Lt Gen Sadhna Saxena Nair: First woman DG of Medical Services (Army)

In a boost to women empowerment in the Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Sadhna Saxena Nair assumed the office of the Director General of Medical Services (Army) on 1 August 2024. She is the first woman to hold this prestigious post in the Indian Army’s Medical Services. Lt General Sadhna Saxena Nair is a third-generation member of a family which has served in the Indian Armed Forces in various capacities for the last seventy years.

Achievements of Lieutenant General Sadhna Saxena Nair

Lieutenant General Sadhna Saxena Nair graduated from the Armed Forces Medical College, Pune and was commissioned into the Indian Army Medical Corps in December 1985. 

• Before joining the post of  Director General of Medical Services (Army), she was the Director General of Hospital Services (Armed Forces). She also has the distinction of being the first woman to be appointed as the Director General of Hospital Services (Armed Forces).
• Lt. General Sadhna Saxena Nair was the first woman to be appointed as the Principal Medical Officer of the Western Air Command and Training Command of the Indian Air Force.
• Lt General Sadhna Saxena Nair is a highly accomplished officer who has undergone training in Biological, Chemical, Radiological and Nuclear Warfare with the Israeli Defence Force.
• She undertook training in Military Medical Ethics with the Swiss Armed Forces in Spiez, Switzerland.
• In her illustrious career, the President of India has honoured her with the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Air Command, and Chief of the Air Staff Commendations, as well as the Vishisht Seva Medal.

About Director General Armed Forces Medical Services

Every wing of the Indian Armed Forces -Army, Navy, and Air Force—has a medical wing that caters to the needs of the personnel employed in the respective forces.

All three Medical services were integrated, and the government of India set up an Armed Forces Medical Service in 1948.

The Armed Forces Medical Service was set up by the government of India  under the Ministry of Defence on the recommendation of the Dr B C Roy Committee on ‘Armed Forces Medical Services and Research Integration.’

The head of the Armed Forces Medical Services is called the Director-General. It can be an officer of the Indian Army ( rank of Lt General), Indian Navy (rank of Vice Admiral), or Indian Air Force ( rank of Air Marshal).

Current Director General Armed Forces Medical Services: Lt Gen Daljit Singh