First Non-Medical Woman Reaches Two-Star Rank in Indian Air Force

Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma has made history by becoming the first woman officer from a non-medical branch of the Indian armed forces to attain the two-star rank. She assumed charge as Assistant Chief of the Air Staff Education at Air Headquarters on September 1, 2026, marking a significant milestone for women in the military. The Indian Air Force announced the development, describing it as a landmark achievement. Sharma's elevation to the rank of Air Vice Marshal or its equivalent is a first for a woman officer outside the medical or nursing services. Previously, women who reached flag rank in India, such as Air Marshal Padma Bandopadhyay, did so through medical branches, which opened to women decades before the regular combat and support streams. Sharma was commissioned into the IAF's Education Branch on June 18, 1994. Over her more than three decades of service, she has held a variety of assignments at training establishments, field stations, command headquarters, and Air Headquarters. Her career includes several notable firsts.