Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin became the first woman officer to take over as the Director General, Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) on October 1. 

What is the role of Director General of the Armed Forces Medical Services?

• In March 1947, ‘Armed Forces Medical Services and Research Integration Committee’ headed by Dr. B.C. Roy was appointed by the government of India to consider the integration of the three medical services and medical research in the three services. 

• The committee recommended that there should be three branches of the Indian Armed Forces Medical Services — Army, Navy and Air Force — and that there should be a Supreme Controller of all the three medical services designated as Director General of the Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) who would be the advisor to the Supreme Commander or the Defence Minister as the case may be, regarding the medical needs of the Armed Forces. 

• Accordingly, in 1948, the government integrated the medical services of the Royal Indian Navy, the Indian Army and the Royal Indian Air Force into the Armed Forces Medical Service and placed the services under the Director General Armed Forces Medical Services with the rank of Lt Gen / Vice Admiral / Air Marshal. 

• The government also laid down the role and character of responsibilities of DGAFMS. 

• The DGAFMS was made directly responsible to the Ministry of Defence for overall medical policy matters in so far as they relate to the Armed Forces. 

• The government further laid down that the heads of medical services of Army, Navy and Air Force will be responsible for functioning of these services under the respective service chiefs in accordance with any general policy directions that may be given by the DGAFMS. 

• The DGAFMS is the head of the Armed Forces Medical Services and is responsible to the government for the overall medical policy in so far as they relate to the Armed Forces. 

Who is Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin?

• Prior to assuming the appointment of DGAFMS, Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin held the coveted 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 the Armed Forces Medical Services in December 1985. She has 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. 

• In a career spanning 38 years, the Flag Officer has held prestigious 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 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. 

• She has been awarded Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2024 and Vishisht Seva Medal in 2021. 

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

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