New Delhi, September 1, 2026: Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma has scripted history by becoming the first woman officer from a non-medical branch of the Indian Defence Forces to attain two-star rank, marking a major milestone for women serving in the country’s armed forces.
On September 1, 2026, AVM Shakti Sharma assumed the appointment of Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Education) at Air Headquarters, the Ministry of Defence announced.
Her elevation to the rank of Air Vice Marshal — or its equivalent two-star rank in the Army and Navy — makes her the first non-medical woman officer across the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force to reach this level.
Over Three Decades of Service in the Indian Air Force
AVM Shakti Sharma was commissioned into the Education Branch of the Indian Air Force on June 18, 1994. During a career spanning more than three decades, she has served in a wide range of appointments at training establishments, field stations, Command Headquarters and Air Headquarters.
Her extensive experience in the Education Branch has included responsibilities associated with training, education and institutional development within the Indian Air Force.
Her latest appointment as Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Education) places her in a key leadership position at Air Headquarters.
Established IAF Chairs of Excellence
Among her significant contributions to the Indian Air Force, AVM Sharma spearheaded important initiatives aimed at strengthening cooperation between the military and India’s leading academic institutions.
She played a key role in establishing the IAF Chairs of Excellence at IIT Kanpur and Pune University, initiatives intended to promote academic engagement and strategic defence collaboration.
Such institutional partnerships help connect military experience and requirements with academic research, education and strategic studies.
First Tri-Services Woman Officer to Command a Sainik School
AVM Shakti Sharma had already created history earlier in her career when she became the first woman officer from the Tri-Services to command a Sainik School.
She served as Principal of Sainik School Kapurthala, an institution that has played an important role in preparing students for careers in the Armed Forces and other fields of national service.
The appointment placed her at the helm of one of India’s prominent military-oriented residential educational institutions and represented another important milestone for women officers in senior leadership roles.
Historic Milestone for Women in the Armed Forces
AVM Sharma’s promotion represents a significant development in the expanding role of women officers in India’s military leadership structure.
Women officers have steadily taken up a wider range of operational, command, instructional and staff appointments across the Army, Navy and Air Force. AVM Sharma’s elevation now marks another breakthrough at the senior leadership level for officers serving outside the Armed Forces Medical Services.
The Ministry of Defence described the achievement as a “landmark” moment that marks a new chapter in the journey of women officers in the Indian Defence Forces.
With more than three decades of distinguished service behind her, Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma now takes on one of the most senior appointments of her career while becoming a historic figure in the evolution of women’s service in the Indian Armed Forces.
Her journey embodies the Indian Air Force’s motto — “Touch the Sky with Glory.”
