In a historic milestone, Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin has become the first woman officer to take charge as the Director General of the Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) as of Tuesday. This significant appointment marks a pivotal moment for gender representation in the Indian armed forces.
Before assuming her role as the 46th DGAFMS, Sarin held several prestigious positions, including Director General of Medical Services (Navy) and (Air), as well as Director and Commandant of the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) in Pune, according to a statement from the Ministry of Defence.
With an illustrious career spanning 38 years, Sarin is an alumna of AFMC and was commissioned into the Armed Forces Medical Services in December 1985. She holds an MD in radiodiagnosis from AFMC and a Diplomate National Board in radiation oncology from Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, further complemented by specialized training in gamma knife surgery from the University of Pittsburgh.
Her extensive experience includes serving as Professor and Head of Radiation Oncology at Army Hospital (R&R) and Command Hospital (Southern Command)/AFMC Pune, as well as Commanding Officer of INHS Asvini and Command Medical Officer in the Indian Navy’s Southern and Western Naval Commands.
Recently, Vice Admiral Sarin was appointed as a member of the National Task Force by the Supreme Court, which aims to establish safe working conditions and protocols for medical professionals. Notably, she has been a strong advocate for encouraging young women to join the armed forces, embodying the spirit of the government’s ‘Nari Shakti’ initiative.
