A bittersweet end to an unforgettable three years
Growing up in India, Dhuldhoya was exposed to poverty “in its deepest form.” He became motivated to protect vulnerable communities from expanding corporations in developing countries and began his career as a political risk analyst for GRID91, an information services firm in Mumbai.
“I witnessed early on how desensitized many of my colleagues were to a lack of collaboration with external stakeholders. The individuals who bore the costs of our decisions didn’t have any voice or bargaining power,” said Dhuldhoya. “People with decision-making power seemed less inclined to consider these factors.”
“What I lacked, and what I knew I needed to advance, were my quantitative skills,” he said.
Dhuldhoya turned to the McCourt School to bridge that gap and to develop the skills and expertise to do what he couldn’t do in his early career.
As an assistant to Dr. Emily Mendenhall, a medical anthropologist at SFS, Dhuldhoya learned the importance of applying sociological and anthropological research methods to policymaking.
“If you want to be a good policymaker, you need to understand hard data but perhaps more importantly, what motivates people,” he said.
Dhuldhoya also found that the people surrounding him impacted his graduate school experience most, calling the community at McCourt “a source of inspiration and motivation.”
While balancing oral exams at SFS and his capstone project at McCourt, Dhuldhoya relied on peers and professors for support. “They went out of their way to study with and encourage me without being asked,” he said.
Leaving the McCourt community this spring makes graduation bittersweet, but Dhuldhoya looks forward to witnessing the many accomplishments he anticipates will follow his cohort.
“I wish my cohort knew how amazing they are. They have the talent, skills and passion to do great things,” he said.
Dhuldhoya, who currently holds a consultant position with the World Bank, hopes to continue working in development and make meaningful contributions to communities in need after graduation.