Vice Admiral Arti Sarin has made history as the first woman-appointed Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS). She is the first woman officer to lead the Tri-Service Armed Forces Medical Services and now holds the distinction of being the highest-ranking female officer ever to serve in the Indian Armed Forces, according to Indian Army officials.
Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, today took over as the Director General Armed Forces Medical Services. She is the lfirst woman officer to take over as the head of the Tri-service Armed Forces Medical Services. The DGAFMS is directly responsible to the Min of Defence for overall medical… pic.twitter.com/He1bvXPgEn
— ANI (@ANI) October 1, 2024
Vice Admiral Sarin, a distinguished graduate of the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) in Pune, was commissioned in 1985. Her illustrious career encompasses all three branches of the Indian Armed Forces: the Army, Navy, and Air Force. She holds postgraduate degrees in Radiodiagnosis and Radiation Oncology and is trained in Gamma Knife Surgery.
Throughout her career, Vice Admiral Sarin has held numerous key positions. She has served as the Director General of Medical Services for both the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force, commanded two major units—INHS Asvini and AFMC—and acted as the Command Medical Officer for both the Southern Naval Command (SNC) and the Western Naval Command (WNC).
In addition to her extensive service record, Vice Admiral Sarin has recently been appointed as a member of the National Task Force by the Supreme Court of India. This task force is tasked with developing safe working conditions and protocols for medical professionals nationwide.
Vice Admiral Sarin’s appointment shows her outstanding skills and a major step toward gender equality in the armed forces. She has actively supported women’s military involvement and inspired many young women to consider careers in this field. Her leadership is a great example of the Nari Shakti initiative promoted by the Government of India.
As the new DGAFMS, Vice Admiral Sarin will be directly responsible to the Ministry of Defence for all medical policies related to the Armed Forces. Her extensive experience and commitment to service are expected to lead to positive changes and strengthen the medical services of the Indian Armed Forces.
