Air Marshal Padmavathy Bandopadhyay made history as the first woman to be promoted to the rank of Air Marshal in the Indian Air Force. Joining the IAF in 1968, she carved a distinguished path in military medicine, becoming the first woman officer to specialize in aviation medicine. Her exemplary service culminated in her appointment as the Director General Medical Services (Air) at Air Headquarters, a landmark achievement for women in the Indian armed forces.

Over the course of her illustrious career, Air Marshal Bandopadhyay earned numerous accolades and broke several barriers. She was awarded the Visisht Seva Medal for her meritorious service during the 1971 Indo-Pak war. A trailblazer in every sense, she became the first woman Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Society of India and the first Indian woman to conduct scientific research at the North Pole. She was also the first woman officer to complete the Defence Services Staff College course in 1978 and went on to command the IAF’s Central Medical Establishment. Her promotion to Air Vice Marshal marked another historic first, further cementing her legacy as a pioneer and role model in Indian military history.