As soon as the car door opened, I jumped out; and what I saw was a completely different world.

Before me was a simple hut made from cow dung and sticks, and suddenly, a small boy came
running towards me and was awed at the sight of a simple car. His father rushed out of his old,
fragile house and greeted my father. It was one of my first adventures in rural India, a world
inhabited by many but experienced by only a few. Being the son of a government official who lived
to serve the rural areas, I was one of the privileged ones to experience it.

Rural India is a different world altogether. A world where one has to walk miles to get a liter of
water, a world where people still study under oil lamps and cook using wood. The forms of energy
that we use are still novel to that world. I could only wonder what I could do to make a dent in this
world for the better. And my strategy was simple, innovative solutions, which is why I started
studying and made it a goal to get into the most sought-after institute in India- IIT Bombay.

After countless sleepless nights and two years of dedicated studies, I cracked JEE and landed at my
dream institution, and I moved to Bombay.

Bombay- a metropolitan city, was worlds apart from the rural India I experienced. A city rich in
capital, human resource, and energy. Where electricity cut for hours was a norm in my hometown, a
blackout for an hour would cause a disaster in Bombay. Although being rich in energy, Bombay is
also plagued with pollution.

It was here that I realized the dilemma India is facing right now. Being a developing nation, India has
to grow its energy production to reach the rural areas while at the same time making sure it does
not end up destroying the entire planet- glimpses of which can be seen in metro cities like Bombay.
But this is an opportunity for India to grow on green energy.

When the time came to choose my discipline of studies, the choice was obvious for me- Energy
studies. It was here that I realized that technical solutions to solve the energy demands of rural India
already existed, which made me question, 'then why haven't they been implemented?'

At the same time, I was developing an interest in college politics, due to which I eventually contested
for a hostel council position at the largest hostel on the campus and won with a majority vote. I
served as the mess councilor and supervised the operations of a hostel mess that catered to over
1300+ students on campus. This experience helped me understand the workings of a society and its
challenges; even though sometimes there are resources to solve an issue, there are sociological
problems that can not be ignored.

And in March 2020, suddenly, we were asked to leave the campus. Covid-19 had just entered India.
The entire country was under a strict lockdown, yet a group of people worked tirelessly and risked
their lives only so that ordinary people could live comfortably. This inspired me a lot, so in April of
2020, I volunteered to join the Covid warriors in a rural village, 'Deola.'
I aided in the management and execution of awareness and training programs to combat Covid.
Times were tough; the infection rate had shot up, there was a severe lack of basic medical amenities
in distant rural areas and cities, which is why with the help of local government bodies, we
successfully set up a 90-bed hospital with five oxygen beds. Interacting with the locals, sharing their
experiences, their lifestyle, and fighting Covid together was an experience of a lifetime that shaped
me.

It made me understand the inner working of a society, how some invisible forces come into play,
how narratives are formed, how and what stereotypes exist and how to break them, how sometimes
it is the local culture that saves the day, and yet sometimes old customs make it difficult for a trained
doctor to work, and most importantly how politics and sociology come into play.

What intrigued me the most was how different people think and strategize, how their belief system
works, and how it affects their behavior. These experiences have led me to believe that politics exist
everywhere, not only in elections but also in our daily lives and how big of a role it plays. It is an
invisible force that shapes the outcome of a situation, whether the person involved is aware or not.
'then why haven't they been implemented?'- I think this was the invisible force- politics and other
sociological problems.

The experiences that I've had until now have made me a part of many lives. When I discovered that
my university had an exchange program with the world's best political science university, I was
delighted. I knew this was 'my' opportunity. My curiosity and drive to interact, share experiences
with diverse people, and gain knowledge led me to apply to Sciences Po.

When I come to Sciences Po, I come not only as a student of IIT Bombay but also as a person
intrigued; as a carrier of a belief system of rural India, I carry their problems, aspirations, and
experiences with me. The time I've spent in rural India has made it a part of me, and I believe that
the time I will spend at Sciences Po, Sciences Po, and its diversity will also become a part of me.
Shape me further. So that in my life ahead, I would be many things, a son, a student, a person
representing rural India, and even a Sciences Po student.