From Solan to Solna: Journey so Far

10 October, 2018

Just a shuffle of an alphabet and here I am, 3320 miles away from home!

Hej! my name is Shadali and I am a first-year student in the Master’s program in Bioentrepreneurship at Karolinska Institutet (yes, I made it!!). I am a newbie in the digital ambassador’s team and my job is to keep you posted on “what’s in store for you”. Before we embark this new journey together, I would like to give you a quick glance of my journey so far.

This is me

In the lap of Himalayas lies a small town called Solan. That is where I come from. My hometown is in India and yes it snows there ( don’t be shocked 😀 ). I am an engineer in biotechnology and I pursued my Bachelor’s degree from Jaypee University of Information and Technology, Himachal Pradesh, India.

Credits: Shadali Singh; View from my home’s balcony

During my degree, I discovered three things. One, my love for biotechnology. Two, my inability to learn biology. Three, I am not a lab person! Does not sink in well, right? Since I had no clue about my career path, I let life take its course.

Through campus placement, I joined a market research and consulting firm called Roots Analysis. While working as a business analyst, I understood that I could indirectly contribute to the life sciences sector, by bridging the gap between science and business. I decided to pursue my master’s degree in a similar line.

Bazinga!

I was introduced to the Masters in Bioentrepreneurship program offered at the world-renowned Karolinska Institutet. On reading the course description, I felt all the pieces of the puzzles were realigning to produce a pretty picture. Therefore, I applied!

Now that I am here

Credits: Shadali Singh; Stockholm in Autumn

As a new girl in the city, I am excited to experience this part of the world. There is so much to learn. The method of teaching is very different from the conventional ways most of us have been exposed to. The courses have been designed to incorporate both mental and personal growth. Each assignment contributes to the learning graph. Imagine an interactive class with thirty-one students from fifteen countries and different cultures, from all across the globe. How amazing is that?!

In my blogs

The transitions from deciding a career path – to applying – to being accepted – to deciding to join the program – to finally arriving – to discovering Stockholm (still in process) has been extensive. In my blogs, I will try to cover all these aspects from my experiences and point of view.

If you have any questions regarding the Bioentrepreneurship program or how I got here, please feel free to contact me.