Meet Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin: 1st Woman DGAFMS and Highest-Ranking Woman Officer in Indian Armed Forces History

In a landmark development for the Indian Armed Forces, Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, assumed charge as the Director General of the Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) on 1 October 2024. She became the first woman officer in the history of independent India to hold this apex tri-service appointment and the highest-ranking woman officer in the Indian Armed Forces.

Her elevation to this prestigious position, as the 46th DGAFMS, marks a significant milestone in gender inclusion and professional excellence within the military medical services. With over four decades of distinguished service spanning clinical practice, academics, research, and high-level command appointments across the Army, Navy, and Air Force, Vice Admiral Sarin exemplifies leadership, dedication, and trailblazing achievement.

Early Life and Formative Influences

Born at the Army Base Hospital in Delhi Cantonment into a family steeped in naval tradition, Arti Sarin grew up with a deep sense of discipline and service. Her father served for 41 years in the Indian Navy, retiring as a Commander. Her brother, Rajesh, followed the family legacy as a submariner, serving for 30 years and rising to the rank of Commodore; he commanded three submarines, a frigate, and served as Commodore Commanding Submarines (East).

From a young age, she was drawn to the ethos of uniform and service. She attended Timpany School in Visakhapatnam, where the culture of discipline left a lasting impression. Recalling her childhood inspiration, she has shared that she used to wear a uniform even at the age of four, and the passing-out parade became a defining moment in her life. This early exposure, combined with her aspiration to serve the nation as a doctor, naturally led her to the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune.

Education and Commissioning into Service

Vice Admiral Sarin completed her MBBS from AFMC Pune in 1985. She pursued postgraduate specialisation, earning an MD in Radiodiagnosis from AFMC. She further obtained a Diplomate of National Board (DNB) in Radiation Oncology from the prestigious Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, and received advanced training in Gamma Knife Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.

She was commissioned into the Armed Forces Medical Services on 26 December 1985 as a Surgeon Sub-Lieutenant. Her academic credentials and clinical expertise in radiology and radiation oncology laid a strong foundation for a career that would blend patient care, teaching, research, and leadership.

A Distinguished Career Across Three Services

Vice Admiral Sarin holds the rare distinction of having served in all three branches of the Indian Armed Forces:

• As a Lieutenant to Captain in the Indian Army in her early years.
• Progressing through the ranks from Surgeon Lieutenant to Surgeon Vice Admiral in the Indian Navy.
• Serving as an Air Marshal while appointed Director General Medical Services (Air) in the Indian Air Force.

Key milestones in her promotion and appointment timeline include:

• Promoted Surgeon Lieutenant Commander – 3 December 1991
• Promoted Surgeon Commander – 14 January 2000
• Promoted Surgeon Captain (by selection) – 1 September 2008
• Promoted Surgeon Commodore – 1 February 2015
• Promoted Surgeon Rear Admiral and appointed Command Medical Officer, Southern Naval Command – June 2020 (second woman to hold this key command appointment)
• Awarded Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) – 26 January 2021
• Appointed Commanding Officer, INHS Asvini – 31 January 2021 (taking over in a historic change of command between two women flag officers)
• Appointed Command Medical Officer, Western Naval Command – late 2021
• Promoted to Surgeon Vice Admiral and appointed Director & Commandant, Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune – 5 October 2022
• Appointed Director General Medical Services (Air) in the rank of Air Marshal – 10 January 2023
• Appointed Director General Medical Services (Navy) – March 2023
• Appointed Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) – 1 October 2024 (first woman officer)

Throughout her career, she has held critical clinical, academic, and command roles. These include Professor and Head of the Department of Radiation Oncology at Army Hospital (Research & Referral), Delhi; Command Hospital (Southern Command), Pune; AFMC; and INHS Asvini. She also served as Senior Registrar (Medical Superintendent) at INHS Asvini and Principal Medical Officer at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. Her postings took her to naval hospitals across the country, including INHS Dhanvantari (Port Blair), INHS Kalyani (Visakhapatnam), and INHS Sanjivani (Kochi).

Notable Contributions and Operational Service

Vice Admiral Sarin has demonstrated exceptional commitment in challenging environments. She served in forward areas in insurgent-affected Kupwara, Jammu and Kashmir, providing medical care to both military personnel and civilians. Prior to the Kargil operations, she was deployed to forward surgical centres under demanding conditions.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, while serving in the Southern Naval Command, she played a pivotal role in designing innovative solutions and establishing quarantine facilities to safeguard naval personnel and their families.

Beyond clinical and command duties, she has been a dedicated academician and researcher. She has authored publications in national and international journals, contributed chapters to medical books, and mentored numerous postgraduate students. She has served as an examiner for the National Board of Examinations and as a recognised postgraduate teacher at multiple universities. In recognition of her expertise and standing, she was appointed a member of the Supreme Court’s National Task Force on formulating safe working conditions and protocols for medical professionals.

Awards and Decorations

Her exemplary service has been recognised with some of the highest military honours:

• Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) – Conferred on 26 January 2026
• Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) – 2024
• Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) – 26 January 2021
• Chief of the Naval Staff Commendation Card – 2001
• General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Commendation – 2013
• Chief of the Army Staff Commendation – 2017

She has also received various campaign and long-service medals, including the Operation Vijay Medal and Sainya Seva Medal.

Personal Life and Family Legacy

Vice Admiral Sarin is married to Surgeon Rear Admiral C. S. Naidu, AVSM, VSM, a distinguished hepatobiliary surgeon who served for 38 years in the Indian Navy. In a remarkable first for the Indian Navy, in 2020 the couple simultaneously held the appointments of Command Medical Officer of two different naval commands — she in the Southern Naval Command and he in the Eastern Naval Command. The couple has a son. Her sister-in-law also served as a medical officer in the Navy, further strengthening the family’s deep roots in military medicine and service.

Legacy and Inspiration

Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin’s journey represents far more than personal achievement. As the third woman officer to attain the rank of Vice Admiral in the Indian Navy (after Surgeon Vice Admirals Punita Arora and Sheila S. Mathai) and the sixth woman in the Indian Armed Forces to reach three-star rank, she has shattered glass ceilings while upholding the highest standards of professional competence and integrity.

Her story serves as a powerful inspiration for defence aspirants, particularly young women considering careers in the Armed Forces Medical Services or other branches. It underscores the values of perseverance, academic excellence, operational readiness, and inclusive leadership — qualities central to success in SSB interviews and military life.

As the head of the Armed Forces Medical Services, Vice Admiral Sarin continues to steer policies that strengthen healthcare delivery for serving personnel, veterans, and their families, while championing the cause of Nari Shakti within the forces. Her career stands as a testament to the fact that dedication, expertise, and a spirit of service know no gender barriers.