Wing Commander Pooja Thakur represents the strong and independent women of India. She is an administrative officer with nearly 15 years experience in the Indian Air Force.

Wng Cdr  Thakur rose to fame when she became the first Indian woman officer to lead the Guard of Honour for a major visiting dignitary at the presidential palace. After presenting the inter-services Guard of Honour for US President Barack Obama at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Thakur said that it was a proud moment for her and the Indian Air Force to be creating history, to present the guard of honour to the most powerful man in the world.

She also stated that it sends the message that all are equal. In the Indian Air Force, men and women receive the same training, it is not a job, but a way of life.

Mr. Obama was very impressed and at an event later, he said that the sight of "incredible" Indian women in the armed forces was one of his "favourite things" in India.

Wng Cdr Thakur hails from Rajasthan and belongs to the administrative branch of the Indian Air Force. She is currently posted at ‘Disha,’ the publicity cell at the Air Force Headquarters. She was also actively involved with the development of “Guardians of the Sky,” a mobile gaming app launched by DISHA.

She was commissioned into the IAF in 2001. She is an adventure sports enthusiast and has been active in para-jumping.

 When Wng Cdr Thakur realized that she has been selected to lead the Guard of Honour, she was very excited. However, as the day grew closer, she was a bit nervous.  She knew that she had to put up a great performance and set up great standards, to be able to give the right command, to be able to lead the men behind her and to present the right kind of high-standard Guard of Honour to the visiting dignitary. 

That she did, and she won the respect of the entire nation for performing her duty with exemplary confidence.

For her, serving the Indian Air Force is a way of life. She states that the quality of life in the defence forces is excellent There is a certain discipline that works for the good. She encourages more young women to join the forces saying that its a wonderful service to be a part of and the job commands a lot of respect that one doesn’t get anywhere else.

 She inspires young girls throughout the country to stand tall and confident firmly believes that women are equal to men in all aspects.