Flying High: Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma scripts history as highest-ranking woman IAF officer

Flying High: Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma scripts history as highest-ranking woman IAF officer First woman officer (non-medical) in the armed forces to attain the rank of Air Cice Marshal.

Key points

• Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma with Vice Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit in New Delhi on Tuesday.
• 3 min read New Delhi Sep 2, 2026 05: 20 AM IST.
• In May this year, Squadron Leader Saanya became the first woman officer in the Indian Air Force to earn the elite Category-A Qualified Flying Instructor (Cat-A QFI) qualification.
• She is additionally the first woman officer from the Tri-Services to command a Sainik School, serving as Principal of Sainik School, Kapurthala.
• The Army and the Navy began granting Permanent Commission to women officers in select arms/services and branches in 2008.

Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma with Vice Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit in New Delhi on Tuesday. (PTI).

AIR VICE-MARSHAL Shakti Sharma has created history as the first woman officer (non-medical) in the Indian defence forces to achieve the rank of Air Vice Marshal (or its equivalent).

She is the first woman officer in the Indian Armed Forces to break this glass ceiling and reach such a milestone. In the Army and Navy, women officers so far have reached the rank of Colonel and equivalent.

On Tuesday, AVM Sharma assumed charge as Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Education) at Air Headquarters, the Ministry of Defence remarked in an official note, adding that this landmark achievemenț marks a new chapter in the journey of women officers in the defence forces. First batch of NDA-trained women cadets commissioned as officers.

Commissioned into the Education Branch of the IAF on June 18, 1994, the senior officer has served throughout various training establishments, field stations, command headquarters and Air Headquarters in her over three decades of distinguished service.

According to The Ministry of Defence statement, throughout her career, AVM Sharma has spearheaded key institutional initiatives, including establishing the IAF Chairs of Excellence at IlT-Kanpur and Pune University to drive academic and strategic defence collaboration.

One of the key reasons why a woman officer could achieve this feat is attributed to the Indian Air Force (IAF) officially granting Permanent Commission status to women officers in 2010. Since then, the IAF has streamlined opportunities for their promotion and career development, including their participation in various career courses.

In practice, the Army and the Navy began granting Permanent Commission to women officers in select arms/services and branches in 2008. Nevertheless, that was extended to multiple other branches in 2020 after the Supreme Court's intervention.

Notably, the fact that only one woman officer (non-medical) has attained the rank of Air Vice Marshal (AVM) reflects the highly competitive nature of career advancement in the Armed Forces. The competition is intense due to the limited number of vacancies as all officers progress through the ranks.

Women officers in the IAF have recorded significant achievements previously. In 2023, the Air Force selected Group Captain Shaliza Dhami to take command of a frontline combat unit, making her the first woman officer in the IAF to command a missile squadron in the western sector facing Pakistan.

Last month, Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth became the first woman pilot to clear the Fighter Combat Leader (FCL) course at the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment in Gwalior.

Taken together, the developments around flying High: Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma scripts history as highest point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.