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WorldQuant University student Sumit Sharma is off to a fast start in the Master of Science in Financial Engineering program. Just three months after enrolling in the accredited, free, online offering, he published a 44-page research monograph on the 2026 rupee depreciation episode that rocked India.

“This grew out of my interest in applying quantitative and financial engineering approaches to macro-financial questions,” Sumit says. “The research addresses a simple question: Does a higher nominal yield necessarily translate into a higher U.S. dollar return for a foreign investor?”

Sumit’s quant journey started in an unusual place. He began working as an assistant director in the film industry in Mumbai and gradually developed an interest in the parts of the work that involved budgeting, resource allocation, planning, and decision-making under constraints.

“I found myself becoming more curious about how capital is allocated and how seemingly small financial decisions can have a much larger impact,” Sumit says.

This curiosity eventually led him toward a Chartered Financial Analyst program, and from there he discovered WorldQuant University.

“WorldQuant University felt like a natural complement to what I was already trying to build through the CFA Program,” Sumit says. “The Master of Science in Financial Engineering offers me the opportunity to develop the more quantitative, mathematical, and computational side of that knowledge.”

Sumit knew the program would be rigorous but welcomed the growth opportunity.

“I wanted to challenge myself and fill the gaps in my knowledge,” he says. “The program has made me look at problems differently. Coming from a nontraditional finance background, I sometimes find myself learning something that initially seems completely new, and then slowly figuring out how the pieces fit together.”

When he isn’t working and studying, Sumit likes to develop his creative side. He enjoys photography, singing, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

“I also have a cat,” he says. “And since I live relatively close to the West Coast, I enjoy taking my cat out with me to the beach whenever I can.”

Read more
Sharma, Sumit. When Yield Isn’t Return: USD/INR, Foreign-Investor G-Secs, Global Capital Reallocation and the 2026 Rupee Pressure. Eliva Press, 17 Sept. 2026.