When people rely on navigation apps, they seldom think about the intricate work that makes every road, intersection and turn restriction appear accurately on screen. For Hyderabad-based Chandra Shekar, however, those details have shaped an eight-year career in geospatial technology. From contributing to Apple Maps and Google Maps to leading teams supporting Waymo’s autonomous driving platform, his journey reflects a steady progression through one of the world’s fastest-evolving technology domains.
A graduate in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Vardhaman College of Engineering, Chandra Shekar entered the industry in 2017 with little idea of how large technology projects operated.
“After studying, we only have a student’s understanding,” he says. “Once we step into a company, that’s when we understand how the actual processes work.”
His first role at RMSI introduced him to the world of Apple Maps. As a GIS engineer, he worked on building and validating digital road networks using aerial imagery and satellite data. Every road segment had to accurately reflect real-world conditions, from turn restrictions and road geometry to barriers and speed attributes. Precision was critical because even small mapping errors could affect navigation.
Over the next five years, he progressed from associate to senior associate before taking on responsibilities similar to a point of contact for the team. The role strengthened his understanding of quality standards, structured workflows and the discipline required to deliver accurate geospatial data.
Stepping into leadership and global client management
In 2022, Chandra Shekar joined Wipro to work on Google Maps, marking the next step in both his technical and leadership journey.
While the platform changed, the objective remained the same: ensuring that digital maps reflected real-world road conditions as accurately as possible. His responsibilities expanded beyond mapping to analysing datasets, identifying quality issues, preparing reports and recommending improvements to engineering teams.
More importantly, the move marked his transition into leadership. “As a lead, my responsibility is not just completing my own work,” he says. “I take care of training, clear my team’s queries, collaborate with quality teams and ensure everyone understands the client requirements.”
Managing people brought a new dimension to his career. Along with overseeing production and quality metrics, he began mentoring team members, resolving operational challenges and helping improve overall project performance.
He also took on broader responsibilities in managing day-to-day team operations. He led regular sync meetings with US clients, managed and supported the entire team, assigned and monitored tasks, tracked team performance, resolved day-to-day issues and ensured that project goals and quality targets were met. His role also involved coordinating with team members, monitoring delivery progress, addressing operational gaps and ensuring that client expectations were translated into clear priorities for the team.
Contributing to autonomous mobility
Today, as Operations Pod Lead at Cognizant, Chandra Shekar leads teams working on Waymo, Google’s autonomous driving technology that operates self-driving taxis across cities such as Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Unlike traditional mapping projects, the work contributes to autonomous mobility, where highly accurate geospatial data supports safe vehicle navigation.
His team reviews mapping data, validates locations, analyses driver feedback and helps improve the mapping intelligence that supports autonomous driving systems. Depending on project requirements, he leads teams of 25 to 40 members while ensuring projects meet quality, timeline and client expectations.
A significant part of his role involves mentoring new employees. After their initial training, he guides them through live projects, resolves technical queries and helps them understand evolving client policies and workflows.
The role also requires close collaboration with quality teams and clients in the United States through regular policy discussions and operational reviews, giving him exposure to global delivery models and cross-functional collaboration.
Learning through every challenge
Working across globally recognised platforms has broadened his professional perspective. Observing experienced managers, collaborating with international stakeholders and taking on increasing responsibilities have all contributed to his growth.
One lesson, however, has remained constant. “If there are any doubts, we discuss them at the start of the day itself,” he says. “That way there is no miscommunication about what the client expects.”
Recognition from managers and clients has been among the most satisfying aspects of his career, but he measures success in simpler terms. “Completing work on time and receiving appreciation from managers and clients gives me the greatest satisfaction,” he says.
Challenges, too, have become opportunities for improvement rather than setbacks. “We make mistakes,” he says. “But those mistakes become our learning. Every challenge helps us improve.”
Outside work, Chandra Shekar enjoys unwinding with box cricket matches alongside friends or watching films over the weekend, maintaining a healthy balance between professional responsibilities and personal interests.
Looking ahead
As geospatial technologies continue to shape the future of transportation, Chandra Shekar hopes to further expand his career internationally, particularly in Australia, while continuing to build expertise in GIS, operations and global project delivery.
From mapping roads for Apple Maps and Google Maps to leading teams supporting Waymo’s autonomous mobility platform, his career reflects consistent growth built on technical precision, continuous learning and people leadership. In a field where accurate data powers technologies used by millions every day, he continues to build not just digital maps, but also the skills required to navigate an increasingly connected world.