Sadhna Saxena Nair

Lieutenant General Sadhna Saxena Nair AVSM VSM
Allegiance	India
Branch	Indian Army
Years of service	December 1985 - present
Rank	Lieutenant General
Service number	MR-05977W [1]
Awards	Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Vishisht Seva Medal
Alma mater	Armed Forces Medical College
Spouse(s)	Air Marshal K P Nair [2] [3]

Lieutenant General Sadhna Saxena Nair, AVSM, VSM is a serving general officer of the Indian Army. She currently serves as the Director General Medical Services (Army) becoming the first woman officer to be appointed to the position. ^{[4] [5]} She is the seventh woman officer to be promoted to three-star rank in the Indian Armed Forces. Prior to this, she was also the first woman to hold the post of Director General Hospital Services (Armed Forces), in the rank of Air Marshal. ^{[6] [7]} She and her husband Air Marshal K P Nair become the first couple of   Indian Air Force being promoted Air Marshal. ^{[8] [9]} Their younger son also a fighter pilot of   Indian Air Force (present rank: Squadron Leader) . ^[10]

Early life and education

The ranked officer graduated from the Armed Forces Medical College, Pune with a distinguished academic record. She holds a Post Graduate degree in Family Medicine, Diploma in Maternal & Child Health and Health Care Management, and has undergone a two-year training programme in Medical Informatics at AIIMS, New Delhi. She was trained in Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Warfare with the Israeli Defence Forces and in Military Medical Ethics with the Swiss Armed Forces in Spiez. ^[4]

Military career

Lieutenant General Sadhna Saxena Nair was commissioned into the Army Medical Corps in December 1985 from Armed Forces Medical College, Pune. She has served as the first woman Principal Medical Officer of Western Air Command and Training Command of the Indian Air Force. On promotion to the rank of Air Marshal, she took over as the Director General Hospital Services (Armed Forces) on 23 October, 2023 becoming the first woman officer to hold this position. ^[11] On 1 August, 2024 she took over as the Director General Medical Services (Army) making her the first woman officer to hold the appointment of DGMS (Army). ^[4]

Awards and decorations

The General officer has been awarded with the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2025 ^[12] and the Vishisht Seva Medal. For her meritorious service, she has been awarded the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Air Command and Chief of the Air Staff Commendations. ^[13]

Ati Vishisht Seva Medal	Vishisht Seva Medal		Samanya Seva Medal
Operation Vijay Medal	Operation Parakram Medal	Sainya Seva Medal	75th Anniversary of Independence Medal
50th Anniversary of Independence Medal	30 Years Long Service Medal	20 Years Long Service Medal	9 Years Long Service Medal

References

1. "List of personnel being conferred gallantry and distinguished service awards on the occasion of republic day-2025" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 April 2025.
2. "Air Marshal Sadhna Saxena Nair, K P Nair becomes the first and only Marshal couple in Indian Air Force | India News - The Times of India". timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
3. "Lt Gen Sadhna S Nair Honored with AUSM I #gallantryawards - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
4. "Lieutenant General Sadhna Saxena Nair assumes charge as Director General Medical Services (Army)". The Hindu . 1 August 2024. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 2 August 2024.
5. "Lt Gen Sadhna Saxena Nair becomes first woman DG Medical Services (Army)".
6. "High-flying Nairs first couple to both get Air Marshal rank in Indian Air Force". The Times of India . 24 October 2023. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 31 July 2024.
7. PTI (23 October 2023). "Sadhna Saxena Nair becomes second woman Air Marshal; takes charge as DG, hospital services". The Print. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
8. "Air Marshal Sadhna Saxena Nair, K P Nair becomes the first and only Marshal couple in Indian Air Force | India News - The Times of India". timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
9. "Lt Gen Sadhna S Nair Honored with AUSM I #gallantryawards - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
10. "Lt Gen Sadhna S Nair Honored with AUSM I #gallantryawards - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
11. "Air Marshal Sadhna Saxena Nair takes charge as Director General Hospital Services (Armed Forces); becomes the first lady officer to hold the position". pib.gov.in. Archived from the original on 25 October 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
12. "President approves Gallantry awards to 93 Armed Forces personnel, including 11 posthumous & 305 defence decorations on the eve of Republic Day 2025". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
13. "Lt Gen Sadhna Saxena Nair Appointed First Female DGMS (Army)". 2 August 2024. Retrieved 28 January 2025.