President Confers Ati Vishisht Seva Medal on Surgeon Vice Admiral Kavita Sahai (Retd.)
President Droupadi Murmu has bestowed the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) upon Surgeon Vice Admiral Kavita Sahai (Retd.), SM, VSM. The ceremony took place on 29 June 2026 at Rashtrapati Bhavan, during the Defence Investiture Ceremony 2026 (Phase-II), in acknowledgment of Vice Admiral Sahai's exceptional service.
Surgeon Vice Admiral Sahai concluded her distinguished career as the Director General Medical Services (Navy), a top-tier role within the Armed Forces Medical Services. Her career achievements include becoming the eighth woman in the Indian Armed Forces to reach a three-star rank and the fourth to achieve the rank of Surgeon Vice Admiral in the Indian Navy.
She was commissioned into the Army Medical Corps in December 1986 after completing her studies at the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) in Pune. Her medical expertise was furthered with a specialization in Pathology and a super-specialization in Oncopathology from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi.
Over nearly four decades of service, Surgeon Vice Admiral Sahai has occupied numerous prestigious roles in academia and clinical leadership. Her contributions include serving as Professor and Head of the Department of Laboratory Sciences at the Army Hospital (Research & Referral), New Delhi, and Base Hospital Delhi Cantonment, in addition to her teaching role at the AFMC in Pune.
Before taking on the position of Director General Medical Services (Navy), she broke new ground as the first female Commandant of the Army Medical Corps Centre & College in Lucknow. She also served as the Officer-in-Charge, Army Medical Corps Records, and made history once more as the first woman officer elected as the Colonel Commandant of the Army Medical Corps.
Dedicated to advancing medical education, she earned the FAIMER Fellowship in Philadelphia, USA, for 2013–14, in recognition of her contributions to the field.
Prior to receiving the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, her professional excellence had already been acknowledged through awards such as the Sena Medal (SM), the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM), two Chief of the Army Staff Commendation Cards, and a General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (Western Command) Commendation.
The Ati Vishisht Seva Medal serves as recognition of Surgeon Vice Admiral Kavita Sahai's outstanding leadership, pioneering efforts, and significant contributions to military healthcare, medical education, and the Armed Forces Medical Services.
