AVM Shakti Sharma becomes first non-medical woman two-star officer in Defence Forces
On 1 September 2026, Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma became the first non-medical woman officer in India's Defence Forces to reach two-star rank, taking over as Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Education).
Summary
Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma became the first woman officer from a non-medical branch in the Indian Defence Forces to attain the rank of Air Vice Marshal or equivalent, the Defence Ministry said on 1 September 2026. On the same day, Shakti Sharma assumed the appointment of Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Education) at Air Headquarters. Commissioned into the Education Branch of the IAF on 18 June 1994, she helped set up IAF Chairs of Excellence at IIT Kanpur and Pune University. Shakti Sharma was also the first woman officer from the tri-services to command a Sainik School, as Principal of Sainik School, Kapurthala.
Key facts
- Officer
- Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma, IAF
- Milestone
- First non-medical woman two-star officer in Defence Forces
- New post
- Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Education), 1 Sep 2026
- Commissioned
- Education Branch, 18 June 1994
- Earlier first
- First tri-services woman to command a Sainik School (Kapurthala)
Practice MCQs 3 questions
In September 2026, Shakti Sharma became the first non-medical woman officer in India's Defence Forces to attain which rank (or equivalent)?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — Air Vice Marshal
Shakti Sharma became the first non-medical woman officer to attain the two-star rank of Air Vice Marshal or equivalent.
Which appointment did AVM Shakti Sharma assume at Air Headquarters on 1 September 2026?
Show answer
Correct answer: A — Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Education)
AVM Shakti Sharma took over as Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Education).
Consider the following statements about AVM Shakti Sharma: 1. She was commissioned into the Medical Branch of the IAF in 1994. 2. She was the first woman officer from the tri-services to command a Sainik School, as Principal of Sainik School, Kapurthala. Which of the above is/are correct?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — 2 only
Statement 1 is wrong: she was commissioned into the Education Branch on 18 June 1994 and is a non-medical officer. Statement 2 is correct.