Q1)I am Soham and I am from Mumbai, India.

I study in Podar International School,

the school’s library being my sanctuary, each shelf brimmed with timeless literature .
This is where I encountered the golden age science fiction authors like Issac Asimov
and Arthur C Clarke, to whom I owe my undying love of science. Their love for
literature and science is what led me to pursue an academic career in science.
Beyond my devotion to science, I dabble in reading, listening to music, practicing
Mixed Martial Arts and following a strict fitness routine. The library began the
serendipitous encounter upon a book that changed my outlook on science
completely. On those dusty shelves lay the third volume of the Feynman Lectures of
Physics, through which I came across the double slit experiment. The eccentric
nature of the duality of waves combined with their ability to “tunnel” through opaque
walls blew me away. It gave me hope that the fictitious worlds of Asimov’s and
Heinlein’s that offer me escapism could be part of my reality. The feynman volumes
made me dive deeper into the subject matters concerning relativity and cosmology.
Visionaries like Stephen Hawking and Carl Sagan became my guides, their lectures
and books broadening my comprehension to the outermost reaches of scientific
knowledge and its possibilities. On the other hand, I was 14 when I stumbled upon a
senior’s computer screen that was packed with colorful lines of text. The words were
in English, that was certain, but the text would be meaningless if read out loud. This
type of literature, if I dare say so, was new to me. When I queried the senior about
the underlying meaning behind this cryptic text, he told me it was something called
“code”. This was the moment that ignited my passion for programming, and it ever
since has been a daily practice for me.

Q2) I am certain that the University of Sydney’s unparalleled and cutting-edge

programs will push me to my limits to enhance my understanding of physics and
software. Intricate fields like Physics and Software Engineering require an esteemed
faculty and dynamic learning environment, which this University will provide me
wholeheartedly. The three years I spend in this university are going to be the
defining moments of my career. Since 5 alumni from the university are Nobel
laureates, I am convinced that this university is going to provide me with the skills to
follow in the footsteps of world leaders. Moreover, the opportunity of interacting with
like-minded individuals from all across the world will bring about extraordinary ideas
in a joint effort, hence cultivating my intellectual curiosity further and also making me
a better global citizen. Straying away from academic criteria, moving away from my
family and learning to be completely independent is without question going to be
intense, since my family and their presence has always been the backbone to my
well being my entire life. So, moving abroad means distancing myself from them and
confronting solitude; a concept that is completely alien to me is going to pose as a
tough challenge, but what is life without facing challenges? In saying so, the support
and friendship that I will receive from this community will facilitate me to embrace this
new chapter in my life.

Q3) Despite harboring the ambition to make the next biggest breakthrough in the
science stream, the peers in my circle lacked the drive to do something remarkable.
Although our motives conflicted, I had confidence that the trajectory of my own life
was destined for a greater purpose. At the beginning of this year, I read a biography
on the life of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, and what has stuck with me to this date are the
social disparities that Dr. Kalam faced didn’t let his desire to learn pass from sight.
Described by his peers and teachers as a bright and hardworking student, these
qualities are what lead him to manifest extraordinary success from unfavorable
circumstances. Ever since finishing the biography, “Wings of Fire”, I aspire to
emulate Dr. Kalam’s greatness. I am driven to transform the world around me for the
better just like Dr. Kalam did for this nation.