Air Marshal Sandeep Thareja named Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services
The Government of India has appointed Air Marshal Sandeep Thareja as the new Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS), effective 31 August 2026. He will take over the role upon the retirement of the incumbent Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin.
Thareja, currently Director General Medical Services (Air), is an alumnus of the Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, commissioned in December 1986, and holds an MD (1997) and a DM in Gastroenterology (2005) from AIIMS New Delhi, where he received the Best DM Student Award. His career spans four decades across clinical, academic, operational and administrative duties, including command of military hospitals in Pathankot and Lucknow and directorship of AFMC, Pune.
As DG Medical Services (Air), he led initiatives that bolstered medical preparedness for India’s Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission and operationalised the BHISHM Cube, enhancing rapid medical response for operational and humanitarian missions. He has been awarded the Sena Medal and the Vishisht Seva Medal twice (VSM & Bar).
Entities: Air Marshal Sandeep Thareja · Armed Forces Medical Services · Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services · Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission · Ministry of Defence (India) · Ministry of Defence, India · Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 3 SOURCES] He is an alumnus of the Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, commissioned in December 1986. (Article background)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Air Marshal Sandeep Thareja was appointed Director General Armed Forces Medical Services effective 31 August 2026. (Government of India press release)
- [● 3 SOURCES] He earned an MD in Medicine in 1997 and a DM in Gastroenterology from AIIMS New Delhi in 2005, receiving the Best DM Student Award. (Article background)
- [● 4 SOURCES] He will succeed Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin upon her retirement. (Government of India press release)
- [● 4 SOURCES] He oversaw the operationalisation of the BHISHM Cube, enhancing rapid medical response for operational and humanitarian missions. (Article description)
- [● 4 SOURCES] He has been awarded the Sena Medal and the Vishisht Seva Medal twice (VSM & Bar). (Article background)
- [● 4 SOURCES] He led initiatives that strengthened AFMS medical preparedness for India’s Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission. (Article description)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Sandeep Thareja currently serves as Director General Medical Services (Air). (Article description)