Meet our recent Interns!

My name is Sourish Dey. I grew up in Delhi, India, before my family moved to Cologne, Germany when I was 9 years old. Now 20 years old, I am currently studying for my bachelor’s degree at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. This internship with FIN is part of my specialization in emerging markets, which I took during my second year of studies.

 

After graduating from high school at 18, I was eager to embark on my university journey. Having grown up in an international environment, moving from India to Germany exposed me to different cultures, behaviors, and ways of life from a young age. This sparked my curiosity about the world beyond my own experiences. Maastricht University, known for its diverse student body and unique problem-based learning approach, seemed like the perfect fit. For the past three years, it has been my home away from home, where I’ve made lifelong friends, created cherished memories, and experienced profound personal growth.

With my Indian heritage, I often found myself drawing comparisons between routines, behaviors, and expectations I observed in the West and those back home. I frequently asked myself, “How would this work in the context of India?” For example, while studying economic policies at Maastricht University, I often reflected on how Western models of economic development could be adapted to suit the unique socio-economic landscape of India. This realization motivated me to delve deeper by specializing in emerging market studies.

 

The main purpose of the emerging market studies program is to understand the economic, social, and political dynamics of developing countries. It focuses on analyzing the challenges and opportunities these markets present, including issues like economic growth, market development, and integration into the global economy. The program equips students with the tools to critically assess how global economic policies can be adapted to support sustainable development in emerging markets.

 

My background and this specialized education provide a unique perspective that I believe is crucial for addressing the complexities of emerging markets. By understanding both Western and Indian contexts, I aim to contribute to creating policies and strategies that are not only effective but also culturally and contextually appropriate for developing regions. This knowledge will serve as a valuable sounding board for my future in both academics and at the workplace.

 

In my free time, I try to stay active through basketball and tennis. Having played competitive basketball from a young age, it instilled discipline and provided an outlet to release stress in a healthy manner. Exposure to passionate crowds boosted my confidence, composure, and organizational skills. For example, during a national championship game, my team and I were faced with an intense crowd, the pressure was high, but I managed to stay calm and orchestrate plays effectively, ultimately leading my team to victory. This experience not only enhanced my leadership skills but also taught me the importance of maintaining focus and poise under pressure.

 

When I was introduced to FIN through my university’s internship office, it immediately felt like the perfect fit. The team welcomed me with open arms, making me feel like a valued member from day one. While my tasks vary weekly, I am primarily responsible for researching how to reduce socioeconomic disparities in India, creating content for FIN’s social media, and developing Wikipedia pages on the FIN trust, Kameswaram village, and Prof. Shyama V. Ramani. Additionally, I serve as a research assistant to Dr. Raja, exploring topics like plastic waste management to promote a more circular and sustainable economy in India.

 

Alongside the internship, I am working on my thesis, examining if at all wealth impacts health outcomes in Kameswaram village based on household-level data collected by FIN on Kameswaram. I hope this research can further inform NGOs, policymakers, and students about devising targeted policy solutions to uplift the local community there.

 

I have thoroughly enjoyed this enriching experience so far and look forward to continued growth during the next phase of my internship with the phenomenal FIN team, especially with the guidance of my mentors Prof. Shyama V. Ramani, Dr Raja Venkatramani, and Mr. Abhishek Pathak.

 

Best regards,

Sourish Dey

My name is Amy Koehn and I am a bachelor’s student at University College Maastricht. I am also currently an intern at FIN. For my bachelor’s dissertation and also internship I am doing research on ‘Youth perception and behavior towards environmental challenges and sustainability’ comparing European and Indian students. For this purpose, I am conducting a survey of youth to gather data. If you are in the age group 18-24, it would be great if you could take 8-10 minutes of your precious time to answer the survey and help me out! You are also most welcome to share this survey with your friends and family in this age group! All standard research protocols for data privacy and protection will be observed.

Thank you so so much! I hope to host a webinar in July to present the main findings of my dissertation and I hope you will join in that – whatever your age!

 

Lastly, thanks in advance for contributing to the broader body of knowledge on how perceptions of environmental issues are shaped across the world so that we can design better policies to address climate change challenges.

 

Amy Koehn,

FIN Intern

 

For an Internship write us at fintrust.india@gmail.com.

 

#FIN #fintrust #fintrustngo #friendinneedindiatrust