The Indian Air Force announced that it has selected Group Captain Shaliza Dhami to take command of a frontline combat unit in the Western sector. She will be the first woman officer in the IAF to command a missile squadron in the Western sector facing Pakistan, she is currently posted in the operations branch of a frontline command headquarters. She was first commissioned in 2003 as a helicopter pilot and has over 2,800 hours of flying experience, she has served as flight commander of a Chetak unit at the Hindor air base and is also a qualified flying instructor both of which are firsts for an Indian Air Force woman officer. She has done several search-and-rescue missions and also done flood relief operations.
Dhami hails from Ludhiana and had decided to go for the IAF at an early age and she was also a cadet of the NCC. Her husband is also a helicopter pilot in the Indian Air Force.
The Indian Air Force started inducting women fighter pilots in 2016 the first batch consisted of 3 women fighter pilots and they currently fly the MiG-21, Su-30MKI and Rafale. This happened weeks after the Army cleared as many as 108 women officers for the rank of colonel which made them eligible for taking up command roles.
Women officers are taking up roles in various Army units in arms and services and the Navy has also taking up women officers on frontline ships which earlier was a no-go zone for women officers. Many have got posted in the northern and eastern commands of the Army as well
Women officers are taking up more commanding roles in the defense which is setting example for other women to oin the forces and serve their country.