Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS), addressed Armed Forces Medical Services officers and medical and nursing cadets during her farewell visit to the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune, on 10 August 2026.
During her interaction at the Pune-Khadki Medical Complex, the DGAFMS appreciated the dedicated service being rendered by AFMS hospitals and acknowledged the contribution of medical personnel towards maintaining high standards of healthcare for serving personnel, veterans and their families.
Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin also commended AFMC for its outstanding academic achievements and recognition in national and international rankings. She highlighted the institution’s role not only as a premier centre for medical education but also as an important hub for research, innovation and the development of future military healthcare professionals.
The farewell visit also showcased AFMC’s continuing focus on innovation and future-ready healthcare. A significant highlight was the unveiling of ABLE, a book focusing on Adolescent Behaviour and Lifestyle Enrichment. The initiative reflects the institution’s efforts to address emerging health and lifestyle concerns among adolescents through greater awareness and structured engagement.
Another notable development unveiled during the visit was an indigenous digital stethoscope developed by Surgeon Commander Arnab Ghosh. The innovation reflects the growing emphasis within AFMC on developing indigenous medical technologies and integrating modern tools into military healthcare.
The development of such indigenous solutions assumes significance for the Armed Forces Medical Services, where reliable, portable and technologically advanced medical equipment can contribute to improving healthcare delivery across diverse operational environments.
The interaction with AFMS officers and medical and nursing cadets also provided an opportunity for the DGAFMS to reinforce the importance of professionalism, academic excellence, innovation and a strong commitment to patient care.
Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin has had a long and distinguished association with AFMC, having completed her medical education at the institution and later served as its Director and Commandant. She has subsequently held several senior appointments across the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force before becoming the first woman to serve as DGAFMS.
Her farewell visit brought together her professional association with AFMC and the broader vision of strengthening military medicine through education, innovation and service. The unveiling of the book and indigenous digital stethoscope further underscored the institution’s efforts to combine academic excellence with practical solutions for the evolving needs of military healthcare.
The visit reaffirmed AFMC’s position as a key institution in the Armed Forces Medical Services ecosystem and highlighted its continuing contribution towards building a technologically capable, academically strong and operationally responsive medical fraternity.
