Surg Vice Admiral Dilip Raghavan Appointed DG Hospital Services in AFMS, New Delhi

Surg Vice Admiral Dilip Raghavan has been promoted and appointed as Director General Hospital Services (Armed Forces) in the office of the Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS), New Delhi.

The appointment places him in a key leadership role within the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS), where hospital services support serving personnel, veterans and their dependants across the three Services. Air Marshal Sandeep Thareja, DGAFMS, and all ranks of the AFMS congratulated him on his promotion and on taking over the new appointment.

An alumnus of the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune, Surg Vice Admiral Raghavan was commissioned into the Armed Forces Medical Services on 26 December 1989. He is an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist and a recognised Neuro-otologist, with post-doctoral training in Microsurgery and Cochlear Implant Surgery from the Madras ENT Research Foundation.

Over the course of his career, he has held a range of clinical, academic, command and administrative appointments. These have included leadership positions in military hospitals and teaching institutions, reflecting a professional background that combines specialist medicine with management of large defence medical establishments.

On 24 July 2024, he took over as Commanding Officer of INHS Asvini, the Indian Navy’s flagship hospital in Mumbai, succeeding Surg Rear Admiral Vivek Hande, VSM, at a ceremonial division. INHS Asvini is one of the best-known naval medical facilities in the country, and the appointment added to Raghavan’s experience in hospital administration and specialised healthcare delivery within the military system.

He later assumed the appointment of Command Medical Officer, Eastern Naval Command, on 19 September 2025. Among his earlier postings were Commodore AFMS at the office of DGAFMS and Professor and Head of the Department of ENT at AFMC Pune.

Raghavan’s service profile has been shaped by his work at the intersection of specialist medical practice, education and command responsibility. His ENT and Neuro-otology expertise, along with his experience in overseeing major Armed Forces medical institutions, has been part of the AFMS’s effort to expand specialised healthcare capabilities for service personnel and their families.

As Director General Hospital Services (Armed Forces), he will now be responsible for an important segment of the AFMS structure, with duties linked to the functioning and development of hospital services across the organisation. The appointment comes as the AFMS continues efforts to strengthen specialised medical care, modernise healthcare infrastructure, enhance clinical capability and promote patient-centric care.

According to the AFMS, his elevation reflects its continuing emphasis on professional excellence, specialised expertise and effective medical leadership across the three Services. Air Marshal Thareja and all ranks of the AFMS conveyed their best wishes to Surg Vice Admiral Dilip Raghavan for a successful tenure in his new role.