Statement of purpose/Letter of Motivation

Applicants name: Budhaditya Bhattacharjee

Department: Physics

When I was in sixth grade, I met a physicist for the first time. Although from an early age I
had a deep interest in science in general, it was that meeting which set me on the right
path. Over the years, I came across many ideas in physics that intrigued me. First among
them was Special Relativity. When I finally got a teacher to explain it to me, all it did was
leave me wanting for more. All these years Ive just been trying to satisfy my curiosity. I
have an intense desire to understand how the universe and everything within it works. To
achieve such a goal, one needs to meticulously study the work of luminaries in the field and
use this knowledge as a foundation to explore new, original theories that could expand our
collective understanding of the physical universe. In other words, one needs to study
Physics.

I enrolled into the Physics (Honors) course at the University of Delhi in the fall of 2014. I had
my first introduction to core research in my first year. In first semester, I studied advanced
mathematical physics such as Tensor calculus, Classical mechanics and Matrix theory under
a professor, Dr. S. K. Soni. In the second semester, I enrolled in a research project under the
same professor. The project lasted the length of the semester. That project was on
investigation of an alternate method of obtaining the constants of motion for a bound
system, its validity in various potentials and subsequent allowed trajectories.

I was always an ardent reader of popular science literature. One of my favorite texts is
Cosmic Time Travel by Barry Parker. It got me deeply interested in general relativity. So, I
spent the summer after my first year studying general relativity (which is a subject of MSc in
India) under Dr. S. K. Soni and gained a working knowledge of it (up to the level taught in
MSc in India). Even then there was a lot left, which I am still learning. The following
semester, I started learning basics of loop quantum cosmology under the guidance of Dr. P.
Singh of Louisiana State University. It lasted over a couple of semesters after which I was
assigned a project (in my third year) in a group studying various possible loop quantizations.
That project is still going on.

Throughout these years, the general theory of relativity and its consequences has been the
subject about which I have developed the deepest respect and an even deeper curiosity. Its
one thing that never fails to leave me in awe of it. While studying GTR and Cosmology, I
have been interested in the singularities that appear in the theory, their interpretations and
resolutions. The unification of GTR with Quantum field theory is believed to lead us to the
much coveted Grand Unified Theory. As such, I want to be a part of this worldwide effort to
unravel the mystery of the theory of everything. I believe that given an opportunity to
pursue my Masters education at RWTH Aachen, I would be able to fulfill this deep desire of
mine.

Also, during my third year, I first came across quantum mechanics and quantum field theory.
The mathematical beauty of these subjects is simply astounding. I have developed a deep
curiosity of these subject and their arcane predictions. I have discussed at great length with
my Quantum Physics instructors on the various intricacies and interpretations of quantum
mechanics.

I am convinced that I should continue my education at RWTH Aachen. The research areas at
the physics department there are very vast and very interesting. The research areas Prof. Dr.
Stefan Schael and Prof. Dr. Martin Erdmann are especially interesting to me. I would really
love to have the opportunity of working and learning under such accomplished physicists.
I am confident that post-graduate study at RWTH Aachen would be a great step towards my
goal and the experience gained will allow me someday to make a contribution to these fields
in resolving few of the inherent problems in them.