Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma scripts history with AVM-rank appointment
Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma has become the first non-medical woman officer in the Indian Air Force to reach the rank of Air Vice Marshal. She assumed the role of Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (education) after a distinguished career spanning over three decades.
Why it matters
This appointment marks a significant milestone for gender equality and the advancement of women in the Indian armed forces.
In a historic milestone for the Indian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma has become the first woman officer (non-medical) in the country’s armed forces to attain the rank of Air Vice Marshal or equivalent, officials said on Tuesday (September 1, 2026).
She assumed the appointment of assistant Chief of the Air Staff (education) at the air headquarters on September 1, they said.
The air officer previously held the rank of air commodore, an IAF official said.
“In a historic milestone for the Indian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma became the first woman officer (non-medical) in the Indian Defence Forces to attain the rank of Air Vice Marshal (or equivalent),” the Defence Ministry said.
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