IAF Selects Woman Officer as Combat Unit Commander on India-Pakistan Border
(MENAFN) The Indian Air Force (IAF) has made history by appointing its first woman officer to command a frontline combat unit. Shaliza Dhami, a Group Captain with the IAF, has been selected to head a missile squadron stationed in northern Punjab, near the India-Pakistan border in the western sector. Dhami’s appointment comes on International Women’s Day, and it marks a significant step towards gender equality in the country.
Dhami joined the Indian Air Force in 2003 as a helicopter pilot and has since accumulated over 2,800 hours of flying experience. She is a qualified flying instructor and has conducted numerous search-and-rescue and flood relief operations. In 2018, she made history by becoming the first female officer flight commander in the IAF.
As commander of the missile squadron, Dhami will be responsible for missile readiness and command control on the border with Pakistan. The appointment is an important milestone for women in India, as it signifies that more women are being selected as commanding officers in a sector traditionally dominated by men.
According to government data, there are more than 10,000 women officers serving in the Indian armed forces, with the majority in the medical services. However, the number of women in commanding positions is increasing, with Dhami’s appointment as a prime example. The Indian Army has the most number of women officers, with 1,705, while the IAF has 1,640 women officers, including 18 women fighters, and the Indian Navy has 559 women officers.
The Indian military’s move towards gender equality is commendable, and the appointment of Dhami as the first woman commander of a frontline combat unit is a significant step in the right direction.
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