Air Marshal Seethepalli Shrinivas, PVSM, AVSM, VSM is a serving officer of the Indian Air Force. He is currently serving as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Training Command. He was previously serving as the Senior Air Staff Officer, South Western Air Command, prior to that he was the Commandant, Air Force Academy.
Early life and education The Air officer is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and the Air Force Academy, Dundigal. He is also an alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, the College of Defence Management, Secunderabad and the National Defence College, New Delhi. He holds a degree in Master of Philosophy in Defence and Strategic Studies, Master of Management Studies and Master of Science in Defence and Strategic Studies.
Military career He was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on 13 June 1987 from the Air Force Academy. Throughout a career of over 38 years, he has more than 4200 hours of flying experience across various fighter jets and has held numerous staff & instructional appointments. He is a highly experienced fighter pilot, qualified flying instructor and a fighter combat leader. He has flown on the MiG-21, Iskra, Kiran, PC-7 Mk Il, HPT-32, Microlite and also qualified as a 2nd pilot on the Chetak / Cheetah helicopter. He is a categorised Operations Officer on the Pechora missile system. He is a Category A qualified flying instructor, his instructional appointments include being the Directing Staff at College of Air Warfare, Chief Instructor Flying at Air Force Academy. He served as the Commanding Officer of Basic Flying Training School as a Wing Commander, and later as the Commanding Officer of the Flying Instructors School as a Group Captain.
As an Air Commodore, he served as the Commandant of Institute of Aerospace Safety, as the Air Officer Commanding, AFS Tambaram, and later as the Air Officer Commanding, 5 Forward Base Support Unit.
As an Air Vice Marshal, he served as the Air Officer Commanding, Advance HQ Western Air Command and as the Assistant Chief of Air Staff, Personnel Officers at the Air Headquarters, New Delhi.
After being promoted to the rank of Air Marshal, on 1 September 2023 he took over as the Commandant of Air Force Academy, Dundigal. Later on 1 June 2025, he assumed the appointment of Senior Air Staff Officer, South Western Air Command. On 1 January 2026, Air Marshal Seethepalli Shrinivas took over as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Training Command succeeding Air Marshal Tejinder Singh who moved to South Western Air Command as Air Commander.
Awards and decorations
Param Vishisht Seva MedalAti Vishisht Seva MedalVishisht Seva MedalSamanya Seva MedalSainya Seva Medal75th Anniversary of Independence Medal50th Independence Anniversary Medal30 Years Long Service Medal20 Years Long Service Medal9 Years Long Service Medal
Date of ranks InsigniaRankComponentDate of rankPilot OfficerIndian Air Force13 June 1987Flying OfficerIndian Air Force13 June 1988Flight LieutenantIndian Air Force13 June 1992Squadron LeaderIndian Air Force13 June 1998Wing CommanderIndian Air Force11 May 2004Group CaptainIndian Air Force1 September 2009Air CommodoreIndian Air Force1 July 2014Air Vice MarshalIndian Air Force1 October 2020Air MarshalIndian Air Force1 September 2023 (AOC-in-C from 1 January 2026)
References