Air Marshal Vivek Hande Assumes Charge as DGMS (Air) of the Indian Air Force

Air Marshal Vivek Hande took over as Director General Medical Services (Air) [DGMS (Air)] on September 1, 2026, moving on permanent secondment to the Indian Air Force after a long career that has spanned clinical medicine, hospital administration and senior-level appointments across the armed forces medical system.

The appointment brings to one of the Indian Air Force’s most important medical posts a senior physician with broad experience in military healthcare and administrative leadership. Air Marshal Hande, commissioned into the Armed Forces Medical Services in December 1988, is a Physician and Gastroenterologist of national repute and has served in several key clinical and organisational roles over the course of his service.

His professional training includes stints at some of the country’s leading institutions. He is an alumnus of the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune, Tata Memorial Hospital and the National Defence College, Delhi, reflecting both his specialised medical preparation and strategic education.

Air Marshal Hande’s career is notable for service in all three arms of the armed forces medical ecosystem. As a Flag Officer in the Indian Navy, he commanded INHS Asvini in Mumbai and later served as Senior Consultant (Medicine), gaining experience in both specialist patient care and the management of a major service hospital.

Before his elevation to the rank of Vice Admiral, he had already held important appointments at INHS Asvini, including Executive Officer and later Commanding Officer. The hospital, one of the premier naval medical facilities, provided him with extensive exposure to institutional leadership and day-to-day hospital administration.

On February 2, 2026, Surg Vice Admiral Vivek Hande, AVSM, VSM assumed charge as Director General (Organisation & Personnel), Armed Forces Medical Services, in the Office of the Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS). Before taking up that post, he relinquished his role as Senior Consultant (Medicine) in the Office of DGAFMS.

His promotion to Vice Admiral was acknowledged by Surg Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, DGAFMS, who felicitated him on his elevation. The transition also marked another stage in a career that has combined medical specialisation with responsibilities in personnel and organisational management.

As Director General (Organisation & Personnel), he was associated with matters relating to the structure and staffing of the Armed Forces Medical Services. The role expanded his experience in handling both the medical needs of the services and the administrative systems that support them.

His new assignment as DGMS (Air), on permanent secondment to the Indian Air Force, continues that trajectory but places him directly at the helm of the Air Force’s medical services. In this post, he will be responsible for senior medical leadership and for overseeing key aspects of healthcare delivery and medical preparedness within the IAF.

With experience as a specialist physician, senior consultant, hospital commander and medical administrator, Air Marshal Hande brings both clinical and organisational depth to the role. His service across the Army, Navy and Air Force medical establishments has given him a wider view of military medical operations than most officers acquire in a single-service career.

That tri-service background, together with his work in INHS Asvini, the Office of DGAFMS and other specialist appointments, has shaped a career built around military medicine in its clinical, operational and administrative forms. His assumption of charge as DGMS (Air) adds another senior appointment to a service record already marked by long experience and cross-service exposure.