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

Surgeon Vice-Admiral Arti Sarin on Tuesday became the first woman officer to assume charge as the Director-General of the Armed Forces Medical Services (DG AFMS), the Defence Ministry said. The DG AFMS is directly responsible to the Defence Ministry for overall medical policy matters relating to the armed forces.

“The Flag Officer has 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,” a Ministry statement said.

Prior to assuming the appointment as the 46th DG AFMS, the Flag Officer held the appointments of DG Medical Services (Navy), DG Medical Services (Air) and Director & Commandant of Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune. She is an alumna of AFMC, Pune and was commissioned into AFMS in December 1985. She is an MD in Radiodiagnosis from AFMC, Pune, and Diplomate National Board in Radiation Oncology from Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, complemented with training in gamma knife surgery from University of Pittsburgh, a Ministry statement said.

In a career spanning 38 years, Ms. Sarin has held various academic and administrative appointments including Professor & 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.

She 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.

Published - October 01, 2024 04:47 pm IST