AVM Shakti Sharma Becomes the First Non-Medical Woman Two-Star Officer in the Defence Forces
Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma became the first woman officer from the non-medical stream of the Indian Defence Forces to attain two-star rank, assuming charge as Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Education) at Air Headquarters, New Delhi, on 1 September 2026. Commissioned into the IAF Education Branch on 18 June 1994, she has over 30 years of service across training establishments, field stations, command headquarters and Air Headquarters. She spearheaded the IAF Chairs of Excellence at IIT Kanpur and Savitribai Phule Pune University, and became the first woman from the Tri-Services to command a Sainik School, at Kapurthala, Punjab. Her promotion widens leadership pathways for women in the services.
The Indian Air Force was established on 8 October 1932; headquartered in New Delhi; motto 'Nabha Sparsham Deeptam' | Air Vice Marshal is a two-star rank, equivalent to Major General in the Army and Rear Admiral in the Navy | Air Marshal Padma Bandopadhyay was the first woman Air Marshal of the IAF, from the medical stream
