Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma made history! She became the first woman non-medical officer in the Indian Defence Services to attain the prestigious rank of an Air Vice Marshal or equivalent. She took charge as Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Education) at Air Headquarters on Tuesday.
The Indian Air Force announced the development via a post on X.
"A historic milestone for the Indian Air Force. On 01 Sep 2026, Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma became the first woman officer (non-medical) in the Indian Defence Services to attain the rank of Air Vice Marshal (or equivalent). She assumed the appointment of Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Education). A landmark achievement, marking a new chapter in the journey of women officers in the Indian Defence Forces," the post read.
“This landmark achievement marks a new chapter in the journey of women officers in the Indian Defence Forces. With over three decades of distinguished service, she continues to inspire generations to “Touch the Sky with Glory,” the ministry added.
Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma’s career has included several initiatives that strengthen academic and institutional cooperation while also promoting greater participation of women in the force.
Sharma played a key role in establishing IAF Chairs of Excellence at IIT Kanpur and Pune University. It was aimed at promoting greater collaboration between academic institutions and the armed forces in academic and strategic defence-related areas. Sharma's work in this area reportedly focused on building a stronger bridge between military institutions and academia.
However, this isn't her first achievement. Sharma has previously achieved another milestone by becoming the first woman officer from the Tri-Services to command a Sainik School. She served as the principal of Sainik School, Kapurthala.
Her milestones come against the backdrop of the expanding role and responsibilities of women officers across the Indian military.
While women have progressively taken up a wider range of operational, command and senior leadership assignments, Sharma’s appointment to the Air Vice Marshal rank represents a first for a non-medical woman officer in the Indian Defence Services. With her new assignment at Air Headquarters, Sharma will oversee responsibilities related to education within the Indian Air Force.
Her elevation to Air Vice Marshal rank marks the beginning of a new phase for women in the armed forces who couldn't reach senior levels since joining in the 90s.
Sharma's elevation to AVM marks a new phase for women in the armed forces who are not reaching senior levels after joining in the 1990s.
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