Dear Sir/Madam,The Masters in Public Policy course is an opportunity for me to enrich my knowledge to contribute to the socioeconomic development and good governance in India. It is my ambition to be admitted to this program in order to gain extensive competence for future academic research and professional work. I graduated in 2011 with Bachelors in Chemical Engineering and worked as a Software Engineer for three years in Tech Mahindra Limited. Prior to this, I joined the Teach for India fellowship as I wanted to work to contribute towards the development of education sector in India and understand the key gaps. I am currently working in an EdTech startup, where I am trying to create a self-learning environment and reduce teacher dependency in primary grades through game-based learning and gamification of the curriculum.While in college, I initiated a project to teach the kids of labourers on the college campus. Working in close association with these children and the community they came from made me realize the lack of good education and development opportunities to the weaker sections of our society. It was here, I understood the need of working towards providing every child with right to live with dignity and to have the basic right to health care, to safe drinking water, nutritious food, a clean and safe environment, and information to help them stay healthy and creating awareness among these communities as a means to bring about development at the grass root level.While in Tech Mahindra, I worked with various initiatives under ‘Nanhi Kali’ initiative of the organization in the surrounding communities. I joined the Fellowship to gain a deeper understanding of the education system in India. My experience in the social sector has helped me to understand the role of people in ensuring good governance and that public policy is the most effective tool for real and lasting social change. I intend to work towards bringing sustainable change by translating policies into effective practices with integrated planning, comparative analysis of public policies and stakeholder management. Through my interactions with children from different states across India, I understand how factors like poverty, discrimination, inadequate teacher training challenge the access to quality education. I understand that all these factors are mutually dependent and policies related to one affect the other sectors as wellw. In a fast-changing world, a multi-disciplinary approach is required to solve such challenges. The Master in Public Policy programme gives me an opportunity to equip myself with concepts of economics and public policy to understand the root cause of current challenges and advocate for effective policies. Through this programme, I will get a significant exposure to practical skills and interdisciplinary competencies that are critical in the work of public policy. Courses like the Policy Process and Public Management will help me develop a strong understanding of formulation, implementation, and evaluation of a policy and public management. The Statistics course will be a crucial addition to my knowledge and skill set and will enable me to understand the quantitative methods conducive to empirical policy research. I want to deepen my understandings in Economics and Finance and strengthen my understanding of sustainable practices and the economic factors that shape it. I want to work on the policies related to Early Childhood Education. So, I would try to engage with international agencies working in this sector to strengthen my learning from a global perspective. The Project course done with a public policy institution will give me an opportunity to gain practical skills, disciplinary knowledge, and competencies necessary to devise strategic policies.Being a part of a diverse classroom, I will have a chance to learn from other disciplines, as well as from other cultures, is what makes this field so intricate, but all the more interesting. I consider it to be a most valuable experience to get the opportunity to meet students from all over the world and learn about their cultures and values. As the profile of the Master’s degree in Public Policy at the Hertie School of Governance is highly international and multidisciplinary, I believe that your programme is a perfect addition to the knowledge and experience I have already obtained. I am certain to push through with the dedication I have always worked with to accomplish my goals and gain more knowledge and insight in public policy.Studying in Germany will give me a chance to know more about the German education system which is one of the best in the world. It has been one of the nations where students have performed above the OECD average in all the three subjects – science, reading and mathematics in PISA. Germany has actively promoted early childhood education at preschool age and introduced education policies to integrate primary school education with the preschool education to reap maximum benefits which is something India needs to adopt in its education sector.My willingness to learn and my strong sense of social responsibility will enable me to pursue an advanced degree in the chosen field and achieve my personal and professional goals. I hope to be given this chance, as I am confident that I am capable of meeting and even exceeding your expectations.In conclusion, I would like to acknowledge that, I am eager to gain experience, improve my skills and broaden my understanding and knowledge of public policy and good governance. I am persuaded that taking part in this program offered by the Hertie School of Public Policy would contribute to my development as an expert of international repute in the best possible way. I hope to return to my Home country to start a career in academia or work as a research fellow with a think tank. The skills I may acquire through my studies will be an important asset in contributing to India’s development.Thank you very much for considering my application.Yours sincerelyPriya Sadhu