‘I am from India and firstly graduated from engineering school. After that, I sat for the government open examinations for civil servants. I was selected for the Indian Revenue Service in 2008. Later, I was trained in accountancy and tax law. Interested by concepts of law, I pursued a full-time course in taxation and business law and obtained a masters degree.’

Good reputation

‘My reason to participate in the Advanced LLM programme is the fact that it is in Europe, which is the best location for tax-related studies. I was also accepted at Vienna and Leiden, but I chose Amsterdam because it was highly recommended by my seniors in the IRS, India. I personally feel that one of the unique features is that it’s quite specific yet it addresses a diverse group of students from varied backgrounds, such as tax lawyers, tax practitioners, economists, etc.’

Cultural differences

‘The level of cleanliness and availability of bike lanes here are something different from my country. People are quite open, and I find them fairly liberal in their attitude. I also noticed the Dutch directness.’

‘Giethoorn is my favourite place in the Netherlands. You have your own boat there; it’s an experience in itself! I would say that Delta Park is one of the unique places in the Netherlands. It’s an engineering marvel.’

Future plans

‘I am keeping an open mind. I would like to work for the OECD, if possible. I hope I have a good chance with this diploma. I can also contribute effectively back in my home country with the diverse knowledge I have acquired here.’

Interview by Andreas Perdelwitz and Anneke Labots