A few weeks after the Ministry of Defence appointed the first female officer to the position of Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services, Surgeon Vice Admiral Kavita Sahai recently took on the prestigious role of Director General of Medical Services (Navy), which represents a significant milestone in the Indian Armed Forces. The increased acknowledgement of women’s contributions in senior positions within the military medical community is reflected in this appointment.
Surgeon Sahai created history as the first female Commandant of the Army Medical Corps (AMC) Centre & College in Lucknow before taking up her current role. In this role, she displayed remarkable leadership and knowledge. She further demonstrated her administrative skills in the military hospital system by serving as the Officer in Charge of Records. Her groundbreaking contribution in the area is further cemented by the fact that she is the first female officer to be chosen to the position of Colonel Commandant of the Army Medical Corps.
Surgeon Vice Admiral Sahai is a pathology specialist who graduated from the prestigious Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) in Pune. She then went on to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi to further refine her abilities in oncopathology. Her training and experience in these vital medical fields enable her to lead and develop in military medical services with effectiveness.
Throughout her career, she has held prominent academic roles, such as Head of the Department of Lab Sciences and Professor at the Army Hospital (Research and Referral) and Base Hospital Delhi Cantt. She has demonstrated her dedication to medical teaching and mentoring by her work as a professor in the Department of Pathology at AFMC, Pune.
Surgeon Sahai is committed to improving the quality of medical education. In order to improve medical education methods globally, the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER) bestowed upon her the distinguished Fellowship in 2013–14.
Her outstanding contributions have not gone unacknowledged. She was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2018 and the Sena Medal in 2024 for her outstanding service to the military. She has also received commendations from the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Western Command in 2010 and the Chief of the Army Staff twice (in 2008 and 2012).
The appointment and accomplishments of Surgeon Vice Admiral Kavita Sahai represent a significant advancement towards gender parity within the armed forces, serving as an inspiration to upcoming cohorts of female physicians and leaders.
SOURCE :
THE HINDU BUSINESS LINE
