[6] After the mandatory one year attachment to a British regiment in India, in his case the 1st Battalion of the North Staffordshire Regiment, he was admitted to the Indian Army and posted to the 2nd Battalion of the 1st Madras Pioneers (erstwhile 64th Pioneers) on 14 October 1924, with which he served mostly in Burma until it was disbanded.

During the Second World War, from 17 December 1942 till 28 August 1945, Shrinagesh was the commanding officer of the 6/19th Hyderabad Regiment (now 6th Kumaon).

[9] In that capacity, he also worked as the economic adviser and consul looking after the interests of Indian nationals in Germany and locating missing Prisoners of War (POWs).

He was then appointed the first Indian commandant of the Kumaon Regimental Centre in Agra on 2 October 1946 and served in that capacity till 12 December 1946.

On his return from Japan, he was promoted to acting major-general on 3 September 1947 and was appointed the general officer commanding of the Madras Area.

[10] From January 1948, he was appointed the adjutant general at the Army Headquarters and held that post till August of the same year.

He was then appointed the GOC-in-C Southern Command and held that post, till he assumed charge as the Army Chief on 14 May 1955.