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Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma has become the first woman officer from the non-medical stream in the Indian Armed Forces to attain the rank of Air Vice Marshal, marking a significant milestone in the growing role of women in the military.
Sharma assumed charge as Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Education) at Air Headquarters on September 1, 2026, the Indian Air Force said.
A pioneering officer in the IAF’s Education Branch, Sharma was commissioned on June 18, 1994. During her more than three decades of service, she has held appointments across training establishments, field stations, command headquarters and Air Headquarters.
She had earlier broken another gender barrier by becoming the first woman IAF officer from outside the Medical Branch to be selected for the rank of Group Captain. In 2024, she was promoted to Air Commodore.
Sharma also became the first woman officer across the Army, Navy and Air Force to head a Sainik School when she was appointed Principal of Sainik School Kapurthala.
In her career, Sharma has been involved in institutional and academic initiatives, including establishing IAF Chairs of Excellence at IIT Kanpur and Pune University to strengthen academic and strategic defence collaboration.
Her elevation to Air Vice Marshal comes as the armed forces continue to expand opportunities for women in command, operational and senior leadership appointments.
Team BharatShakti
