{"id":13956,"date":"2025-11-04T09:12:56","date_gmt":"2025-11-04T09:12:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/krea.edu.in\/blog\/?p=13956"},"modified":"2025-11-11T08:13:49","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T08:13:49","slug":"krea-student-financial-times-internship-london","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/krea.edu.in\/blog\/krea-student-financial-times-internship-london\/","title":{"rendered":"London Calling: A Krea Student\u2019s Journey to the Financial Times"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A <\/em>summer internship at the FT<\/em><\/a> offered Anika Varughese, a student at the <\/em>School of Interwoven Arts and Sciences (SIAS<\/a>), Krea University<\/em><\/a>, a closer look at global journalism, financial inclusion, and the impact of perseverance.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Anika, a second-year undergraduate student majoring in Data Science<\/a> with a minor in Math <\/a>at SIAS, first walked through the historic Bracken House, the Financial Times<\/em>\u2019 iconic headquarters in central London, she could hardly believe she was there. \u201cI really didn\u2019t expect a response,\u201d she said, recalling the simple email she sent that led to a summer internship many journalism students can only dream of. \u201cBut sometimes things work out.\u201d
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Anika\u2019s journey from the university campus in Sri City to one of the world\u2019s most influential newsrooms is a story of curiosity, determination, and an education that encourages exploration and initiative. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She had just completed an internship <\/a>at the Hindustan Times <\/em>in Delhi when she decided to explore something more global. \u201cIt was a technical field,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd I started to wonder if I wanted something more focussed on people and events.\u201d  The FT<\/em> felt like a long shot. Yet, a few months later, she found herself in the heart of one of the world\u2019s most respected news media groups, working with journalists and strategists who \u201cregularly shape the financial and political conversations of the day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Financial Times<\/em> was like winning a lottery. I was so impressed by how it sits at the intersection of business, politics, and society.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Global Step<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At SIAS, students are encouraged to think beyond the obvious and pursue opportunities that challenge convention. For Anika, this environment\u2014rooted in liberal arts, data science, and real-world learning\u2014gave her the confidence to reach out to one of the world\u2019s most respected news organisations. \u201cI didn\u2019t come through a traditional path,\u201d she said, \u201cbut SIAS taught me to take initiative. I think just having a little bit of a data science background also helped me understand AI better, especially when I discussed strategy at the FT<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thoughtful Mentoring<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKrea students have a huge opportunity to explore charities in this area and contribute… We\u2019re guided by thinkers like Nobel laureates Abhijit Banerjee and Dr Esther Duflo, and former RBI Governor Dr Raghuram Rajan. That\u2019s incredible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her academic foundation enabled Anika to work on projects at FTLive, the events vertical of the FT, which hosts high-level discussions between global CEOs and senior editors. Shadowing the Head of Strategy, she attended meetings on AI, event planning, and vendor partnerships. She also worked on a detailed research project analysing India\u2019s events and conference market, as well as a report on asset-backed securities for a Hong Kong event. \u201cI wasn\u2019t just observing but was contributing. The mentoring was thoughtful and very encouraging.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bridging the Financial Literacy Gap<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Anika, India has seen better financial inclusion through initiatives like Jan Dhan Yojana<\/a> and the rapid adoption of digital payments. Yet, she believes financial education is key to lasting development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe FT<\/em> sees financial education as a tool of development. That really struck me,\u201d she said. \u201cRight now, they\u2019re running projects in places like Aurangabad and Lucknow. There are enormous possibilities.\u201d In fact, she even wrote to Professor Rajan, an FT<\/em> contributor himself, suggesting he write a column on liberal arts education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FT FLIC in India<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anika\u2019s interaction with the FT<\/em>\u2019s Financial Literacy and Inclusion Campaign<\/a> (FT FLIC), a new initiative in India launched with the education non-profit Pratham<\/em>, stood out most. The campaign promotes financial knowledge and inclusion among underserved populations in cities like Aurangabad and Lucknow.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was lucky enough to interview Mr Patrick Jenkins<\/a>, the Deputy Editor and Chair of the FT FLIC,\u201d she said. \u201cHe was genuinely excited about India and saw a strong link between financial education and development.\u201d That message resonated with her, and she believes students like her can play a role in contributing to that change.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Anika with Patrick Jenkins, the Deputy Editor and Chair of the FT FLIC<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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 Lessons in Persistence<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The road to London wasn\u2019t straightforward. There was no formal application, no structured pathway. \u201cI just kept writing emails,\u201d she said. \u201cPersistence matters. Many companies tie up with specific universities. So, when you\u2019re outside that network, you have to try harder.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This self-driven approach is something SIAS encourages. Summer internships<\/a> are built into the curriculum, and faculty provide consistent encouragement through workshops and guidance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEveryone at the university was supportive. My peers also really motivated me. They were doing great things with their internships and projects, which made me want to push myself too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still Exploring, Still Curious<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this point in her academic journey, Anika isn\u2019t entirely sure what direction she\u2019ll take, though experiences like this have provided clarity. \u201cData is going to shape every field. I think the degree I\u2019m pursuing will prepare me for an evolving world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And when she\u2019s not diving into datasets or discussing AI strategy, you might find her on a run around the campus or at a beginner-friendly dance workshop at Mudra<\/em><\/a>, one of Krea\u2019s student clubs. \u201cI used to swim competitively when I was younger,\u201d she said. \u201cNow, I try to stay physically active, which helps clear my mind.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her time in London gave her \u201cperspective\u201d, which is more than just an internship.\u201cBracken House even has a museum in the basement about FT<\/em>\u2019s history,\u201d she said. \u201cEvery building in London seemed to tell a story. And now, I have my own story from there too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By<\/em> Seena Raveendran, Deputy Manager \u2013 Communications, Krea University<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A summer internship at the Financial Times gave Anika Varughese, an SIAS student at Krea University, rare access to the world of global journalism, finance, and policy. From market analysis to financial literacy in rural India, her experience in London opened new doors and new questions for her future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13958,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[87,86],"class_list":["post-13956","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-krea-student-blogs","tag-krea-university"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/krea.edu.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13956","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/krea.edu.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/krea.edu.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/krea.edu.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/krea.edu.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13956"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/krea.edu.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13956\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13973,"href":"https:\/\/krea.edu.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13956\/revisions\/13973"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/krea.edu.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13958"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/krea.edu.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13956"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/krea.edu.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13956"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/krea.edu.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13956"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}