Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, first woman Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services

Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin has been appointed as the Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) on Tuesday, making her the first woman officer to take over the post, according to an official press release.

Prior to assuming the position as the 46th DGAFMS, Vice Admiral Sarin held positions as the Director General of Medical Services in the Navy, Director General of Medical Services in the Air Force, as well as the Director and Commandant of the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) in Pune.

An alumnus of AFMC, Pune, Vice Admiral Sarin was commissioned into the Armed Forces Medical Services in December 1985.

She is an MD in Radiodiagnosis from AFMC, Pune and a Diplomate National Board in Radiation Oncology from Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, complemented with training in Gamma Knife Surgery from the University of Pittsburgh.

In her 38 years of career, the Flag Officer has held many academic and administrative appointments, including Professor and Head of Radiation Oncology at Army Hospital (R&R) and Command Hospital (Southern Command)/AFMC Pune, Commanding Officer at INHS Asvini, as well as Command Medical Officer in the Indian Navy’s Southern and Western Naval Commands.

The Flag Officer had the rare distinction of serving in all three branches of the Indian Armed Forces, having served as Lieutenant to Captain in the Indian Army, from Surgeon Lieutenant to Surgeon Vice Admiral in the Indian Navy and as an Air Marshal in the Indian Air Force.

In recognition of her dedication to patient care, Vice Admiral Sarin was awarded with the Ati Vishist Seva Medal in 2024 and the Vishist Seva Medal in 2021.

She had also been conferred with Chief of Army Staff Commendation in 2017, Chief of Naval Staff Commendation in 2001 and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Commendation in 2013 for her distinguished service.

Recently, the Flag Officer was also appointed as a member of the National Task Force by the Supreme Court to formulate safe working conditions and protocols for medical professionals.

The DGAFMS is directly responsible to the Ministry of Defence for overall medical policy matters that relate to the Armed Forces.