Marking the women’s day celebrations, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has appointed a woman officer in a frontline command role for the first time in history. Captain Shaliza Dhami, a helicopter pilot, will be seen taking charge of a frontline combat unit.
According to the official announcement, she would be taking over the command of a missile squadron in the western sector.
Commissioned into the IAF in 2003, Dhami is a qualified flying instructor who has logged more than 2,800 hours of flying. She also happens to be the force’s first woman qualified flying instructor and flight commander of a helicopter unit in the western sector.
With over a decade of experience, her service has been commended on two occasions by the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief. She is presently posted in the operations branch of a frontline Command Headquarters and will soon be seen leading the team.
Director General of Centre for Air Power Studies, Air Marshal Anil Chopra (retd), called this “yet another milestone for women officers in combat and command appointments.” He also remarked that the air defence units that officer Dhami is set to lead is a critical operational asset of the armed forces.
Gender Equality Within Ranks
The development comes at a time when the armed forces have been opening more frontiers for women and giving them opportunities at par with their male counterparts. The IAF and Navy had earlier opened doors for female officers to join their special forces units (the Garud commando force and Marine Commandos.) This move was welcomed widely as it was seen to promote gender equality within the ranks.
According to a report by Hindustan Times, in February, the army had begun assigning command roles, outside the medical stream, to women officers for the first time. About 50 women were set to head units in operational areas, including the Northern and Eastern Commands responsible for guarding the Indo-China borders. Earlier in January 2023, the army had deployed a woman officer, Captain Shiva Chouhan, on the world’s highest battlefield – the Siachen glacier, for the first time. All these women officers have been trailblazing the path for more women to join the forces and do their bit in serving the country.
Also Read: First Woman Officer Posted At World’s Highest Battlefield Aspires To See More Women Officers In Army
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2023-03-08 07:21:15.0
Meet Captain Shaliza Dhami, First Woman In Indian Air Force To Command Combat Unit
