In a world where the consequences of poor financial decisions and misguided investments can lead to financial

ruin, I have found my passion in combating this critical issue by harnessing the power of data science and
artificial intelligence in the realm of finance. Inspired, I created a Finayna smart mirror at the Nomura
HackInnovate hackathon. Our employing sentiment analysis, synthetic data generation, and time series analysis
empower individuals with financial guidance to prevent distress and promote informed choices, ultimately aiming
to eradicate financial mismanagement-driven poverty with the help of data science. My journey into data science,
particularly its applications in finance, ignited through a blend of personal experiences and a keen eye on industry
trends. With a background in computer engineering, I acquired a strong foundation in data analysis and
programming. A minor course in finance complemented this foundation and opened my eyes to the immense
potential of leveraging data to glean insights and drive informed decisions in financial markets.
With sound technical aptitude and a relentless drive to learn, I commenced my professional journey as a
Technology Analyst at Nomura, a Japanese global financial services group that connects markets East & West,
serving Retail, Investment Banking, Wholesale, Global Markets. I belong to the team of “Securitized products -
Global Markets”. As an integral Analytics and Operations team member, I excelled in leveraging cutting-edge
technology to analyze and create comprehensive risk and analytics reports using data science. My Python and
SQL proficiency facilitated efficient data manipulation, enabling precise risk evaluations and portfolio
optimization, especially with intricate financial instruments like mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities. I
consistently provided actionable insights and data-driven recommendations, enhancing portfolio management,
investment strategies, and risk mitigation in securitized products. Moreover, I monitored and troubleshooted daily
trading and analytics batches in Java, ensuring smooth operations. I performed disaster recovery tests for database
backups and performed CRUD operations for identity access management for various members by using SQL
queries to maintain the database. My continuous research into emerging technologies, industry trends, and
regulatory changes ensured our strategies remained at the forefront of the financial sector. Finally, I led my team
in transforming legacy analytics to an efficient AWS setup, optimizing performance and achieving cost savings.
Notably, my Python automation significantly reduced hours of manual effort in generating detailed reports,
positively impacting organizational efficiency. My dedicated leadership and performance earned us the quarterly
'STAR' award at Nomura. Working here has helped me realize my potential in the domain and further fueled my
determination to specialize in data science.
My current position at Nomura materialized as a direct consequence of my previous fruitful internship at the
organization. As part of the SDLC DevOps team at corporate production service, we were product owners of all
the DevOps tools and hence maintained them globally. I spearheaded the "Access Management in GitLab" project
that aimed to mitigate excessive access in personal namespaces on GitLab. Using GitLab and Python-Gitlab API,
I developed a script to remove group accesses and detect toxic access combinations periodically. Solution
involved cross-verifying project owner and member group affiliations reporting toxic combinations and notifying
project owners once access was revoked by triggering Jenkins pipeline, which was tested using SonarQube.
Overcoming challenges of diverse account types, I implemented exception handling in scripts. This project has
been flawlessly operational in the production environment for over a year. I led the "Consolidation of multiple
instances for optimal resource utilization" project, reducing IT infrastructure costs. This involved migrating
Jenkins build folders among regions due to ceased support. Using Python, Jenkins API, and Ansible Pipeline, I
automated folder migration, preventing data loss. I developed a real-time tracking system for management
oversight, enabling efficient communication with minimal human intervention for IT support.
The above experiences have impelled me to contribute significantly to the finance and technology sectors by
applying data science techniques and pioneering impactful solutions. To this, I’m keen to pursue my Master’s in
Computer Science. My short-term goal as a data scientist in a companies like Goldman Sachs/Morgan Stanley,
upon completing my Master's in CS with specialization in Data Science, is to leverage cutting-edge technologies
to develop predictive models and data-driven insights that enhance risk assessment and drive financial innovation,
where I would be utilizing my education and skills for impactful contributions, climb the corporate ladder.
Eventually, I hope to transition into Fintech entrepreneurship and drive innovation, risk management, fraud
prevention, and sustainable industry growth while mentoring talent and providing financial advice to various
establishments.
My career goals could not have been envisioned without the firm conceptual foundation instilled by my Computer
Engineering degree. Courses in Data Structures, Object Oriented Programming, Design and Analysis of
Algorithms, Database Management Systems, and Advanced Data Structures helped me build a foundation of the
core concepts. Design and Analysis of Algorithms introduced me to algorithms like Greedy Algos, Divide and
Conquer Algos, and Backtracking concepts. DBMS taught me how to design and manage databases efficiently.
From the schema to triggering the databases, Data Warehouse and Mining, Machine Learning, Fundamentals of
Computational Intelligence, and Data Science, my learnings in all these subjects cemented my proclivity for the
domain further. Within the realm of mathematics, I grasped concepts like Fourier series, Taylor series, hypothesis
testing, and probability. I took a minor course in finance and management at SPJIMR that boosted my interest in
Fintech.
To put my theoretical knowledge to the test, I took up various research internships. A significant one was my
8-month research internship under Prof. Kiran Gawande. I delved into the fusion of computer vision and neural
networks. Using the OpenCV Python library and leveraging the COCO dataset, I recorded and processed videos
of professional trainers to assemble essential data. The preprocessing involved 2D human pose estimation with
OpenPose, generating feature maps using CNN, and creating Part Confidence Maps and Part Affinity Fields
through multistage CNN based on VGG19 networks. Developing a proprietary algorithm, I defined rules to
calculate errors in exercise performance by considering joint angles and size variations. Challenges included
diverse data collection and selecting an optimal deep-learning model. Ultimately, our research culminated in a
paper published in Springer titled "Fitness Freaks: A System for Detecting Definite Body Posture Using Open
Pose Estimation”, highlighting our innovative system and its potential impact on improving user exercise forms
and yoga postures.
I actively participate in hackathons and community roles, serving as the Professional Development Director and
Vice President of the Social Welfare Club at SPIT. Organizing beach cleanups, plastic collection drives, blood
donation initiatives, and a Data Science Conference has deepened my understanding of community dynamics and
my passion for meaningful connections. I also played a key role as Head of Events for our Techno-Cultural Fest,
OCULUS, and mentored fellow students in event organization. I provided technical assistance and developed a
website for Graceful Hands Trust and engaged in CSR activities at Nomura, including tree planting and beach
cleaning. Crafting educational resources for VIDYA and raising awareness of data privacy underscores my
commitment to holistic learning and empowering diverse groups, enhancing personal growth while contributing to
society.
As I embark on the path to achieving my lofty aspirations, I am firmly convinced that enrolling in the Master's
program in Computer Science with specialization in Data Science at Stevens Institute of Technology is the ideal
choice to satiate this intellectual hunger. The curriculum, encompassing courses such as Modeling, Simulation and
Visualization , Machine Learning, Visual Computing and Information Extraction promises to further illuminate
my mind with many invaluable skills and diverse perspectives. The opportunity to glean wisdom from esteemed
educators like Professor Yue Ning, whose groundbreaking contributions to Causality Enhanced Societal Event
Forecasting With Heterogeneous Graph Learning stand as a testament to their excellence, is an honor beyond
measure. Moreover, the university's cosmopolitan ambiance, drawing a multitude of international scholars, will
undoubtedly offer ample opportunities for me to forge connections with a diverse cohort of peers and actively
engage in student organizations like the Active Minds, thus fostering holistic personal growth on my path to
success.
I wish to affirm to the esteemed Admissions Committee that I am endowed with the requisite caliber, unwavering
determination, and steadfast commitment anticipated of prospective students. I earnestly aspire for a favorable
response to my application, which, in turn, would enable me to realize my cherished aspiration of becoming a
distinguished member of the incoming Fall 2024 cohort.