From Submarines to EVs: A Leader in Motion
Chandra’s leadership roots run deep, forged under the intense structure of the Indian Navy. Commanding submarines was a mental marathon for him, as it demanded both technical expertise and an unflinching hand at his strategic planning. “Every decision had to hit the bullseye, every move had to pull its weight,” Chandra recalls. These skills were honed in an environment where the slightest misstep could ripple into disaster. In the Navy, his sharp instincts earned him multiple honors for operational excellence and creative problem-solving. When Chandra left the Navy, he found himself steering through new currents. His deep-sea expertise in battery tech suddenly had new life as the EV market took off, and he dove into reimagining battery life cycles, always asking how far he could stretch their longevity. It’s not just about making EVs run longer, he says, “it’s about powering sustainability efforts that last.” Back in his days running the Submarine School, he juggled multi-million-dollar programs and learned the art of balancing what stakeholders want with what’s actually possible. That same skill set became essential when he led the rollout of EV charging networks across California, where the real trick, he says, is managing the push-and-pull between expectations and reality to get things done with lasting impact.
