Captain Shaliza Dhami: The First Woman in the History of the IAF to Command a Combat Unit

Dhami, who joined the IAF in 2003, is a qualified flying instructor with over 2,800 flying hours, and has previously served as the force's first woman qualified flying instructor and helicopter unit flight commander in the western sector. Her commendable service has been recognised twice by the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief. Currently posted in the operations branch of a frontline Command Headquarters, Dhami is set to take on this new role and lead her team.

Air Marshal Anil Chopra (retd), Director General of Centre for Air Power Studies, lauded the appointment as another significant achievement for women officers in combat and command roles. He also highlighted the critical nature of the air defence units under Dhami's leadership, which are key operational assets of the armed forces. This development reflects the armed forces' ongoing efforts to promote gender equality and provide equal opportunities for women in the ranks. The IAF and Navy had previously opened their special forces units (the Garud commando force and Marine Commandos) to female officers, which was widely welcomed. The Army also began assigning command roles to women officers for the first time outside of the medical stream, with approximately 50 women set to lead units in operational areas, including the Northern and Eastern Commands that are responsible for guarding the Indo-China borders. Moreover, in January 2023, Captain Shiva Chouhan became the first woman officer to be deployed on the Siachen glacier, the world's highest battlefield. These trailblazing women officers have paved the way for more women to join the forces and contribute to serving their country.