STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

Name: Pranav Rajesh Shivappa

Area of Interest: MSc in Advanced Electrical Power Systems Engineering program

There is hardly any field of technology which isn’t driven by electricity. Tasks that
have been done manually can be done efficiently and with ease using electronics
along with the appropriate design. I, Pranav Rajesh Shivappa completed my
schooling in Delhi Public School Bangalore south from 2004-2016. I have
completed my undergraduate Engineering with a major in electrical and
electronics and a minor in computer science.
When I think about Engineering the first person that comes to mind is Dr APJ
Abdul Kalam who has been a visionary to most Indian engineers. I was awestruck
when I attended one of his lectures which peaked my interest to pursue a career
in technology. Although my passion for power engineering was ignited as a child
reading comics, it was the constant effort, work and sacrifice that helped me
come this close to achieving my dream. I spent years reading about different
scientific topics before they were taught as part of the curriculum in high school.
After completing my first year of engineering, a select few were offered a minor
course in computer science, which I voluntarily took during my summer break. In
this course I was exposed to algorithms, DBMS, Data structures and OOPS
concepts, however algorithms had me most intrigued. I tried to implement the
same in my final research project using different algorithms for the MPPT designs.
One can be overwhelmed with how extensive engineering can be, so at this point
I took a step back,deferred a year and wanted to observe my prospects in the
industry to understand it better, but post the covid pandemic, the entire structure
broke down and I couldn’t retake all the credits I withdrew. However I didn’t let
this demotivate me. Instead, I saw this as an opportunity for me to gain further
experience. My grades had consistently been better in Labs and other application-
based subjects, it goes to say that conceptually I'm just as strong as anyone else if
not better. I believe everyone has their own journey in their career and likewise I
had mine, although different, my steady approach is what makes me stand out. I
completely imbibed a strong work ethic and reignited my passion after my break.
I believe I am equipped with the discipline to overcome the rigor of this master's
program.
Additionally, I actively participated in MUNs across India in many respected
institutions, during which I developed my communication skills. I also developed
the soft skills required for a professional environment; having dealt with these
complex scenarios I can say I thoroughly worked on using my critical thinking
skillsin an innovative way which came to be useful in a fast-paced work
environment. This also helped me create my own network which is something
every aspiring entrepreneur needs. As an organizer for the MUN The People’s
conference, my Entrepreneurial spirit channeled my vision to start my own
enterprise.
In my second year I chose an elective - Renewable Energy Sources, which had a
prerequisite of Generation Transmission and Distribution, the culmination of
these subjects gave me the understanding of the structure of the energy industry
and how each aspect works. Elon musk has been a strong advocate for renewable
energies. I strongly agree with these ideals.
My final research project was regarding power systems and their control
methods. In a photovoltaic system using a 3-phase inverter with a DC-DC
converter, I studied how using different MPPT algorithms gave different outputs
of power. I achieved this under the guidance of Dr B R Keshavan who is the
chairman of the engineering dept and also head of the electrical and electronics
dept. In this project I compared the simulations results of using different
algorithms in the control schemes to study the corresponding resultant output
thus augmenting my skills in power electronics and power systems
I interned in PRDC pvt ltd who are the proprietors of MiPower as part of the
industry work module worth 6 credits. Here I worked on load flow analysis and
cable sizing from which I not only gained knowledge and experience but also
clarity in my ambitions. I used this knowledge while working at ANPCPMC as an
assistant project engineer. Here I learnt about euro spec standards for electrical
engineering work. I worked on multiple projects spanning from airports in
Hongkong to data farms in Sweden. I worked on single line diagrams and cable
sizing here as well. Along with this I was trained in AutoCAD and Rivet while
drawing the cable layout for the masterplan. I also gained knowledge about how
large-scale projects are managed, designed and implemented. Under the
guidance of my manager Mr Vijaymahantesh, I understood the role of an engineer
in a project of such magnitude. This job made me more interested to learn and
design power systems.
After working in the industry for almost a year, I noticed areas I can improve
myself. I wish to gain the knowledge of power systems, improve my
understanding of the field and gain relevant industry experience; with the rapid
traction power and energy systems has seen in recent times due to the universal
goal of sustainability. This postgraduate degree in electrical engineering will help
me further my professional journey and ability to contribute in power systems
and sustainable energy.
In conclusion, I feel that The University of Manchester’s MSc in Advanced
Electrical Power Systems Engineering program’s state of the art infrastructure and
the mentorship I will receive will be the next step in my career. I hope to be
granted an opportunity to display my academic acumen during this course. I
sincerely hope I am granted a place in this program.