Who's Vice Admiral Arti Sarin—Armed Forces Medical Services head
Vice Admiral Arti Sarin took over as the Director General of tri-service Armed Forces Medical Services on Tuesday. The officer holds the rare distinction of serving in all three branches of the Indian Armed Forces: the Army, Navy and Air Force. She is also the highest-ranking woman officer to have served in the Indian Armed Forces. In July, Vice Admiral Sarin was honored with Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) by President Droupadi Murmu for her distinctional service.
Sarin's educational background and early career
Dr. Sarin specializes in radiation oncology and joined the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune, back in 1985. She's got two postgraduate degrees—one in Radiodiagnosis and another in Radiation Oncology. She has also trained in gamma knife surgery from the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. Recently, she was appointed to a national task force (NTF) by the Supreme Court, aimed at ensuring the safety of healthcare workers at their workplaces.
Sarin's leadership roles and recognitions
Sarin has held several key positions, including Director and Commandant of the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) and Director General of Medical Services (Air). She has commanded two major units—INHS Asvini and AFMC—and served as Command Medical Officer for both the Southern Naval Command (SNC) and Western Naval Command (WNC). In recognition of her exceptional contributions to the armed forces, Sarin has been awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM).
Sarin's advocacy for women in armed forces
In 2020, Sarin took the lead on a sailing trip from Kochi to Lakshadweep, aiming to inspire women officers to dive into adventure sports and ocean sailing. In a video shared by the Ministry of Defence, she had this message for young girls: "Study hard, train hard, learn how to support yourself. It is only you who can handle everything on your own and let no one get on your way."
