Air Marshal Seethepalli Shrinivas assumed charge as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Indian Air Force Training Command on Thursday, succeeding his predecessor in a handover ceremony at the command headquarters. The appointment places him at the head of the IAF’s principal training organisation, responsible for shaping pilot and technical training policies across the service.
Air Marshal S. Shrinivas experience and qualifications
Commissioned into the fighter stream in 1987 after graduating from the National Defence Academy, Air Marshal Shrinivas is a Category A Qualified Flying Instructor with over 4,200 hours of flying time. His flying experience spans MiG-21, Iskra, Kiran, PC-7 Mk II, HPT-32 and Microlite aircraft. He is also qualified as a second pilot on the Chetak and Cheetah helicopters and holds a categorised Operations Officer rating on the Pechora missile system.
Throughout his career he has combined operational flying with an emphasis on training and safety. He has commanded a frontline fighter base on the western border and led a premier flying training base. His appointments have included Commandant of the Air Force Academy, Commandant of the Institute of Aerospace Safety and Commanding Officer of the Basic Flying Training School and the Flying Instructors School.
On staff, Air Marshal Shrinivas has served as Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters South Western Air Command and as Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Personnel Officers). He has held instructional posts such as Chief Instructor (Flying) at the Air Force Academy and Directing Staff at the College of Air Warfare, as well as operational staff roles at Headquarters Central Air Command.
His professional military education includes graduation from the National Defence College, the College of Defence Management and the Defence Services Staff College. He also holds multiple postgraduate qualifications, including a Master of Philosophy in Defence and Strategic Studies, a Master of Management Studies and a Master of Science in Defence and Strategic Studies.
Recognition for his service includes the Vishisht Seva Medal, awarded in 2017, and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, conferred in 2024. These honours reflect sustained distinguished service and contributions to training and operational readiness.
As head of Training Command, Air Marshal Shrinivas will oversee pilot and crew instruction, syllabus development, instructor standards and safety regimes across the IAF training establishments. Observers note that his broad mix of operational command, instructor leadership and staff appointments makes him well placed to address the evolving demands of aircrew training in an era of modernisation.
Training Command plays a central role in ensuring the IAF’s future operational competence, delivering basic and advanced flying training, instructor courses and specialised ground training. Under its mandate sit institutions that range from the Basic Flying Training School to the Air Force Academy, where standards set by the command shape the careers of new pilots and officers.
In his new role Air Marshal Shrinivas will be expected to balance the immediate demands of maintaining high training throughput with longer-term initiatives to integrate new platforms and simulation-based instruction. His appointment comes at a time when the IAF is intensifying efforts to modernise training doctrine and enhance safety across all flying and technical streams.
The change of command was attended by senior officers and representatives from training establishments, reflecting the importance of continuity in leadership for the IAF’s training enterprise. Air Marshal S. Shrinivas’s background in both operational flying and instructor development positions him to lead the command as it prepares the next generation of Indian Air Force aircrew.
Key Takeaways:
- Air Marshal S. Shrinivas has taken charge as AOC-in-C of the Indian Air Force Training Command.
- He brings more than 4,200 flying hours across fighters and trainers and broad command experience.
- His previous roles include Commandant of the Air Force Academy and leadership of key training establishments.
- Honours include the Vishisht Seva Medal and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal.
