By- Srishti Verma
Group Captain Shaliza Dhami, will command the Indian Air Force Day parade for the first time at air force station Bamrauli in Prayagraj to mark the service’s 91st anniversary
A helicopter pilot, Dhami was also the first woman to assume command of a frontline IAF combat unit in March
She heads a missile squadron in the western sector
Commissioned into the IAF in 2003, Dhami is a qualified flying instructor and has logged more than 2,800 hours of flying
The development comes at a time when the armed forces are opening more frontiers for women and giving them opportunities on a par with their male counterparts
Women in uniform are no longer on the fringes but are being assigned central roles like their male counterparts.
They are flying fighter planes, serving on board warships, being inducted in the Personnel Below Officer Rank (PBOR) cadre, eligible for permanent commission, and undergoing training at the National Defence Academy
The IAF and navy have allowed women officers to join their special forces units --- the Garud commando force and Marine Commandos, respectively, to promote gender equality within their ranks, provided they meet the criteria for selection