As we steadily move towards the goal, knowledge and experience of industry veterans like Srinivas Rao Jillellamudi will prove instrumental. Mr. Rao has more than 30 years of experience in managing Geospatial Projects Delivery & Operations. As the SVP & Chief Delivery Officer at Genesys International, he was managing the delivery practice for customers across the globe. In his earlier stint of 21 years with RMSI as Senior Vice President, he achieved phenomenal outcomes in delivering end-to-end geospatial solutions to all the business verticals that RMSI is currently serving. His association with Cyient entails a similar success story. He got associated with RMSI and Cyient during the days of their inception and played a vital role in their growth journey.

Srinivas Rao Jillellamudi has joined the Magnasoft team as Senior Vice President (Operations). To gain a deeper understanding of his experiences, beliefs and ambitions, we engaged into a not-so-official interaction with him!

So, what made you embark into the field of mapping and geospatial?

I started my career in 1990 with IMI Engineering Limited. There, I got introduced to AutoCAD. I eventually garnered understanding of GIS, mapping, and my association with core geospatial technologies began with Cyient in 1992. I was one of the initial employees of Cyient. It was an exciting experience to witness and contribute towards the growth of the company. I got involved in projects for utilities, navigation etc. and that is how my association with geospatial began.

Out of all the milestones achieved so far, which one would you consider as ‘most successful’?

I am fortunate to be part of the growth stories of large organizations like Cyient and RMSI. Such early engagements gave me lots of opportunities to explore new avenues for taking the companies forward. For both the companies, I brought in some large customers, and it gives me immense satisfaction to know that even after 30 years, they are still associated with the organizations. This unwavering faith makes me believe that the projects I initiated and the customer practices I established in the initial stages have proved strong. They have helped the companies in delivering excellent outcomes on a continuous basis. This continued patronage of the customers makes me happy. I consider this as my most cherished professional accomplishment.

The geospatial services industry has undergone lot of transformation over the years. What major changes have you witnessed?

Over the years, there have been many significant changes in the industry. For instance, earlier, the geospatial industry was seen as a separate industry, not integrated with IT. With time, this separation has minimized. Geospatial has now become an integral part of IT solutions. 

Secondly, there have been significant improvements in the quality of satellite images available; from 1:50,000 scale resolution maps, we are today at 50 scale resolution maps. 

Thirdly, the industry is moving fast towards adoption of 3D. A decade back, 3D mapping was unknown but today the industry is maturing towards adoption of 3D from 2D.

Do you agree that the world is becoming more spatially aware? What role do you think spatial intelligence can play in creating a better world for everyone?

Definitely, the world is becoming more spatially aware. The pandemic has reinforced the role of location intelligence in creating a better world for everyone. There remains no doubt that geospatial can largely improve user experiences. Location intelligence is helping people to navigate easily and locate places of their interest seamlessly. Today, we can’t think of navigation without digital maps. Other industries like utilities are also able to provide better experiences to their customers using spatial intelligence. Be it disaster management, emergency management or healthcare, spatial intelligence is enabling every sector to deliver better services to everyone. 

Magnasoft is ready to go into its Version 3.0 and your leadership will prove phenomenal at this point. How do you envision the company’s growth in the years to come?

I am looking forward to helping Magnasoft in achieving its business and growth strategies. Magnasoft has vast experience and very good clientele in geospatial services and solutions. This is an excellent base to build upon. I have experience in growing organizations by scaling up operations, strengthening deliveries, ensuring timely project completion and improving customer experiences. Using these experiences, I hope to play a vital role in enabling Magnasoft to emerge as a global leader in the geospatial industry.  

You are a role model to many, what message would you like to give to the younger generation who are aspiring for a successful career in geospatial?

The message I would like to convey to the younger generation is that to make a successful career in geospatial, you must be passionate about the technology. The scope of the industry is tremendous but you can make a mark only if you love geospatial. Geospatial is a niche market. Most of the industries get affected with ups and downs of the economy, however, since geospatial is tightly integrated with human lives it’s not that much affected with economic fluctuations. Geospatial helps in enabling businesses, thus, investments in the technology will continue. Young people who are passionate about the technology can surely have a highly satisfying career in the space provided they keep abreast with the latest developments in the field.

Your thoughts on being a part of the Magnasoft team.

I am very happy to be a part of the Magnasoft team. The organization has an exciting mix of young and experienced talent, and I am looking forward to having a highly productive tenure with them, working collaboratively towards the company’s growth. There is lot to learn from the highly experienced members of the Board and the Management. Bobbie has been with the company since its inception, and I congratulate him for building very well organized and disciplined teams across all verticals. I look forward to working together and achieving several new milestones, thereby taking Magnasoft to new heights.