Shakti Sharma has made history by becoming the first non-medical female officer in the armed forces to attain a two-star rank. She assumed the office of Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Education) at Air Headquarters on September 1, 2026.
Shakti Sharma has become the first non-medical female officer across the Indian armed forces (Army, Navy, and Air Force) to reach the rank of Air Vice Marshal or its equivalent. Previously, only female officers from the Medical Corps had achieved this milestone.
Shakti Sharma was commissioned into the Education Branch of the Indian Air Force on June 18, 1994. Her journey has since culminated in her reaching the two-star rank.
She also holds the record of being the first female principal of a Sainik School. She was the first female officer across the three armed forces to be appointed as the principal of a Sainik School—a unique record established when she was appointed to head the Sainik School in Kapurthala, Haryana.
Touching the Sky with Glory
She served as the principal of the Sainik School from August 2015 to May 2017. During this tenure, she mentored hundreds of young people, instilling in them values of discipline, leadership, and service to the nation. The motto of the Indian Air Force is “Nabhah Sprsham Deeptam,” which translates to “Touching the Sky with Glory”—a motto that Shakti Sharma has truly embodied.
