Student Travels Great Distance to Receive Texarkana Diploma

One student really wanted to receive his diploma in person at Texas A&M University at Texarkana.

It’s not often a student travels more than 8,000 miles to attend a university commencement ceremony. But Trailukya Borgohain of Duliajan, India, was bound and determined to make it to Texarkana for his.

Borgohain graduated from Texas A&M University-Texarkana in May with a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in Energy Leadership. Previously, he earned a Bachelor of Science in geology from Arya Vidyapeeth College at Gauhati University in Assam, India, in 1990 and a Master of Science in applied geology from the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee in UP, India, in 1993.

For the past two decades, Borgohain has worked as a geologist in India’s energy sector. In 1995, he was one of four candidates selected for a geologist position by Oil India Limited through an all-India-based examination and interview. Since that time, he has worked in operations geology for the company and is presently deputy chief geologist and member of the exploration section responsible for all exploration evaluation studies for the company’s operational areas in India and throughout the world.

“Post-liberalized India is bringing both challenges and opportunities to exploration and prospect professionals,” Borgohain explained. “An MBA equipped me with a greater understanding of the dynamics of the energy business in today’s complex scenario.”

Borgohain has authored a number of technical papers and presented at both national and international professional seminars. His recent focus is on the structural geology and evolution of Upper Assam Basin, a continental area in northeast India characterized by Mesozoic and Cenozoic hydrocarbon systems.

Borgohain also is seeking a Doctor of Philosophy at Dibrugarh University, where his research work focuses on structural modeling of the Upper Assam Basin using both kinematic and geometrical techniques.

Dr. Larry Davis, dean of the College of Business at A&M-Texarkana, said the energy leadership track of the university’s MBA program draws energy professionals from throughout the nation and world.

“The College of Business has a partnership with the American Association of Petroleum Geologists to offer an MBA-Energy Leadership Track for its members and others employed in the energy industry,” Dr. Davis explained. “This track provides many who have undergraduate degrees in geology, petroleum engineering or a related field with the additional skills to become successful in management positions in these industries.”

Borgohain said the MBA program provided him with management skills he needed to grow in his leadership role.

"As geologists we deal mainly with the technicalities and studies,” Borgohain said. “Nowadays, our jobs demand effective knowledge of management to address complicated team issues, proper time management, resource allocation and other matters. A formal education in business administration helped me gain a better understanding of how to achieve desired business objectives.”

In addition to his work at Oil India Limited, Borgohain is an active member of the Lions Club of Duliajan, editor of the local chapter of the Association of Petroleum Geologists’ journal, Vortex, and general secretary of Oil India Executive Employees Cooperative Society Limited, which runs a store that supplies day-to-day commodities to approximately 1,600 members of the company.

Borgohain and his wife of 15 years, Nibedita, an assistant professor of English at a college in India, are the parents of two children, daughter Hiandinee, 11, and son Anwesh, 4. He said his mother Kshetreswari, 71, a retired primary school teacher, has been a source of inspiration to him his entire life.

For more information about the Master of Business Administration or the Master of Business Administration-Energy Leadership Track at A&M-Texarkana, contact Dr. Larry Davis, dean of the College of Business, at (903) 223-3006.