Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin has made history by becoming the first woman officer to assume the role of Director General of the Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS). She took charge and will serve a two-year term, succeeding 45 male predecessors.
At 60 years old, Sarin is recognized for her role in encouraging young women to join the armed forces, embodying the Nari Shakti initiative championed by the government. The DGAFMS operates under the Ministry of Defence, overseeing medical policy matters related to the military. Prior to this appointment, she held prestigious positions, including Director General of Medical Services (Navy), Director General of Medical Services (Air), and Commandant of the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) in Pune.
Commissioned in December 1985 after graduating from AFMC, Sarin holds an MD in radiodiagnosis from AFMC and a Diplomate National Board in radiation oncology from Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai. She also trained in Gamma Knife surgery at the University of Pittsburgh in the US.
Over her 38-year career, she has held significant academic and administrative roles, including Professor and Head of Radiation Oncology at Army Hospital (Research & Referral) and Command Hospital (Southern Command)/AFMC Pune, as well as serving as the Commanding Officer of INHS Asvini and Command Medical Officer for the Indian Navy’s southern and western naval commands. Notably, she has the rare distinction of serving across all three branches of the Indian Armed Forces, having held ranks from Lieutenant to Captain in the Army, Surgeon Lieutenant to Surgeon Vice Admiral in the Navy, and Air Marshal in the Indian Air Force.
In recognition of her contributions, Surgeon Sarin has been awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2024 and the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2021. She has also received commendations for distinguished service, including the Chief of Army Staff Commendation in 2017, Chief of Naval Staff Commendation in 2001, and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Commendation in 2013. Recently, she was appointed to a national task force formed in response to the Supreme Court’s directive to create safe working conditions and protocols for medical professionals. As reported by hindustantimes, this 10-member task force was established after the tragic rape and murder of a female resident doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, which sparked widespread protests and strikes among resident doctors in government hospitals. The task force’s mandate includes developing a prevention strategy against violence toward medical professionals and establishing enforceable national protocols for safe working conditions for all medical staff, including interns and residents.