Vice Admiral Arti Sarin becomes first woman to lead Armed Forces Medical Services

New Delhi, Oct 1: Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin assumed the role of Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) on October 1, 2024, becoming the first woman to hold this prestigious position. The DGAFMS oversees the medical policy and operations of the Indian Armed Forces and reports directly to the Ministry of Defence.

Before she was appointed the 46th DGAFMS, Vice Admiral Sarin held several key leadership roles, including Director General Medical Services (Navy), Director General Medical Services (Air), and Director & Commandant of the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) in Pune. An AFMC alumna, she was commissioned into the Armed Forces Medical Services in December 1985 and holds an MD in Radiodiagnosis from AFMC and a Diplomate of National Board in Radiation Oncology from Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai. She also received specialized training in Gamma Knife Surgery from the University of Pittsburgh.

With a career spanning 38 years, Vice Admiral Sarin has held numerous prominent academic and administrative positions, including Professor & Head of Radiation Oncology at Army Hospital (R&R) and Command Hospital (Southern Command) in Pune. She has also served as Commanding Officer of INHS Asvini and Command Medical Officer in both the Southern and Western Naval Commands of the Indian Navy.

Vice Admiral Sarin has the unique distinction of having served in all three branches of the Indian Armed Forces, rising through the ranks from Lieutenant in the Indian Army to Surgeon Vice Admiral in the Indian Navy and Air Marshal in the Indian Air Force.