Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma has made history as the first woman officer from the non-medical branch of the Indian Armed Forces to achieve the rank of Air Vice Marshal. She has recently assumed the role of Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Education) at Air Headquarters, marking a significant milestone in the representation of women in military leadership positions.
One of her key contributions was helping establish IAF Chairs of Excellence at IIT Kanpur and Pune University. Before achieving the rank of Air Vice Marshal, Sharma had already created history in the field of school education. She became the first woman officer from the three services of the Indian Armed Forces to lead a Sainik School. She served as the Principal of Sainik School Kapurthala, a CBSE-affiliated residential school that focuses on academics, discipline, leadership and preparing students for future careers in the armed forces. With more than three decades of service, Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma’s journey marks an important chapter in the history of the Indian Air Force.
