Shakti Sharma, Air Vice Marshal has achieved a historic milestone in the Indian Armed Forces by becoming the first woman officer from the non-medical branch to attain the two-star rank of Air Vice Marshal. On September 1, 2026, she took charge as Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Education) at Air Headquarters. Commissioned into the Indian Air Force Education Branch on June 18, 1994, Sharma has completed more than three decades of service across training establishments, field stations, command headquarters and Air Headquarters. She also established IAF Chairs of Excellence at IIT Kanpur and Pune University to strengthen academic and defence collaborations. Sharma previously became the first woman officer from the tri-services to command a Sainik School, serving as Principal of Sainik School Kapurthala. Her new role places her at the centre of IAF education and institutional development.
Shakti Sharma Air Vice Marshal: First Woman to Lead IAF Education
