▁Institution . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁V ij ay ▁Sh ank ar ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁in ▁Bang al ore , ▁India . ▁His ▁father ▁was ▁an ▁officer ▁in ▁the ▁Royal ▁Indian ▁Air ▁Force , ▁and ▁later ▁in ▁the ▁Indian ▁Air ▁Force . ▁He ▁did ▁his ▁early ▁education ▁in ▁India ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom . ▁ ▁Naval ▁career ▁V ij ay ▁Sh ank ar ▁graduated ▁from ▁the ▁ 3 4 th ▁course ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Def ence ▁Academy , ▁P une . ▁He ▁was ▁commission ed ▁into ▁the ▁Indian ▁Navy ▁on ▁ 1 ▁January ▁ 1 9 7 0 . ▁A ▁special ist ▁in ▁Navigation ▁and ▁D irection , ▁he ▁holds ▁a ▁Master ▁of ▁Science ▁degree ▁in ▁Def ence ▁Studies . ▁He ▁is ▁a ▁gradu ate ▁of ▁the ▁Def ence ▁Services ▁Staff ▁College ▁in ▁Well ington , ▁the ▁Naval ▁High er ▁Command ▁Cour se ▁from ▁the ▁College ▁of ▁Naval ▁War fare , ▁Kar anja ▁and ▁the ▁Naval ▁War ▁College , ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁His ▁staff ▁appoint ments ▁included ▁those ▁as ▁Deput y ▁Director ▁of ▁Com bat ▁Policy ▁and ▁T act ics , ▁Naval ▁Head quarters ; ▁Chief ▁Inst ruct or ▁at ▁the ▁Navigation ▁and ▁D irection ▁School , ▁Koch i , ▁as ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁School ▁of ▁Mar itime ▁War fare ▁and ▁T act ics , ▁Koch i , ▁as ▁Senior ▁Inst ruct or ▁at ▁the ▁Def ence ▁Services ▁Staff ▁College ▁and ▁Director ▁of ▁Staff ▁Re quire ments ▁at ▁Naval ▁Head quarters .