my forte is Theoretical Computer Science. I find that my motivation, as well as my aptitude, is the strongest in this field: I have secured the highest possible grade (AA) in all the five theory courses that I have taken at IIT Bombay, namely, {\em Discrete Structures, Data Structures and Algorithms, Design and ******** of Algorithms, Theory of Computation} and {\em Operations Research}.

I have further enhanced my Theory background by opting for theoretical topics in my {\em Seminar} (junior thesis) and my {\em B.Tech.\ Project} (senior thesis). The former involved studies in Commutative Algebra and Computational Algebra, while the latter has involved Combinatorial Algorithms, Graph Theory and Randomized Algorithms and will soon involve Approximation Algorithms and applications of graph partitioning to VLSI design.

RESEARCH-PLANS-SECTION

I find Algorithms and Complexity theory the most appealing areas of Computer Science because of their many beautiful results together with their numerous applications to real-life problems in Databases, Operating Systems, Graphics, Compilers and so on. I am fascinated with the enormous potential for research in these areas which has been revealed to me in my {\em Seminar} and {\em B.Tech.\ project} and that is what I envisage myself doing a decade from now.

Since problem solving is the most enjoyable and rewarding experience I have ever known, and since it is an integral part of a career in research and teaching in Theoretical Computer Science, I am convinced that such a career is the right choice for me. I am eager to contribute something to a subject that has given me so much joy. I am also enthusiastic about being involved in its teaching, as teaching a subject enhances one's own understanding of it.

WHY-THIS-UNIV-SECTION

Princeton University has one of the world's very best Theoretical Computer Science groups. An opportunity to interact with this group would be a golden one for any budding theoretician.

From a careful study of the department's brochures and the advice of the faculty at IIT Bombay, I have realized that Princeton can provide me with a perfect environment for directing my mental resources towards independent research. I am confident of meeting the high standards of Princeton; my active involvement and enthusiasm in my undergraduate studies, which is amply reflected in my being ranked {\bf first in the institute}, should serve as proof of my possessing the necessary qualities.

CONCLUDING-SECTION

Keeping in mind my long-term goals, my immediate objective is to work towards a Ph.D. in Computer Science. I am aware of the kind of dedication, perseverance and resolve I need to have for a fruitful career in research and teaching. I believe my background has not only qualified me technically but also given me the right mind-set for such a career.

I look forward to joining as a graduate student in your department and having a long and mutually profitable association with Princeton University.







Statement of Purpose-4

Statement of long term goals
After carefully considering my aptitude, interests, the nature of my training and my ultimate professional ambition, I have decided to pursue a {\em Doctoral degree} in Computer Science, in my fields of interest {\em Computer Graphics} and {\em Computational Geometry},ultimately leading to a career in teaching and research. As a Statement of purpose of my graduate study, I describe here my academic background, research interests and career goals.

Academic achievements
I have excelled in academics at every stage of my education. In the twelve years of my schooling, I have always been ranked first or second in my class. I stood $111th out of 100,000 candidates in the highly competitive examination for admission to the undergraduate program at the Indian Institutes of Technology. In the Regional Mathematics Olympiad 1990, I was ranked 6th in my home state of Maharashtra.

Brief description of field of study
The excellent undergraduate program at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay not only provided me with a strong foundation of Computer Science fundamentals, but also exposed me to various fields of Computer Science. I have always been interested in problems involving visualization. At IIT, this led to an inclination towards Computer Graphics and Computational Geometry. I substantiated my knowledge in these areas by choosing graduate level electives in Advanced Computer Graphics and Geometric Algorithms. I am currently working on my year long B.Tech Project (senior thesis) titled {\em Triangulations in 3 Dimensions}, under the guidance of Dr. Sharat Chandran. In this thesis we are looking at decompositions of polyhedral into surplices with an emphasis on obtaining well shaped tetrahedral.

Seminar
I am also interested in Multimedia technology. In my third year, I presented a home paper titled {\em Multimedia Databases} under the guidance of Dr. S. Seshadri. In this paper, our study was focused on issues involved in the storage and real time retrieval of multimedia objects in a multi-user environment.


Teaching and work experience

My years at IIT Bombay have given me substantial teaching experience. I have delivered lectures at Workshops on Unix conducted by the department and have been a teaching assistant for an introductory course in programming. This has built in me a lot of Confidence that is required to excel as a teacher.

Experience in field of study
Though my experiences in IIT Bombay have provided me with a strong foundation in my fields of interest, a good graduate program is necessary not only to increase my knowledge in these fields but to mould me into a good researcher. I am fully aware of the hard work and perseverance required for a successful career in research and I believe that I have the aptitude and drive to meet the challenge.

University paragraph
The Graduate program at SUNY, Stony Brook is fully suited to my goals. Graphics and Computational Geometry are strong areas of research at Stony Brook. I have found the faculty and the research work to be quite impressive. I feel that to be associated with this group would stand me in good stead throughout my research career. I have also been impressed by the computing facilities available at Stony Brook for research and education. My B.Tech Project advisor has also strongly encouraged me to apply to your program. I am confident that given the opportunity, I will be able to make significant Contributions to the ongoing research at Stony Brook.


I corresponded with Prof. Arie Kaufman whose encouraging reply reinforced my decision to apply to Stony Brook.


I look forward to joining SUNY, Stony Brook as a graduate student at your esteemed department.








STATEMENT OF PURPOSE-5


It is after a good deal of self-evaluation that I have decided to pursue graduate studies in Computer Science leading to a doctorate. This decision followed naturally after carefully considering my academic background, the areas of my interest, and my ultimate professional ambition, which is to pursue a research career, either as a teaching faculty member, or in an R & D department of the industry.

My undergraduate education at IIT Bombay has provided me with a strong and comprehensive background in Computer Science. The curriculum included all the basic courses such as Data Structures and Algorithms, Discrete Structures, Computer Organization and Design, Systems Programming, Theory of Computation, etc.

I had always been fascinated by the field of Artificial Intelligence, which is why I chose the topic of "Human and Artificial Intelligence" for my junior thesis. The literature survey that this entailed exposed me to the fundamental concepts, as also the research work in progress, in the various domains of Artificial Intelligence I concentrated on issues involved in Natural Language Processing and Knowledge Representation.

My B. Tech. project (senior thesis) is "Word Recognition, Spell Checking and Correction using ART-based neural networks". We are investigating the use of neural networks, configured under the Adaptive Resonance Theory paradigm, for the task of detecting spelling mistakes in English text and generating good suggestions for incorrectly spelled words. This guided independent work has given me a good understanding of the theoretical, experimental and computational skills required in Computer Science.

I have been a teaching assistant for the introductory course "Computer Programming and Utilization" conducted by Prof. R.D. Kumar of the Computer Science department. I have also helped in organizing, and given a lecture on the "VI" editor, during the UNIX workshop conducted by the Computer Science and Engineering Association of our Department.

There are two reasons why I believe that graduate study in a reputed department, such as yours, is important for a person aspiring for a research career. Firstly, working for a thesis under the guidance of an expert whose work can serve as a model is the most effective method of transforming a student into a largely independent researcher making significant original contributions. Secondly, the emphasis of graduate study on intensive and independent study of a specialized area is an ideal way of making a student capable of reaching the frontiers of knowledge in a subfield quickly and keeping abreast of the latest developments.

I feel that with its comprehensive facilities and competent faculty doing quality research work in the field of Artificial Intelligence will be the ideal place for me to pursue graduate studies. The working atmosphere of a vigorously active department will be helpful in motivating me towards excellence.

In short, I believe that a good graduate program is an essential step for realizing my professional ambition of becoming a competent researcher. I also believe that I possess the motivation, intellectual ability and preparation to do justice to a demanding graduate program. My excellent undergraduate record and my high GRE scores are testimony to that.

I, therefore, look forward to joining your department as a graduate student.




STATEMENT OF PURPOSE-6

{My Long Term Goals}
My undergraduate training in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, has exposed me to a stimulating academic environment where learning and research go hand--in--hand. Through the many opportunities I have had here, I have found that I have a deep interest in research work and a strong aptitude for the type of problem solving and problem discovery that it involves. I have, therefore, decided to pursue active research in Computer Science as a career.

{My Areas of Interest}
Of the many fields in the Computer Science spectrum, I am especially interested in Computer Systems. Within this field, I am interested in computer networks, distributed systems, operating systems and distributed operating systems. My junior seminar work, my practical training and my courses have given me plenty of exposure to these areas and I feel that I have sufficient motivation and aptitude to work in this field.

I am also interested in Programming Language design and Programming Systems. I have worked in these areas in my summer project at TIFR and in my ongoing B. Tech. project. I would like to continue to learn about these areas in my graduate program.

{My Immediate Goals}
I plan to work towards a Ph. D. program with a focus on Distributed and Parallel operating Systems. I would also like to follow up my interests in Computer Networks, Distributed Systems, Operating Systems and Programming Languages through my course work. I feel that this should be my next step on my road to a research career in Computer Science.

{Why Duke?}
I have selected Duke as the place for me to continue with my education because I found that the Graduate Program in Computer Science suited my needs perfectly. I have found the Duke Computer Science Department faculty and the research being carried out in Computer Systems, especially in Distributed Operating Systems, to be very impressive. I feel that to be associated with this group for the many years of my Ph. D. would stand me in good stead for my research career. I have also been impressed by the computing facilities available at Duke for research and education. These are much superior to those available to a graduate student in India. Taking all these factors into account, I feel that Duke is the perfect place for my graduate studies and I am confident that I will make a positive contribution to the ongoing research work at Duke.

{Am I Prepared?}
My undergraduate preparation at the Computer Science and Engineering Department of the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, has given me a very substantial knowledge of the basic areas of Computer Science. Through my junior seminar work, I have acquired a good knowledge of distributed operating systems and the problems they entail. It also exposed me to the broad fields of computer networks, distributed systems and operating systems. I have also been exposed to practical computer networks and network programming in the course of my practical training at the State Bank of India, Head Office. My course projects have given me plenty of experience in programming using various programming languages, software packages and operating systems. I have selected {\em Introduction to Computer Networks} as an elective course in the seventh semester so as to broaden my knowledge in this area. Therefore, I feel confident that I have acquired both a broad base in Computer Science and a strong foundation in Computer Systems.

{Summing Up}
I am aware of the hard work and perseverance necessary for research work and I know that it is not always as exciting as the published results seem to indicate. Nevertheless, I am sure that my aptitude and drive will see me through the challenge. I hope to have a long and mutually profitable association with Duke.






STATEMENT OF PURPOSE-7


I, Rahul Thombre, am a senior student of the Bachelor of Technology program in Computer Science and Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. I am applying for graduate studies in Computer Science leading to a Ph.D. I see this as a first step towards achieving my career objective of research in an academic environment.

{Academic Background}
I have excelled in academics right from my school days. In school, I consistently used to secure one of the top positions in the class. In my twelfth standard examinations, I was placed in the merit position at an All India level. I have always been attracted towards subjects that draw upon one’s ******** abilities. Thus, Mathematics and Physics were my favorite subjects. I was placed among the top 1\% of the candidates who appeared for the National Search Examination in Physics all over India. Later, I secured the 97th position among the 80,000 candidates who appeared throughout India for the Joint Entrance Examination. This examination is conducted by the IIT's, the premier engineering institutions of India, for selecting the best of Indian talent.

{Computer Science Background}
The undergraduate program at IIT aims to strike a balance between the theoretical as well as the practical aspects of Computer Science. This has given me a sound understanding of the fundamentals at both the theoretical as well as practical levels.

I have performed reasonably well in my undergraduate courses at IIT, but since IIT admits only the best students throughout the country, I believe, in view of the competitive atmosphere, that the grades secured should not be considered in an absolute sense.

During the course of the B.Tech. program I have developed a keen interest in the fields of Computer Graphics, Algorithms and Operating Systems. At present I am working under the guidance of Dr.\ Sharat Chandran on my home paper titled {\em Physically Based Modeling}. As a junior, I had presented a seminar on {\em Associative--Commutative Matching and Unification}. I have included a brief summary of both these separately.

{Purpose of Doctoral Study and Career Goals}
During the course of my education at IIT, I have realized and felt convinced that my true liking and aptitude lies in research and teaching. Research and teaching go hand in hand. Teaching gives one a sense of constructive participation in the education Process. Research enables a person to stay in touch with the latest advances, while making one's own contributions to the field. I have also had a good deal of teaching experience as an undergraduate teaching assistant during my junior year for the freshman course {\em Computer Programming and Utilization}. I have included a brief description of this and relevant certificates to substantiate my claim.

I believe that graduate education is not merely a continuation of college studies. I think that graduate education is process, in which the student learns how to do independent research.

My decision to apply to UNIV is based on a careful examination of the department bulletin and the research interests of the faculty members. I have contacted PROF, who has encouraged me to apply. I would really love working under his guidance for my PhD’s believe that graduate education at your University will enhance my knowledge, give me wide exposure and develop my abilities to do independent research. I consider myself an enthusiastic and hardworking person, and I am sure that my stay your university will be a very fruitful one.







STATEMENT OF PURPOSE-8


My goals
I am applying to the PhD program in Computer Science at Brown University. After considering my aptitude and the type of work that I enjoy most, I am convinced that I want to take up a career in research in Computer Science. A PhD is just one step towards realizing this goal.

My preparation for the same
My formal introduction to Computer Science began at IIT-Bombay. Under its excellent faculty, I got exposed to the entire spectrum of Computer Science. In an environment that is intensely competitive, and where research goes hand-in-hand with learning, I also got a lot of drill in both theoretical research work and implementation, thus laying a sound foundation for graduate study.

My academic and co-curricular record has been consistently good. Throughout school as well as now, I have been at or near the top of my class. I have listed some of my achievements, on the attached resume. What I would like to stress most however is the fact that I have been consistent in all academic or co-curricular (and even Extracurricular) tasks that I have undertaken.

My primary interests
I have always loved problems which involve plenty of visualization. At IIT, this resulted in an inclination towards {\bf Computer Graphics} and {Computational Geometry}, and also Algorithms. (These are the subjects that I want to pursue in my graduate study}.

I chose the elective Computer Graphics} and a graduate level course {Algorithms and Complexity} this semester, in line with these interests. My B.Tech. Project (home paper), under {Dr.Sharat Chandran}, is on {Visible Surface Determination} (hidden surface removal), a very popular topic in Computational Geometry.

Why Brown University?
It would be a cliché to say that all fields in Computer Science are highly interlinked. I have experienced this myself, since frequently, while working on a problem in one field, I have (through abstraction/ reduction/ ********) landed up looking at another problem, that one would normally put under a different field altogether.

Hence, two criteria that I considered while selecting a university for my Ph.D. were the university must be very strong in {Computational Geometry} and/or {Computer Graphics} (my primary interests), and it must be fairly good, if not exceptional, in other fields of Computer Science too (especially, algorithms and combinatory).

Brown University more than satisfies these criteria. My B.Tech. Project guide, Dr.Sharat Chandran also strongly recommended it. An added attraction is its participation in the Science and Technology Center for Computer Graphics and Scientific Visualization.

There is one more (and the most compelling) reason. In my B.Tech. Project, my guide and I are concentrating on developing better methods for the moving/ multiple viewpoint case of hidden surface removal. The preliminary ideas that have emerged out of this effort use a result on {Dynamic planar point location} by {Prof.Roberto Tamassia}. The{line sweep} technique is the other major component in these ideas, and it was from{ Prof.Preparata}'s book on Computational Geometry, that I first learnt it.{The fact that both are from Brown University convinced me that Brown University is the natural choice in realizing my graduate goals.} Subsequently I corresponded with Prof.Tamassia, and his encouraging reply reinforced my decision to apply to Brown.

It would be a pleasure to continue my current research focus at Brown under their supervision. At the same time, I am sure that many other problems which the Brown CS department is currently focusing on, would be equally interesting to work on.


What I plan to do at Brown
I plan to carry on advanced study of Computer Graphics and Computational Geometry, as well as related fields (e.g. algorithms); not only through coursework but also by {participating in one of the several ongoing projects}.This will also give me the opportunity to contribute my bit to the understanding of the fields which interest me so much.

I am keen that the output of my PhD (and in fact, any PhD), be well worth the time and effort spent on it. For the reasons mentioned above, I am sure that Brown University Will provide me the right environment for this.

Financial Aid
I would be fully dependent on aid to finance my graduate studies. If I am granted an assistantship, then given my long term goals, a research assistantship would be an ideal experience for me. I also have some experience as a teaching assistant. Not only have I enjoyed it, but the students have also appreciated it. This makes me confident that I will be a good teacher also.

In conclusion...
I am aware that Brown University expects very high standards from its students. On my part, I can assure you of hard work. I believe that my enthusiasm will enable me to meet those expectations. My consistency in all previous academic and co-curricular activities is what gives me confidence when I say this.

Eagerly looking forward to a long and mutually profitable association with the Computer Science department of Brown University.









STATEMENT OF PURPOSE-9

My early fascination for computers (since high school), combined with a strong liking for ******** subjects inspired me to seek admission to one of the best and most competitive Computer Science undergraduate programs in India --- the B.Tech program in IIT Bombay. I was successful in this endeavor, being ranked 113th among around 100,000 students in the entrance exams to the IIT’s. In IIT, a very strong curriculum, introduced me to a wide range of subjects in Computer Science, with a strong emphasis on theoretical fundamentals. I have always believed that a subject is understood better when one actually sees an abstract theory being realized by a practical system. The various demanding laboratory courses and projects in the B.Tech program at IIT have provided me with a better understanding of Computer Science. This belief has led to my growing interest in computer systems, and I have consistently performed well in my laboratory courses. I have also, as part of a campus wide systems support group, been involved in compiling and installing various software and systems.


Given these practical interests, my theoretical background, my aptitude and academic potential for graduate study (indicated by my GRE General score of (V 700, Q 790, A 780) and Computer Science Subject score in the 98th percentile), I feel that pursuing a PhD degree in Computer Science is a step in the right direction towards my long term career goals.


Thirty years from now, I want to be able to look back at the accomplishments of my life and feel a sense of satisfaction. Satisfaction, because my work made a significant impact in my field. And if I can achieve this goal I will consider my career a success. Over the past four years, I have become absolutely convinced that the path towards this goal will involve leveraging my current skills and abilities to make significant contributions to improve the understanding of systems and concepts in the field of Computer Science. Six or seven years from now, I see myself as part of a leading research group, contributing my bit to the field of Computer Science. A PhD in Computer Science, is therefore a natural first step towards this goal.


I plan to work towards a PhD in the field of {\bf Distributed Systems and Networking}. I have become interested in this area during the course of my undergraduate studies at IIT Bombay, through a series of research and project experiences.


In my junior year, I presented a home paper on ``Wormhole Routing in Interconnection Networks.'' Currently, I am in the midst of my year long B.Tech thesis, titled ``Distribution Strategies for the Satisfiability Problem,'' guided by Prof. G. Siva Kumar (PhD, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign). For this thesis, I am writing a distributed solution for the satisfiability problem, on a network of workstations. My work will involve studying various distributed computing techniques and writing a distributed version of existing sequential solutions to satisfiability. Moreover, this semester I have undertaken as an Operating Systems course project, a study of implementation issues in ``Group Communication in the {\em Amoeba} Distributed Operating System'' and will be crediting a Postgraduate elective --- ``Foundations of Parallel Computation'' in my final (next) semester.


In my opinion, the effective communication of ideas is an important part of any research career. During my undergraduate years in IIT, I have been fortunate to have had some experience in teaching basic Computer Science. In my junior year, I was a teaching assistant for an institute level introductory course in programming, ``CS 101: Computer Programming and Utilization,'' for freshmen. The work involved conducting tutorials, grading assignments, and providing assistance during practical sessions.


In my junior and senior years, I have been the Technical Coordinator, and subsequently General Secretary of the Computer Science and Engineering Association, IIT Bombay. In this capacity, I have been actively involved in planning, organizing and lecturing at, various workshops on UNIX aimed at both technical and lay audiences. These experiences have been extremely rewarding, and I am sure they will help me in any teaching duties as a graduate student, and later on in my career.


I am confident that my strong motivation, my undergraduate experiences and my ******** aptitude will help me to measure up to the rigors of graduate study. I am looking forward to make my contributions to the research going on at Dartmouth.












STATEMENT OF PURPOSE-10


In this era of information technology I feel a sense of pride in being so closely associated with the field of computer science. The desire to forge ahead in this field by doing cutting--edge research has motivated me to pursue graduate studies.

Academic Background
I hail from a small industrial town where education is given a very high priority. My father is an educator himself. This background inculcated in me a deep inclination for academics from the very beginning. The subjects that attracted me most were Mathematics and Physics. In order to pursue a career in science and engineering, I appeared for the Joint Entrance Examination for admission to IIT’s. Securing an {\em All India Rank of $162$} amongst $100,000$ candidates ($99.8$ percentile), I joined I.I.T. Bombay, one of the best institutes for engineering education in India. The growing involvement of computers in various fields of science and technology encouraged me to choose computer science as my branch of study in undergraduate studies.

Undergraduate Studies
After coming to I. I. T., I was introduced to the true expanse of computer science. The core courses gave me an in--depth knowledge in each field. The lab courses and projects gave me the programming skills (for details of the projects please refer resume ). Most of these projects were done in groups of two to four students. This gave me the opportunity to learn to work in a group -- both as a leader or otherwise.

Areas of Interest
My main objective during my undergraduate studies was to get an overview of various fields in computer science and identify a field of interest in which I could pursue my research career. Because of their vast applications, computer systems, in general, have attracted me. In particular, I am interested in databases, distributed systems and parallel processing. My junior thesis was on {\em database mining}, which I completed under the guidance of Dr. S. Seshadri am currently doing work in {\em parallelizing compilers} as part of my Senior thesis under Dr. S. Biswas. I have also registered for a course on "models of parallel computation”, intended to deal with fundamentals of parallel algorithms and parallel architectures, in the forthcoming semester.

Career Objectives
Within a decade or so, I visualize myself as a full fledged research professional in an organization or a faculty member at one of the leading Universities. I see PhD as a first step in achieving this career objective. I am willing to do MS as an intermediate step.

Strengths
There are a few things whose value I realized during my undergraduate studies and now I strongly believe in them. These are {\em hard work} -- Necessity to produce results, {\em discipline} -- Necessity to finish task before deadlines and {\em persistence} -- Necessity to sail through unproductive periods. My attempt throughout has been to inculcate these qualities in myself in which, I believe, I have been fairly successful.

Weaknesses
A major weakness of mine has been my speed. I always try to attack a problem in depth which invariably requires some amount of time. As a result, I have not been able to perform very well in ``three hour'' exams. This weakness has been reflected in my grades. However, given sufficient time I have always been able to show good results, reflected by the good grades (AA or AB) in lab courses involving projects.

Reasons for selecting Ohio State University
My advisors recommended me of your university on the basis of faculty interests and the research work currently in progress. After going through the brochure, I realized that there also exists a vast gamut of opportunities, especially excellent computing facilities, in your department. In addition, from the communication I had with Dr. Mukesh Singhal, I have to come to conclusion that the graduate program at your department would suit my interests extremely well.

Conclusion
I am fully aware that a research career requires a constant, well—directed and whole--hearted effort. I am confident that I would meet all the above demands. Hence I appeal to the Graduate Admissions Committee to consider me for admission, and financial aid.