CrackitToday App

Shakti Sharma Becomes 1st Non-Medical Woman Two-Star Officer

Kumari Sonali

Shakti Sharma Becomes 1st Non-Medical Woman Two-Star Officer:

Shakti Sharma has achieved a historic milestone 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. Air Vice Marshal (AVM) is a two-star rank in the Indian Air Force, equivalent to Major General in the Indian Army and Rear Admiral in the Indian Navy.

  • She was commissioned into the Education Branch of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on 18th June 1994 and has completed over three decades of service.
  • During her career, she served in diverse roles across training establishments, field stations, Command Headquarters, and Air Headquarters, contributing to institutional development within the IAF.
  • She played a key role in establishing IAF Chairs of Excellence at IIT Kanpur and Pune University to promote research, knowledge exchange, and strategic defence collaboration.
  • Before becoming Air Vice Marshal, she became the first woman officer from the Tri-Services to command a Sainik School, serving as the Principal of Sainik School, Kapurthala.
  • The Indian Air Force expanded career opportunities for women officers after granting Permanent Commission to women officers in selected branches from 2010, enabling greater career progression and leadership opportunities.