Col Shankar was born and raised in Houston, Texas. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps in July 2002. Following The Basic School and Communications Officer School, he was assigned to 3d Marine Regiment in January 2004. During this tour, Lieutenant Shankar served as the S-6 Platoon Commander and S-6 Operations Officer. Captain Shankar attended the Naval Postgraduate School from June 2006 to June 2008. After graduation, he reported to his payback tour at Marine Corps Combat Development Command (MCCDC) in Quantico, VA. While assigned to MCCDC, Captain Shankar deployed as an Operations Analyst to Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) from May 2009 to January 2010 with the II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) Counter Improvised Explosive Device (CIED) Cell and also from September 2010 to April 2011 to Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) with the I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) Assessments Cell. In July 2011, Captain Shankar reported to the 1st Marine Logistics Group (MLG) G-6 section and deployed to OEF from January 2012 to January 2013 as the G-6 Operations Officer and the Combat Logistics Regiment-15 S-6 Officer. After returning from deployment, Major Shankar served as the Company Commander of 1st MLG Communication Company from May 2013 to May 2014. Major Shankar attended the School of Advanced Warfighting in Quantico, VA from July 2014 to June 2015. Following graduation, Major Shankar executed his payback tour at the MAGTF Staff Training Program in Quantico, VA from June 2015 to June 2017 as the MAGTF Plans Warfighting Instructor. From June 2017 to June 2019, Major Shankar commanded the 1st Marine Division Communication Company. Additionally, from June 2018 to July 2018, Major Shankar temporarily took command of Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division. LtCol Shankar also served as the AC/S G-6, 1st Marine Division, from June 2019 to June 2020. LtCol Shankar commanded Communication Training Battalion from June 2020 to June 2022. Afterwards, he served as a CMC Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University from July 2022 to July 2023. Col Shankar served as the J36 SATCOM and Spectrum Division Chief at United States Space Command. He took command of Marine Corps Communications-Electronics School (MCCES) in July 2025. He also holds a Ph.D. in Operations Analysis from George Mason University and is a Marine Corps Gazette Distinguished Author and Marine Corps Krulak Fellow. Col Shankar is married.