Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Shakti Sharma of the Indian Air Force has scripted history by becoming the first woman officer from the non-medical stream in the Indian Defence Forces to attain the rank of Air Vice Marshal, or equivalent two-star rank.
AVM Shakti Sharma assumed charge as Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Education) at Air Headquarters on 1 September 2026, marking a significant milestone in the growing participation and leadership of women officers in the Armed Forces.
Commissioned into the Education Branch of the Indian Air Force on 18 June 1994, AVM Sharma has held a wide range of appointments across training establishments, field formations, Command Headquarters and Air Headquarters during her over three-decade-long career.
She has played a key role in strengthening academic and strategic defence collaboration, including spearheading the establishment of IAF Chairs of Excellence at IIT Kanpur and Pune University.
A notable milestone in her career was her appointment as Principal of Sainik School, Kapurthala, making her the first woman officer from the Tri-Services to command a Sainik School.
Her elevation to the two-star rank is being viewed as a landmark achievement in the evolution of women’s leadership in the Indian Defence Forces. With more than three decades of distinguished service, AVM Shakti Sharma’s career reflects the expanding opportunities and responsibilities entrusted to women officers across the Armed Forces.
Her appointment to a senior position at Air Headquarters adds another significant chapter to the continuing journey of women officers towards greater leadership roles in India’s defence establishment.
