Surgeon Vice Admiral Sarin becomes first woman DG of Armed Forces Medical Services

New Delhi: Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin on Tuesday became the first woman officer to take over as the director general of the Armed Forces Medical Services, the defence ministry said.

The DGAFMS is directly responsible to the Ministry of Defence for overall medical policy matters which relate to the armed forces.

Before assuming the appointment of the 46th DGAFMS, the Flag Officer held the coveted appointments of DG Medical Services (Navy), DG Medical Services (Air) and Director and Commandant of the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune, the ministry said in a statement.

Sarin is an alumna of the AFMC, Pune and was commissioned into the Armed Forces Medical Services in December 1985.

The naval officer has an MD in radiodiagnosis from AFMC, 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, it said.

“In a career spanning 38 years, the Flag Officer has held prestigious academic and administrative appointments, including Professor and Head, Radiation Oncology, Army Hospital (R&R) and Command Hospital (Southern Command)/AFMC Pune, Commanding Officer, INHS Asvini, Command Medical Officer in the Indian Navy’s Southern and Western Naval Commands,” the statement said.

The Flag Officer has the rare distinction of serving in all three branches of the Indian armed forces, having served as a 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, it added.

In recognition of her dedication to patient care with utmost loyalty and supreme commitment, the Flag Officer has been awarded the Ati Vishist Seva Medal in 2024 and the Vishist Seva Medal in 2021.

She has also been conferred with a Chief of Army Staff Commendation (2017), Chief of Naval Staff Commendation (2001) and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Commendation (2013) for distinguished service, the ministry said.

“The Flag Officer has been recently appointed as a member of the National Task Force by the Supreme Court to formulate safe working conditions and protocols for medical professionals.

“She has been at the forefront of motivating young women to join the armed forces and is a shining icon for the ‘Nari Shakti’ initiative of the government,” the statement added.