Air Marshal Palaparthy Venkat Shivanand, AVSM, VM is a serving air officer of the Indian Air Force. He is currently serving as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, South Western Air Command. He previously served as Senior Air Staff Officer, Central Air Command.
Early life and education He is an alumnus of the 73rd Course of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and the Air Force Academy, Dundigal. He is also an alumnus of Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment and Defence Services Staff College, Wellington.
Military career The air officer was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on 17 December 1988 from the Air Force Academy. In a career spanning over three decades, he has over 2800 hours of flying experience on MiG-21 and the IL-76 AWACS and has held various command & staff appointments. The Air Marshal's operational tenures include being the Commanding Officer of No. 32 Squadron (Thunderbirds) at Jodhpur and later served as Commanding Officer of No. 50 Squadron (Adwitiya) at Agra. As an Air Commodore, he served as Air Attaché at the Embassy of India, Washington, D.C., USA and later as the Air Officer Commanding of 14 Wing, Chabua, Assam.
As an Air Vice Marshal, he served as the Air Officer Commanding of 14 Wing, Chabua and later as the Assistant Chief of Air Staff, Air Defence at the Air Headquarters, New Delhi. After getting promoted to the rank of Air Marshal, on 1 June 2025, he assumed the appointment of Senior Air Staff Officer, Central Air Command. On 1 July 2026, Air Marshal Shivanand took over as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, South Western Air Command succeeding Air Marshal Tejinder Singh who moved to Integrated Defence Staff as CISC.
Awards and decorations During his career, he has been awarded with the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2025 and the Vayu Sena Medal in 2014.
Ati Vishisht Seva MedalVayu Sena MedalSamanya Seva MedalSpecial Service MedalOperation Parakram MedalSainya Seva MedalVidesh Seva Medal75th Independence Anniversary Medal50th Independence Anniversary Medal30 Years Long Service Medal20 Years Long Service Medal9 Years Long Service Medal
Date of ranks InsigniaRankComponentDate of rankPilot OfficerIndian Air Force17 December 1988Flying OfficerIndian Air Force17 December 1989Flight LieutenantIndian Air Force17 December 1993Squadron LeaderIndian Air Force17 December 1995Wing CommanderIndian Air Force16 December 2004Group CaptainIndian Air Force6 July 2010Air CommodoreIndian Air Force13 February 2017Air Vice MarshalIndian Air Force2 November 2021Air MarshalIndian Air Force1 June 2025 (AOC-in-C from 1 July 2026)
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