Air Marshal Sandeep Thareja Takes Charge as DGAFMS
He becomes the 47th Director General Armed Forces Medical Services, with focus on modernising military healthcare
- Air Marshal Sandeep Thareja assumed charge as DGAFMS on September 1, 2026.
- He will oversee comprehensive medical support for India’s Defence Forces.
- His career spans nearly four decades across clinical, academic, operational and administrative roles.
- He previously served as DGMS (Air), Commandant AFMC Pune and held key military hospital appointments.
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 1st Sept: Air Marshal Sandeep Thareja assumed charge as the 47th Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) on September 1, 2026. In his new role, he will oversee comprehensive medical support for the Defence Forces.
His appointment comes as the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) continues to focus on operational medical preparedness, jointness, modernisation of military healthcare, digital health, medical research and innovation, human-resource development and quality healthcare for serving personnel, veterans and their dependents.
An alumnus of Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune, Air Marshal Thareja was commissioned into the Army Medical Corps in December 1986. A physician and gastroenterologist, he completed his MD in Medicine from Delhi and DM in Gastroenterology from AIIMS, New Delhi.
During his nearly four-decade career, he has held a range of clinical, academic, operational and administrative appointments.
His key assignments include Commandant, 167 Military Hospital; Brigadier In-Charge Administration and Commander Troops, Base Hospital Delhi Cantt; and Commandant, Command Hospital (Central Command).
During his tenure at Base Hospital Delhi Cantt amid the COVID-19 pandemic, he handled complex healthcare and administrative challenges. As Commandant of Command Hospital, Lucknow, he oversaw preparation of the Detailed Project Report for a new Command Hospital in record time.
As Director and Commandant of AFMC Pune, Air Marshal Thareja spearheaded initiatives aimed at strengthening medical education and research.
As DGMS (Air), he gave impetus to the Gaganyaan Mission and played a leading role in analogue experiments related to astronaut selection and training.
Under his stewardship, BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita & Maitri) cubes were gifted to the Maldives by the Prime Minister and deployed as part of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts in Jamaica, Cuba, Sri Lanka and Myanmar.
Before assuming charge as DGAFMS, Air Marshal Thareja paid homage to fallen soldiers by laying a wreath at the National War Memorial in New Delhi.
