STATEMENT OF PURPOSE - Sample 03 (CS)

“Education is the manifestation of the perfection already in man.” – Swami Vivekananda

I strongly believe in the statement that perfection is already there in man, inherent in his heart and soul. And education is the medium through which we are able to manifest that perfection in us.

My Family Background

I come from an academic family – my parents are both professors and my siblings are engineers, doctors and postgraduates. Right from childhood, the spirit of learning has been inculcated in me. I have the zeal to learn, to study and to assess what I have learnt from a practical point of view. In this regard, my mother has been my primary source of inspiration. What I am today is solely due to the efforts my mother took to make me a man in the perfect sense of the term – perfect in character, mind and personality.

My Love for Computers -- My Dream Career

Computers have always fascinated me. My love for computers began when I was in the fourth standard. This was the time when I decided that computers would be my career, and over the years this field blended beautifully with my adventurous and curious nature. I have studied in one of the finest schools of India – RKMV, Purulia [http://www.rkmv.org/] – a school that imparted a solid base to my education. I secured the top rank in my school in the XIIth standard and stood 11th in the entire state in the Engineering Entrance Exam. I got admission into the Computer Science and Engineering department at the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru Technological College of Engineering, Kakinada [http://www.jntu.ac.in/]

Why the USA?

Knowledge and proper training are essential to succeed in today's highly competitive world. The best place where I can achieve this is in the United States of America - the undisputed leader in developing new products and processes. Not only is the USA the birthplace of my chosen field of study, it has also nurtured it for its full growth and continuous development.

My Areas of Interest

I take a keen interest in Networking and Database Management Systems. I am also interested in Internet Technologies and Web Designing. I got the first prize in National Level Technical Symposium “Infovision 2001” for my technical paper “WAP Site Simulation” – a paper that deals with the offline simulation of WAP sites. This projects my ability and efficacy of analyzing things, creative thinking and expressing my views to others; which, I believe, plays a major role in research-oriented studies.

I was also awarded the first prize in Web Designing competition. Incidentally, I have also designed my own website – http://www.bobbymaisnam.com/. My pre-final semester project in Software Engineering was “Student Registration Program” – an online student registration program done using Visual Basic and MS-ACCESS. In addition to this I have also done a mini-project, a Perl Script based CGI Mailer Program titled “EasyMAILer”. I am currently working on a project titled “Dynamic WML to HTML Generator”.

Skills I have mastered

I have a strong command on languages like C, C++, COBOL, HTML, PASCAL, Perl Scripting, Visual Basic, Visual C++, Java and WML. I have worked on various platforms - i486, Pentiums with the operating systems – UNIX, Windows 9x/Me/NT and MS-DOS. I am also comfortable with various application software like Microsoft FrontPage, Macromedia Flash and Adobe Photoshop. Besides academics, I take a keen personal interest in essay writing, extempore, painting, singing and debating. I have bagged awards in several state level competitions.

My Future Goals, My Ultimate Aim

As far as my aim is concerned, the ultimate aim of my life is to become a good teacher. My teachers showed me what the world actually is, and what can be done to improve life. I want to mould my career as a teacher and do research in my field. To realize my great desire of taking up this noble profession, I need a support, a platform, a place where I can learn the best to serve the best. That happens to be your esteemed Institute and I would like to proudly associate myself with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Why the University of Tennessee, Knoxville?

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville has always been the Dream University for me. I heard about it first when I was a child. My father, Prof. M. Iboton Singh was a Visiting Associate Professor (Honorary) and Senior Fulbright fellow at the College of Business Administration, Department of Economics UTK from March 1983 to January 1984. From that time, I had this secret desire in my heart – that one day I would study in UTK, the University my father always used to tell me about. And I am glad that today, I have reached the stage where I am taking my first step towards achieving that dream.

A good academic career depends on the teachers who guide us. In UTK, I came to know that most of the faculty members are recognized for their dedication towards research and teaching. As my aim in life is to become a good teacher, I feel that UTK will be the best place to learn.

I am overwhelmed by the multitude of centers existing at UTK – the Innovative Computing Laboratory (ICL), the Center for Information Technology Research (CITR), the Joint Institute for Computational Science, the Scalable Intracampus Research Grid (SInRG), the Software Quality Research Laboratory (SQRL) and various other research centers. Among these, I am really impressed by ICL, SQRL and SinRG. And I believe that UTK is the place for Education and Research. My belief is further strengthened by the fact that UTK has nine new Research Centers of Excellence and also by the fact that UTK is Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)’s largest Research Partner.

I am eagerly looking forward to become a part of the intellectual family residing at UTK; and if I become one, I'll try to bring the best out of my Institute in terms of academic excellence. I am eagerly looking forward to seeing my dream come true.

Thanking you for giving me this opportunity to express myself.

MAISNAM TEKENDRAJIT SINGH
Graduate Applicant, Fall 2002
MS - Computer Science
Dated: 19 January 2002