Vice Admiral Arti Sarin Becomes India's First Female DGAFMS

By: WE Staff | Tuesday, 1 October 2024

As the first female officer to take over the post, Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin has been appointed as the Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) at New Delhi, officially issued on Tuesday.

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

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 Command in her career of 38 years.

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, The Flag Officer had the rare distinction of serving in all three branches of the Indian Armed Forces.

Vice Admiral Sarin was awarded the Ati Vishist Seva Medal in 2024 and the Vishist Seva Medal in 2021 in recognition of her dedication to patient care. And conferred with the Chief of Army Staff Commendation in 2017, the Chief of Naval Staff Commendation in 2001, and the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Commendation in 2013 for her distinguished service.

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 in recent times. The DGAFMS is directly responsible to the Ministry of Defence for overall medical policy matters related to the Armed Forces.