New Delhi: Air Marshal Sandeep Thareja took over as the 47th Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) on Tuesday, September 1, 2026.
As the DGAFMS, Air Marshal Thareja will oversee the provision of comprehensive medical support to the Defence Forces.
“His appointment comes at a time of significant transformation within the AFMS, with continuing emphasis on operational medical preparedness, jointness, modernisation of military healthcare, digital health, medical research and innovation, human-resource development and delivery of high-quality healthcare to serving personnel, veterans and their dependents,” the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.
The Air Marshal is an alumnus of the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune, and was commissioned into the Army Medical Corps in December 1986. A distinguished physician and gastroenterologist, he completed his MD in Medicine from Delhi and DM in Gastroenterology from AIIMS, New Delhi.
Air Marshal Thareja has held a wide spectrum of clinical, academic, operational and administrative appointments over his illustrious career spanning nearly four decades. His important command and administrative assignments include Commandant, 167 Military Hospital, Brigadier In-Charge Administration and Commander Troops, Base Hospital Delhi Cantonment and Commandant Command Hospital (Central Command).
“His tenure at Base Hospital Delhi Cantonment during the COVID-19 pandemic was marked by the management of complex and rapidly evolving healthcare and administrative challenges. During his command of Command Hospital, Lucknow, the Detailed Project Report for a new Command Hospital was prepared in record time,” the MoD said.
“As Director and Commandant at AFMC Pune, he spearheaded several initiatives aimed at strengthening medical education and research. As DGMS (Air), he gave thrust to Gaganyaan Mission and was the leading force behind Analogue experiments for astronaut selection and Training. BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita and Maitri) cubes were gifted to the Maldives by the Prime Minister and, as part of HADR, to Jamaica, Cuba, Sri Lanka and Myanmar under his stewardship,” it added.
Prior to taking over as DGAFMS, Air Marshal Thareja laid a wreath at the National War Memorial, New Delhi and paid homage to the fallen heroes.
(IANS)
