Journey of Group Captain Shaliza Dhami, first woman to command combat unit in IAF

In IAF's history, it is for the first time that the command of one of its frontline combat units has been handed over to a woman officer.

Breaking a barrier to gender equality, Group Captain Shaliza Dhami became the first woman to command a combat unit in the Indian Air Force.

Group Captain Shaliza Dhami taking over the prestigious command is a significant development as it comes just a day ahead of International Women's Day on March 8.

In IAF's history, it is for the first time that the command of one of its frontline combat units has been handed over to a woman officer.

Dhami was commissioned in the year 2003 as a Helicopter pilot and has over 2800 hours of flying experience. A Qualified Flying Instructor, she has served as Flight Commander of a Helicopter Unit in the Western sector.

Having been commended by the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief on two occasions, the officer is presently posted in the Operations branch of a frontline Command Headquarters.

This comes close on the heels of Captain Shiva Chouhan of Indian Army's Fire and Fury Corps becoming the first female officer to be operationally deployed in Siachen.

Captain Chouhan was posted at the Kumar Post, which is located at an altitude of around 15,600 feet in Siachen in January for a three-month stint.

She is the first woman officer in the IAF to receive a permanent commission and the first woman to become a Flight Commander.

Born in Ludhiana, Dhami holds a Bachelor of Technology degree in Electronics and Communication.

Her first solo flight was in 2003 in a HAL HPT-32 Deepak. She was commissioned a flying officer in the Air Force on 20 December 2003 on a short-service commission, and was promoted to flight lieutenant on 20 December 2005 and to squadron leader on 20 December 2009.

Promoted wing commander on 20 December 2016, Dhami became a Flight Commander in August 2019, the first woman officer in India to do so.

She is a flight commander of a Chetak helicopter unit at Hindan Air Force Station.

She also became the first woman flying instructor of the IAF for Chetak and Cheetah helicopters; this makes her the first woman flying instructor in the IAF.