Haritha Shanker My desire to learn and my passion to progress pushed me to pursue higher studies in science and follow my aspirations. I was introduced to the theory of evolution at a very young age in the form of the Indian mythological stories of the “Dashavatars” (ten incarnations of God); I was fascinated by the gradual transformation of the ten incarnations from Matsya (fish) to Vamana (humanoid form) and later to Kalki (the existing human). Although I didn't associate it with evolution at that age, reading Dan Brown's "Deception Point" in 8th grade brought me back to the world of evolution and astrobiology and I been enchanted ever since. The theories of Darwinism and panspermia learned in high school intrigued me and continue to do so. Having secured the second highest mark in Biology among students from all over India, in the final board exams, I confidently chose the field of Biotechnology as my undergraduate program at Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering, affiliated to Anna University (Chennai). This choice allowed me to learn the main techniques, study the variety of courses offered in the Biology concentration and use them for research that will help me in my professional career in ecology and evolutionary biology and in my master's degree. Being resolute, hardworking, my organized commitment towards studies helped me achieve good results and be among the top 10 students in my department. For me, studying courses like molecular biology and biochemistry, micro and cellular biology, various cellular cycles and processes, interconnections and interdependencies, radiated heterogeneity of systems in different species seemed natural and inspiring. In my opinion, the puzzle of all these differences could be woven to...... middle of paper ...... a degree in ecology and evolutionary biology from your esteemed university will give me training that can make my job easier . at the NASA Astrobiology Institute in the future. Academic work interspersed with research in ecology gives me the opportunity to study the interactions between different organisms, their various behavioral mechanisms, while with evolutionary biology, the course and genealogy of these interactions and this variety can be elucidated. . This field is the fusion of a study which aims to both predict and dwell on the history of the emergence of the new species. I am confident that I can prove my passion for research in evolutionary sciences and I look forward to studying at your university. An opportunity to pursue my passion at your university will be greatly appreciated and I will do my best to achieve my goals..