Profile

As a student of Social Sciences, my academic experiences so far have given me a critical understanding of development in India and some of the issues that confront it. These experiences have also brought out the need for sustained research in development initiatives and policy making. To find out that the LAMP Fellowship aims to contribute toward institutionalising research work in Parliamentary functioning was therefore inspiring. At this stage in my career, the opportunity to work with a Member of Parliament seemed unparalleled in providing working knowledge of the political space and policy process. Through the fellowship, I also hope to identify the kind of role I would like to play in public policy and development in the future.

After attaining a degree in Finance, I spent a couple of years in the hedge fund and mutual fund research department of a global Financial Research company. I spent the last year of my job working after work on various policy issues. I worked for a Legislative Research Organization as a Research Fellow and organized a two-day national consultation on the Food Security Bill. I also worked extensively in the environment sector with various research organizations for technical research and MPs for policy research. Having presented research papers on various policy issues and having assisted MPs during elections, this Fellowship was an obvious choice. The LAMP Fellowship not only provides me with a structured training program to channel my passion productively but also an opportunity to work with highly qualified and like minded people.

I graduated in law and worked for a year thereafter. I took up the LAMP Fellowship as it gives me an opportunity to undertake research associated with policy making and legislative drafting. Laws being the foundation of a civilized society, it is critical that (a) a clear vision is envisaged prior to drafting bills; (b) bills are systematically drafted to reflect such vision in its true sense and (c) bills are both certain and reader-friendly. Though the above are obvious, they are not automatically addressed in the absence of specific processes. This is also the case with other duties discharged by Members of Parliament (MPs). In India, we do not have an institutionalized mechanism with respect to law making or other duties performed by MPs and the consequence is what we see around us. I look upon the Fellowship as the first step towards building such a mechanism.

Plato wrote, “The price good men pay for indifference to political affairs is to be ruled by evil men.” There is an overwhelming sense of cynicism in the country, from our living rooms to television newsrooms. When I learned about this fellowship, it immediately appealed to me as a way to escape indifference towards politics and governance. In its unique structure, the fellowship enables one to actively participate in parliamentary democracy by way of assisting a Member of Parliament. The lessons to be learnt are only limited to one’s own determination as the policy-making exposure this platform provides is unparalleled in the country. Coming from a management background, I feel this fellowship will complement my previous experience and provide insight into how public policy shapes governance and the economy of a nation. The experience will certainly be an asset in any career path I choose to pursue beyond this fellowship.

Understanding the way in which any system works is absolutely essential to make meaningful and effective interventions. This fellowship gives me a chance to be at the nerve centre of our country, and witness firsthand, the deliberations, discussions, and thought processes that go into formulating a plan/policy for any sector. Academic exercises within a classroom need to be balanced out with exposure to how they play out within a larger framework. The very fact that this fellowship aims at combining rigorous academic research, with practical and result-oriented use of the findings, is perhaps the most attractive aspect of this fellowship. The LAMP Fellowship is an opportunity to observe firsthand, analyse and dissect social, political and economic occurrences, and also observe how these are viewed from the perspective of those MP’s, policy makers, experts, citizens and various other stakeholders engaged in the maintenance of this unique system of our nation.

As a Human Rights Lawyer committed towards societal change, I can think of no better training ground than the LAMP Fellowship. After all, where better to learn the socio-political and economic realities impacting our country than at the apex law-making body in the world’s largest democracy? Our Parliamentarians set the wheels in motion for change when they engage in policy formulation at the national-level. Being able to work with them will enable me to be an active part of this change, rather than its passive recipient. In this Fellowship, I see a unique platform – previously, legislative research, executive action and judicial discretion remained distinct, separate points on the governmental spectrum. LAMP, in its one-of-a-kind venture, manages to bring the three together by affording eager young minds like mine the opportunity to interact with my elected representatives, gauge public opinion, and help make balanced decisions backed by high calibre research.

I have developed a keen interest in politics and public policy over the years. I have always been keen to know how policy was shaped and how parliamentarians worked. Having completed my graduation in management and being an entrepreneur, I want to know if understanding pubic policy and its dynamics would be a tool to achieve new synergies. I thought that this knowledge could be acquired only with time and experience - a rare opportunity that fell to a few and only at a later age. However, the LAMP fellowship completely changes this. It offers me the opportunity to gain this knowledge at the outset of my career. Instead of learning this later in life, I have the opportunity to build my career on this experience. The Fellowship is ideal since it taks in people from all fields possible, which ensures that nobody is at a disadvantage and you can play to your strengths and develop new ones.The opportunity that the LAMP Fellowshihp offers to work directly with MPs and understand the policy mechanisms is unmatched. It cannot be missed out on.

For someone who aspires to be an integral part of the Indian political scenario someday, the LAMP fellowship is a blessing especially as I am just 20 years old. The chance to work with a Member of Parliament for a year ensures that I get a bird’s eye view of the policy making process of the country. The opportunity to be part of the process that pursues specific governmental goals through the application of public and private resources is something that I believe I will learn immensely from. Having completed my undergraduation in journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, the LAMP Fellowship should serve as the best possible foundation work experience for a year.

As someone who deeply cares about her surroundings and has always wanted to make a change, the LAMP Fellowship seemed like a natural choice for me. It allows me to work closely with legislators and lets me educate their views so that they in turn are in a better position to deal with the legislative needs of this country. Moreover, the Fellowship lays down the perfect foundation for a future in policy administration and helps me envisage my role in the system.

I got particularly interested in the LAMP fellowship due to strong personal as well as career interests. While in the process of writing my dissertation titled “Economic Globalization, Gender and Culture -Disempowerment of Dalit Women in India”, I conducted primary field research which involved my traveling to the affected villages in West Bengal and extensive involvement with the communities (of lower caste women) concerned. This experience not only furthered my interest in gender and human rights issues in India but also fueled the decision to work in the field of Indian economic policy and development-and I decided to apply for this fellowship. The LAMP fellowship is an exciting and ideal way of enhancing the Indian policy making process. It is not only an effective democratic way of policy consultation with students/citizens with strong academic/ research backgrounds in relevant issues but also a method of vastly improving the policy formulation process through thoughtful and politically informed policy analysis.The fellowship is the ideal prospective for me simply because it offers me the opportunity to directly apply my passion, knowledge, skills and research to breaking issues in Indian politics and assist our MPs in our country's policy making process. I am extremely enthusiastic about getting the opportunity to participate in a meaningful role here.

As a student of economics, I once, came across the famous “Broken Window Fallacy” by Fredric Bastiat which illustrated how a good policy should encapsulate not just the short-term but also the long-term implications of a given decision. This was a start to my interest in the field of policy making and human behaviour. Despite spending my under-graduate time studying the nuances of policies, I was not sure if I was well equipped or had a comprehensive view of the policies that are made in the country. I joined LAMP fellowship, hoping that it will help me get a better grip on the way policies are made in the country. Also, I am a firm believer in human productivity and see LAMP as a platform where I can contribute a little towards a larger picture of policy in our country.

Until recently I have only been a silent follower of the various legislative activities in this country but I have always wanted to be involved in and be a part of the functioning of our government and understanding its functioning from close quarters. I chose the LAMP Fellowship as it would give me a wonderful platform to do key research on major topics like policy making, bill making, security issues, and get involved in various social, economics and legislative issues as well as giving me the opportunity to work closely with the parliamentarians. I also intend to use the knowledge and experience gained during the Fellowship program to pursue a post graduate diploma in public policy and political science. This would help me get a better understanding of public policy formulation, analysis and implementation and also how to tackle new challenges in the area of policy movements, debates, amendment of bills and related issues. This would enable me to contribute positively towards the shaping of national policies.

The LAMP Fellowship primarily attracted me because of its unique profile. The Fellowship is by far the only opportunity in India to gain an insight into the legislative and policy-making process of the country. This programme supplements the Indian parliamentary process which is the very basis of our democracy and public policy. As a recent law graduate I was especially interested in the dichotomy and differences that exist in the process between interpretation of laws as a lawyer and implementing laws as part of the parliamentary process, complete with its dynamic political realities, so removed from the black-and-white diktats of legal precedents. I essentially joined the Fellowship to explore this difference.

As a Political Science student for five years, I sometimes wonder if I am moving too far from the existing reality. While I’m equipped with different kind of theories, I have not always understood the realities on the ground. Yes, my discipline has initiated me into the field of politics; but I still deeply feel that I have missed something in this long process. I hope the LAMP fellowship will fill this gap. I also aspire to do further research in the field of Political Science which I hope this fellowship will assist with. In addition, what can be more satisfying than working and assisting the elected representatives of one's own country? The knowledge and exposure that first hand policy making will provide makes this fellowship more appealing to me than any other profession.

Public Policy has been the space that has really excited me since my childhood. I have understood how powerful the influence of Government and Politics is across the world. Policy making as a field has always aroused me because of its job diversity, challenges and the satisfaction of being able to make a difference to the masses. My desire is to be a part of a dynamic and challenging job. By working as a LAMP fellow I will get an opportunity to work with the representatives at the highest level of decision-making. Further, my work could lead into the Parliament, which decides the final shape of the policy matter. After completing my Business Management in Finance and working for about one year in the Financial Services industry, LAMP fellowship provides me a perfect platform to pursue my penchant in Public Policy at an early stage of my career.

As a political enthusiast I feel it is necessary to gain a thorough understanding of policymaking in the country. The LAMP fellowship allows for such learning of policy nuances to coexist with a practical work environment. At the same time as assistants to MPs, we learn not just about the procedures involved in policy making, but also on the range of issues tackled by it. The very existence of such a challenging opportunity for youngsters armed with just a Bachelor degree made this program my first choice. Apart from which, the LAMP fellowship stood out as an ideal prospect as I have been keen to observe firsthand the interplay between Indian politics and policymaking.

I view the LAMP Fellowship as a vital stepping stone for my intellectual and professional growth. The LAMP Fellowship is committed to aiding the national policy-making process through world-class research and first-hand engagement with policy makers. Being a LAMP Fellow would allow me to acquire critical skills for addressing complex, interrelated problems through novel, non-traditional and multi-disciplinary approaches. It would enhance my understanding of the nexus between theoretical responses and public problems in real time and space. It would help me to contextualize the impact that public policies have – on people, markets and institutions– within the challenges faced in framing them. It would prepare me to work in the area of my choice – at the interface of government and business, and enable me to move between the public and private sectors. The LAMP Fellowship would afford me the satisfaction of contributing my skill-set to advance the public interest.

For someone who aspires to get into Indian politics or policy advocacy, the Fellowship is a distinctive opportunity to help me build my understanding of Indian polity and the implications of a range of issues. Regardless of my Pure Sciences background, the idea of working for the political system of my country seems of utmost importance. The LAMP Programme provides a unique opportunity with pragmatic training and thought provoking research that deals with matters of national importance. Interacting with MPs over comprehensive research is rare and can form a very productive package. It is a one of a kind opportunity that helps you overcome your misconceptions about the Parliamentarians and their world of politics. The LAMP experience will be valuable for any political career one intends to pursue!

After having completed my post graduation at LSE, the prospect of being mentored by a parliamentarian and being a part of the ground level legislation process seemed quite exciting. The LAMP Fellowship will provide me with an excellent platform of reaching my goals and fulfilling my aspirations of helping India find its rightful place in the world as not only an economic superpower, but a socially responsible and developed country. The unparalleled encouragement and guidance that the Fellowship provides will play a significant role. I am looking forward to interacting and working with the highly qualified and experienced dignitaries.

The general enigma behind policy making and politics , the desire to look beyond the stereotypical perceptions and an interest in the field drove me to be a part of this Fellowship. This is a platform not only to learn and understand Indian policy making and policy makers from a closer range by working with them but also to make a difference in the system by one's innovation and hard-work.