Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma Becomes First Woman Two-Star Officer in Defence Forces
AVM Shakti Sharma becomes the first non-medical woman two-star officer in Indian defence forces, taking charge as ACAS (Education).
Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma has created history 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 its equivalent. She assumed the appointment of Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Education) at Air Headquarters on 1 September 2026.
Commissioned into the Education Branch of the Indian Air Force on 18 June 1994, AVM Sharma brings over three decades of service to her new role. Her career has spanned training establishments, field stations, command headquarters, and Air Headquarters, giving her a broad perspective on the force's operational and educational needs.
Among her notable contributions is the establishment of IAF Chairs of Excellence at IIT Kanpur and Pune University, aimed at fostering academic and strategic collaboration in defence research. She also holds the distinction of being the first woman officer from the tri-services to command a Sainik School, having served as Principal of Sainik School, Kapurthala.
Her elevation marks a significant milestone in the evolving role of women officers in India's armed forces, reflecting the growing avenues of leadership now open to them. AVM Sharma's career continues to serve as an inspiration, embodying the IAF's motto to 'Touch the Sky with Glory'.