Air Marshal S Shrinivas new commandant of Air Force Academy

Secunderabad: Air Marshal S Shrinivas took over as commandant, Air Force Academy, on Friday from Air Marshal B Chandra Sekhar, who superannuated from service.

The Air Marshal is a science graduate from the National Defence Academy (NDA), commissioned in June 1987 in the fighter stream of the IAF. He is a ‘Category A’ Qualified Flying Instructor with over 4,200 hours of flying experience on MiG-21, Iskra, Kiran, PC-7, HPT-32, Microlite, and miscellaneous aircraft. He is also qualified as a second pilot on a Chetak/Cheetah helicopter and a categorised operations officer on SAM-III (Pechora).

He has held several command appointments in his career, including command of a frontline fighter base, a premier flying training base, the prestigious Flying Instructors School, the Institute of Flight Safety and Basic Flying Training School. His other appointments include chief instructor (flying) at the Air Force Academy, ops staff at HQ Central Air Command and directing staff at the College of Air Warfare. He was the AOC Advance HQ WAC (Jaipur) before his previous appointment as the Assistant Chief of Air Staff (personnel officers).

He is an alumnus of National Defence College, College of Defence Management and Defence Services Staff College. His educational qualifications include Master of Philosophy in Defence and Strategic Studies, Master in Management Studies and Master in Defence and Strategic Studies.

In recognition of his distinguished service, he was awarded with Vishist Seva Medal and commendation by the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief.