Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (India)

Director General Armed Forces Medical Services
महानिदेशक सशस्त्र बल चिकित्सा सेवा
Seal of DGAFMS
Flag of Surgeon Vice Admiral
Incumbent Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin AVSM VSM since 1 October 2024
Armed Forces Medical Services   Indian Navy
Style	Surgeon Vice Admiral
Type	Apex level medical military position
Abbreviation	DGAFMS
Reports to	Minister of Defence Chief of Defence Staff
Appointer	Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC)
Formation	1948
First holder	Lieutenant General K. S. Master, MC
Salary	Pay level 17

The Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) is the head of the Armed Forces Medical Services of the Indian Armed Forces. The DGAFMS is the advisor to the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and the Defence Minister on the medical requirements of the Armed Forces. ^[1]

History

In March 1947, an Armed Forces Medical Services and Research Integration Committee was formed by the Government of India. The committee, headed by Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, subsequently Chief Minister of West Bengal until 1962, was tasked with examining the integration of medical services and research of the three branches of the Armed Forces. The committee recommended that the Indian Armed Forces Medical Services would have a supreme controller designated Director General of the Armed Forces Medical Services in the rank of lieutenant general, vice admiral, or air marshal. ^[2]

In September 1948, the medical services of the Royal Indian Navy, the Indian Army and the Royal Indian Air Force were integrated into the Armed Forces Medical Service (AFMS). The AFMS consists of the Army Medical Corps (AMC), the Army Dental Corps (AD Corps) and the Military Nursing Service (MNS). The Director of Medical Services at Army Headquarters, Lieutenant General K. S. Master, was appointed the first director general Armed Forces Medical Services to head the service. ^[3] The DGAFMS would be responsible to the Ministry of Defence for overall medical policy matters related to the Armed Forces. ^[2]

Appointees

Key

• ^† Died in office

S.No.	Name	Defence branch	Assumed office	Left office	Notes
1.	Lieutenant General Kaikhosru Sorabji Master MC	Indian Army	September 1948	1 October 1950	[3]
2.	Lieutenant General Daya Ram Thapar CIE , OBE	Indian Army	1 October 1950	11 June 1954	[4] [5]
3.	Lieutenant General Devendra Nath Chakravarti OBE	Indian Army	12 June 1954	15 October 1955	[5]
4.	Lieutenant General Bijeta Chaudhuri OBE	Indian Army	15 October 1955	16 October 1959	[6]
5.	Lieutenant General Benegal Mukunda Rao	Indian Army	16 October 1959	1 September 1961	[7]
6.	Lieutenant General Shiv Parshad Bhatia OBE	Indian Army	1 September 1961	9 October 1962	[8]
7.	Lieutenant General Charu Chandra Kapila OBE	Indian Army	9 October 1962	10 October 1964	[9]
8.	Lieutenant General Tirath Ram Pahwa	Indian Army	10 October 1964	25 October 1966	[10]
9.	Lieutenant General Amarendra Krishna Dey PVSM	Indian Army	26 October 1966	15 December 1967	[11]
10.	Lieutenant General Jagdish Ram Vaid FRCS	Indian Army	15 December 1967	27 July 1968 †	[12] [13]
11.	Lieutenant General Bidyapati Bhattacharjya FRCP, FRCPE	Indian Army	31 July 1968	9 July 1969	[14]
12.	Lieutenant General Sailendra Nath Chatterjee PVSM, MC	Indian Army	9 July 1969	1 August 1973	[15] [16]
13.	Lieutenant General Ved Prakash PVSM	Indian Army	2 August 1973	31 December 1974	[15]
14.	Air Marshal Ajit Nath PVSM	Indian Air Force	1 January 1975	23 April 1976	[17]
15.	Lieutenant General Raghunath Singh Hoon PVSM , AVSM	Indian Army	24 April 1976	1 July 1977	[18] [19]
16.	Lieutenant General Biradavolu Durga Prasad Rao MBE	Indian Army	1 July 1977	24 April 1978	[19]
17.	Lieutenant General Lok Nath Budhraja PVSM, AVSM, MBE	Indian Army	24 April 1978	31 October 1979	[8] [20] [21]
18.	Lieutenant General Devendra Nath Gupta PVSM , AVSM	Indian Army	1 November 1979	31 January 1982	[21] [22]
19.	Lieutenant General Harnam Singh Seth	Indian Army	1 February 1982	31 July 1982	[22]
20.	Lieutenant General Vallury Venkateswara Surya Prataprao PVSM	Indian Army	1 August 1982	31 May 1983	[23]
21.	Lieutenant General Ananta Narayanan Ramasubramaniam	Indian Army	1 June 1983	1985	[24]
22.	Lieutenant General Harish Chandra Puri AVSM, VSM, FRCS, FRCSE	Indian Army	October 1985	31 August 1986	[25] [26]
23.	Lieutenant General Jagdish Narayan PVSM	Indian Army	1 September 1986	31 December 1987	[27]
24.	Lieutenant General Krishan Das Kapur	Indian Army	1 January 1988	September 1988	[28]
25.	Lieutenant General Jaswant Singh Paul	Indian Army	30 September 1988	February 1990	[29]
26.	Lieutenant General Vijay Kishore Tewari	Indian Army	16 February 1990	March 1991	[30]
27.	Lieutenant General Nirendra Chandra Sanyal	Indian Army	16 April 1991	December 1994	[31]
28.	Surgeon Vice Admiral Inderjit Singh	Indian Navy	18 December 1994	1 September 1996	[32]
29.	Lieutenant General Dasarathy Raghunath AVSM	Indian Army	1 September 1996	1 September 1997	[33] [34]
30.	Lieutenant General Ramanand Jayaswal AVSM	Indian Army	1 September 1997	2000	[34]
31.	Lieutenant General Ravinder Kumar Jetley PVSM , VSM	Indian Army	9 October 2000	31 October 2002	[35]
32.	Lieutenant General Bijoy Nandan Shahi PVSM , AVSM , VSM	Indian Army	1 November 2002	1 February 2004	[36]
33.	Lieutenant General Janak Raj Bhardwaj PVSM , AVSM , VSM	Indian Army	1 February 2004	May 2005	[37] [38]
34.	Surgeon Vice-Admiral Vijai Kumar Singh	Indian Navy	June 2005	1 May 2007	[39]
35.	Surgeon Vice-Admiral Yogendra Singh VSM	Indian Navy	1 May 2007	30 May 2009	[40]
36.	Lieutenant General Naresh Kumar Parmar PVSM , AVSM , VrC , VSM	Indian Army	1 June 2009	1 June 2011	[41]
37.	Lieutenant General Hira Lal Kakria PVSM , AVSM , VSM	Indian Army	1 June 2011	30 June 2012	[42]
38.	Air Marshal Dhananjay Parashuram Joshi	Indian Air Force	1 July 2012	31 October 2014	[43] [44]
39.	Lieutenant General Bhushan Kumar Chopra AVSM	Indian Army	1 November 2014	30 June 2016	[44]
40.	Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Unni AVSM , VSM	Indian Army	1 July 2016	1 November 2017	[45]
41.	Lieutenant General Bipin Puri VSM	Indian Army	1 November 2017	1 November 2019	[46]
42.	Lieutenant General Anup Banerji SM	Indian Army	1 November 2019	31 December 2020	[47]
43.	Surgeon Vice-Admiral Rajat Datta AVSM , SM , VSM	Indian Navy	1 January 2021	14 March 2023	[48]
44.	Lieutenant General Daljit Singh AVSM , VSM	Indian Army	15 March 2023	30 September 2024	[49]
45.	Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin AVSM , VSM	Indian Navy	1 October 2024	Incumbent	[50]

Number of DGAFMS by branches of service
Branch	Count
Indian Army	38
Indian Navy	5
Indian Air Force	2

See also

• Army Medical Corps (India)
• Armed Forces Medical Services

References

1. "DIRECTORATE GENERAL ARMED FORCE MEDICAL SERVICES". Ministry of Defence. Archived from the original on 26 February 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
2. "DIRECTORATE GENERAL ARMED FORCE MEDICAL SERVICES | Department Of Defence". www.mod.gov.in.
3. "Defence Services Medical Chief Retires" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 16 September 1950. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 October 2023. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
4. "New Director-General of Armed Forces Medical Services: General Thapar's Career" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 14 October 1950. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 August 2023. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
5. "Lt-Gen Chakravarti Takes Over As D.G.A.F.M.S." (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 11 June 1954. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
6. "New Director General Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 15 October 1955. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
7. "Maj-Gen B.M. Rao Next Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 10 July 1959. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
8. "Timeless Reflections 1764-2011" (PDF). Indian Army Medical Corps. 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
9. "General Kapila Takes Over As Director-General Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 9 October 1962. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
10. "New Director-General of Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 9 October 1964. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
11. "Lt Gen A. K. Dev Takes Over as New DG Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 25 October 1966. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
12. "Lt-Gen J R Vaid - New DG AFMS" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 14 December 1967. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
13. "Lt-Gen Vaid Passes Away, Body Cremated With Full Military Honours" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 28 July 1968. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
14. "Lt-Gen B. Bhattacharjya, New Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 31 July 1968. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
15. "Lt Gen Ved Prakash Appointed Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 22 July 1973. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
16. "Gen Chatterjee Takes Over As Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 9 July 1969. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
17. "Air Marshal Ajit Nath". IAF - Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
18. "Lt. Gen. R. S. Hoon Appointed Director General Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 23 April 1976. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
19. "Lt Gen Rao is New DG AFMS" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 30 June 1977. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
20. "New Armed Forces Dental Clinic Inaugurated" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 24 April 1978. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
21. "General Gupta New DGAFMS" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 28 October 1979. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
22. "Lt Gen HS Seth New DG AFMS" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 3 January 1982. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
23. "New Director General For Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 25 July 1982. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
24. "General Subramanian to Head Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 31 May 1983. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
25. "Lt Gen H.C. Puri New DG AFMS" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 18 October 1985. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
26. "Lt Gen H.C. Puri Retires" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 31 August 1986. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
27. "Lt Gen Jagdish Narayan Appointed As Director General Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 9 September 1986. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
28. "Symposium on Diabetology, Endocrinology and Metabolism Inaugurated" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 26 August 1988. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
29. "Lt Gen Paul Appointed DG Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 30 September 1988. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
30. "Lt Gen VK Tewari Retires" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 5 March 1991. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
31. "Lt Gen N C Sanyal Is New DG Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 16 April 1991. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
32. "Surgeon Vice Admiral Inderjit Singh Takes Over As Director General Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 18 December 1994. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
33. "Lt Gen D Raghunath Takes Over As DG AFMS" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 9 September 1996. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
34. "Gen Jayaswal New DG of Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 1 September 1997. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
35. "Gen Jetley Takes Over as DGAFMS" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 9 October 2000. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
36. "LT GEN SHAHI TAKES OVER AS NEW DGAFMS". Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 4 February 2004. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
37. "Lt Gen JR Bhardwaj takes over as DGAFMS". Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 4 February 2004. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
38. Singh, Rahul (3 June 2005). "More legal trouble for the Army". Times of India. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
39. "Vice Adm Yogendra Singh to Take Charge as DGAFMS". OneIndia.com. 1 May 2007. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
40. "Surg. Vice Admiral Yogendra Singh takes over as new DGAFMS". Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 1 May 2007. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
41. "Lt Gen Naresh Kumar assumes the charge of DGAFMS". Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 1 June 2009. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
42. "Lt. General HL Kakria Takes Over as DGAFMS". Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 1 June 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
43. "Air Marshal Joshi appointed DGAFMS". Indian Express. 3 July 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
44. "LT Gen BK Chopra Takes Over As DGAFMS". Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 1 November 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
45. "Lt Gen MK Unni Takes over as the new DGAFMS". Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 1 July 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
46. "Lt Gen Bipin Puri, VSM, PHS Director General Armed Forces Medical Service". Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 3 November 2017. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
47. "Lt Gen Anup Banerji takes charge as DG AFMS". Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 1 November 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
48. "Surgeon Vice Admiral Rajat Datta takes over as Director General Armed Forces Medical Services". Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 1 January 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
49. "Lt Gen Daljit Singh takes over as military's top doctor". Hindustan Times. 2023-03-15. Retrieved 2023-08-19.
50. "Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin becomes first woman to take over as DG, Armed Forces Medical Services". Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 1 October 2024. Retrieved 2 October 2024.