From doctor dreams to tech-for-good leader
June 8, 2021
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Managing Director Mathangi Sandilya and family
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Sometimes your career dreams don’t turn into reality—and it can still lead to something great.
That was the case for Mathangi Sandilya, who dreamed of becoming a doctor. But her career path took another direction—and now, she uses technology for the greater good.
Mathangi is a Managing Director at Accenture’s Advanced Technology Centers in India (ATCI). She helps clients accelerate 5G technology adoption, and she explores unique ways to use technology to drive 360˚ value.
Her professional journey reminds us that it’s possible for anyone in tech to find their niche, be experimental with their choices and rise all the way to the top.
Pursuing my (second) passion
My dream was to study medicine.
When I couldn’t crack the entrance exam to get into medical college, I decided to study my second passion: mathematics. I completed my bachelor’s degree and developed an interest in technology and coding, then pursued a master's degree in computer management.
I kicked off my career as a software engineer more than 20 years ago, and I’ve never stopped tinkering with technology. I became skilled in a specialty reporting tool, which landed me a job at Accenture. During my second week with the company, I took the opportunity to get trained in a completely new technology called Siebel CRM.
I scored the highest in the certification exam in my training group, which included people with plenty of experience working in the technology. This motivated me to do a lot more in this space, and I ended up spending the next decade specializing in this technology.
Doing work with impact
Today, I’m fortunate to have two roles at Accenture.
As the Global Technology Lead for clients in the communications and media industry, I gain invaluable knowledge on the industry and provide an outside-in perspective as we help develop the best solutions to meet their challenges.
I’m proud to represent Accenture and host a virtual session on extended reality at the Mobile World Congress to be held in Barcelona this year.
As the Client Group Lead for our North America communications and media clients in the northeast, I apply what I see and learn from my other role. Both keep me on the edge of my seat, but it’s the opportunity to do work that drives real impact and inspires me, too.
I also served as an Inclusion & Diversity (I&D) Lead at ATCI, and it was in this role that I saw the great work one our nonprofit clients was doing for the hearing impaired. My team and I were so moved that we built a solution that bridges the digital divide for the hearing impaired.
Our solution, Sanketik (which means “gesture” in Sanskrit), produces sign language in its native form for video content. By using open-source and cloud technology, the tool adds a sign-language version right next to the original, so that hearing-impaired people can understand any video.
Our solution won Accenture’s prestigious internal “Greater Than Award,” and we now plan to roll it out across India. This project was just one example of how we can use technology to drive 360˚ change.
Preparing for the 5G revolution
Today, we’re building a comprehensive set of capabilities to accelerate our clients’ evolution to 5G networks and services. From our Innovation Hub in Bengaluru, India, we give clients a sneak peek into the endless possibilities of 5G.
From rollout phase to operational efficiency, our test framework helps clients jump-start their 5G rollout journey.
My tech-career advice: Specialize
To build a successful career in the post-digital era, maximize your interest and aptitude for technology. Then specialize.
Once specialized, you’ll have an important seat at the table. With valuable contributions and hard work, your career will take you to unimaginable places.
Importantly, always keep a good work-life balance. My time every day with my nine-year-old daughter, Shikha, teaches me everything important outside of work.
Join us, and do work that truly makes a valuable difference.
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