Kishore is a firm believer in following his passion and working hard for it. And it reflects in his profile which quotes ‘Knitting Passion and Skills together’.
He has an Engineering degree from one of the top institutions of India - IIT Madras. Yet, he pursued his interest in finance and is a future Algorithmic Trader in the making. He got the EPAT certification, CFA Level 1, and Internal Auditor certification amidst many courses in Finance.
We connected with Kishore and here’s how our discussion went.
Hi Kishore, tell us about yourself
Hi! My name is Kishore Senthilnathan Adharsh, I am from India. I have completed my under- graduation from IIT Madras in Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering. I also have completed my Masters in Finance.
I am looking for graduate programs and internships besides my CFA study, particularly in quant trading structuring and risk departments.
To excel in something, you have to have both passion and hard work. I want to excel in my career and not be mediocre. My parents give me the independence to do what I want to do which gives me a lot of confidence.
I like to play cricket and table tennis. Besides that, going on road trips is my favourite thing. Both my parents are doctors, and my sister is completing her schooling right now.
Masters in Finance, Engineering from IIT Madras, and now pursuing CFA Level 2. What has your educational journey been like?
After my 12th grade, I got into IIT Madras. I did well in my studies and I was very active in my extracurricular activities too. In the 2nd year of college, I interned at an eCommerce startup in the market research team. During my 3rd year, I interned with Kotak Mahindra Bank under a corporate finance role. I started giving different certification exams from NSE, CFA, etc to explore and learn about different career options.
During this time, I found finance and the markets to be very much interesting and started exploring it in depth. After Engineering, I chose to follow my passion over campus placements. I got selected to pursue Masters in Finance from ESSEC Business School, Singapore.
When I started my Masters, I was very interested and keen on learning about markets. Here, we had a course on trading and digital platforms that got me interested in Algo trading. Deeper into the coursework, I understood how one could have an edge in this very competitive market place by choosing to automate his/her trade. It just made a lot more sense for me to cut out all emotions and greed and make the algos trade you.
I had a good amount of financial knowledge but little experience in programming. To learn algorithmic trading, I went through a lot of reputed courses, websites and curriculum. But most of them talked only about the theoretical aspects of algo trading, but I was looking for a more practical approach. That was when I found EPAT.
A comprehensive study and challenging coursework are the biggest advantages of EPAT.
What has been the role of EPAT in your life?
I found EPAT to be really fascinating. A complete package where you start from market microstructure and go up to machine learning techniques. I felt it had a perfect mix of both trading and programming.
I was curious about how to start a trading desk. EPAT has an entire module for that, which you don’t get in any other course.
My Masters gave me extensive theoretical knowledge about finance, and EPAT had complimented my skills by providing perfect programming exposure. Being a 23-year-old student, I don't have much capital to start my own trading desk right now. But this is definitely a great foundation and has given me a good kick-start towards my goal. Later in my life, I aspire to set up my own algo trading desk.
If you don't know anything about trading and coding but have an interest in learning algorithmic trading in the best way possible, then EPAT will guide you from the very basics to becoming a proper algo trader. You need your enthusiasm and motivation to learn. Besides that, everything is available in EPAT.
EPAT is challenging, and you have to give your hundred percent, and I've had a great experience. If there is anyone who would like to learn about algo trading, I would surely recommend EPAT.
What message would you like to give to the aspiring Algo Traders out there?
Converting from manual to automated trading has many upsides and little downside (initial cost). For me, it’s all about trying to keep up with the times and adapting as soon as possible.
If you have decided that trading is your cup of tea and want to build a career in trading, then you should consider the future and place your best bet. Algorithmic trading has every element in it to completely dominate the trading landscape in the near future.
Thank you for connecting with us, Kishore. It is very kind of you to share your personal journey with our readers. We’re sure it would inspire and benefit them and their careers in Algo Trading. We wish you the best for your future.
In the quest to learn Algorithmic Trading, you need the right knowledge and necessary skills. The Executive Programme in Algorithmic Trading (EPAT®), helps you achieve your learning goals. EPAT is a comprehensive course covering a wide range of topics.
Disclaimer: In order to assist individuals who are considering pursuing a career in algorithmic and quantitative trading, this case study has been collated based on the personal experiences of a student or alumni from QuantInsti’s EPAT® programme. Case studies are for illustrative purposes only and are not meant to be used for investment purposes. The results achieved post completion of the EPAT® programme may not be uniform for all individuals.
