Vice Admiral Arti Sarin to head Armed Forces Medical Services: Who is she?

Vice Admiral Arti Sarin took over as the Director General of tri-service Armed Forces Medical Services on Tuesday, 1 October. The officer holds the rare distinction of serving in all three branches of the Indian Armed Forces: the Army, Navy, and Air Force. She is also the highest-ranking woman officer to have served in the Indian Armed Forces.
In July, Vice Admiral Arti Sarin was honoured with Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) by President Droupadi Murmu for her distinctional service. Here’s all you need to know about the lady officer.
-Arti Sarin holds a specialisation in radiation oncology and was commissioned into the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune, in 1985.
-Vice Admiral Sarin is also trained in gamma knife surgery at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. She was recently named as a member of a national task force (NTF), formed by the Supreme Court. The NTF was formed amid nationwide protests due to RG Kar doctor’s rape and murder and will be responsible for the creation of a national protocol to ensure the safety of healthcare workers at their workplaces.
-Vice Admiral Sarin has also served as Director and Commandant of the AFMC and Director General of Medical Services (Air).
-The officer has been awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) for her services to the armed forces.
-The medical officer has also led a sailing expedition from Kochi to Lakshadweep in 2020. Vice Admiral Arti Sarin had joined the expedition to encourage women officers to participate in adventure sports and ocean sailing.
-Sharing her message for all the young girls, Vice Admiral Arti Sarin said in a video shared by the Ministry of Defence, “Study hard, train hard, learn how to support yourself. It is only you who can handle everything on your own and let no one get on your way.”