Jahnabi Roy (CS1) Domain: Data Analytics Interned at Aditya Birla Management Corporation Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai Mode: Offline Interviewed by: Lakshita Gupta
Introduction
I’m Jahnabi, a third-year Computer Science and Engineering student. Last summer, during my second year, I had the opportunity to intern at Aditya Birla Management Corporation Pvt. Ltd. as a data analytics intern. My work primarily involved quantitative finance, focusing on comparative modelling of financial models and backtesting strategies.
Motivation
I chose this internship because I wanted to explore the corporate world. Having already completed a research internship, I was curious to see if a corporate environment would suit me, especially since I’m considering a corporate career after graduation. The opportunity at Aditya Birla allowed me to dip my toes into this new territory and gain firsthand experience.
Before this internship, I had dabbled in various domains. I participated in programs like the JPMorgan Chase Women’s Mentorship Program and Google’s tech interviews. These experiences sparked my interest in both quantitative finance and technology, making the internship at Aditya Birla an ideal fit. While I was eager to explore quant, my background in computer science also pushed me to consider tech roles.
Application Process
The application process for my internship was pretty straightforward. I applied to Aditya Birla because their offices were close to my home in Mumbai. After reaching out to HR on LinkedIn, I sent in my CV and went through three interviews within a week. The entire process took about 10 days, and I was fortunate enough to land the position quickly.
Pre-Internship Preparations
To prepare for the internship, I focused on building relevant skills. A course project in my department for COP290 required me to create a trading simulator, which aligned perfectly with what the internship was looking for. My previous research experience in IIT Bombay and other course projects that I had taken under professors here at IITD helped bolster my profile. While giving interviews for various female programs like JPMC, Google etc. I learnt various stuff like knowledge about derivatives, how tech interviews are conducted. All this together really helped me to be prepared for the internship.
Internship Experience
During the internship, I worked from 9 to 6, tackling tasks like backtesting trading strategies and developing a strategy analysis tool. I received an LOR as well for this. This hands-on work deepened my understanding of finance and gave me practical experience in machine learning, something I hadn’t formally studied before. The company also provided great perks, like subsidised meals and affordable transportation, which made the experience even more enjoyable. And also on the learning side, I hadn't done any formal ML courses before. I just learned a few courses on Coursera and stuff, which I got to actually implement on real life applications through financial modelling. I also received a stipend of 1 lakh per month.
Looking back, I can say the internship was definitely worth it. It added depth to my profile and helped me gain clarity on what I want to pursue in the future. Although I’ve now shifted my focus to consulting, the skills and knowledge I gained during the internship were invaluable.
Advice for Juniors
For juniors aiming for similar opportunities, my advice would be to be proactive in both communication and networking. It’s essential to understand how the company operates and to connect with colleagues from various departments. For non-CS students or those with an interest in tech, working on projects through collaborations with professors, online courses, or competitions like Kaggle or hackathons can be highly beneficial. When listing projects on your CV, it’s best to limit them to five or six to avoid overwhelming yourself during interviews.
Deciding on a career path is never easy, but speaking with seniors who have already navigated these roads can be incredibly helpful. Their insights provided me with a clearer understanding of what to expect and helped me evaluate whether I could envision myself in a particular role for the next five to ten years. Despite interning in quantitative finance, I realised it wasn’t something I wanted to pursue long-term. This realisation prompted me to shift my focus towards consulting, and I was fortunate to secure an internship with Bain through their True North Scholarship—a programme that offers scholarships, mentorship, and internships to women.
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