Director General Armed Forces Medical Services
Flag of a lieutenant general
Incumbent
Lieutenant General Daljit Singh
AVSM, VSM
since 15 March 2023
Armed Forces Medical Services
AbbreviationDGAFMS
Formation1948

The Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) is the head of the Armed Forces Medical Services of the Indian Armed Forces. A three-star rank medical flag officer, the DGAFMS is equivalent to Army Commanders and the Defence Secretary. The DGAFMS is the advisor to the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and the Minister of Defence on the medical requirements of the Armed Forces.[1]

History

In March 1947, an Armed Forces Medical Services and Research Integration Committee was formed by the Government of India. The committee, headed by Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, subsequently Chief Minister of West Bengal until 1962, was tasked with examining the integration of medical services and research of the three branches of the Armed Forces. The committee recommended that the Indian Armed Forces Medical Services would have a supreme controller designated Director General of the Armed Forces Medical Services in the rank of Lieutenant General/Vice Admiral/Air Marshal.[2]

Lt. Gen Daljit Singh, DGAFMS with Dr. Edmond Fernandes, Founder, CHD Group

In September 1948, the medical services of the Royal Indian Navy, the Indian Army and the Royal Indian Air Force were integrated into the Armed Forces Medical Service (AFMS). The AFMS consists of the Army Medical Corps (AMC), the Army Dental Corps (AD Corps) and the Military Nursing Service (MNS). The Director of Medical Services at Army Headquarters, Lieutenant General K. S. Master, was appointed the first Director General Armed Forces Medical Services to head the service.[3] The DGAFMS would be responsible to the Ministry of Defence for overall medical policy matters related to the Armed Forces.[2]

Appointees

S.No. Name Defence branch Assumed office Left office Notes
1. Lieutenant General K. S. Master MC  Indian Army September 1948 1 October 1950 [3]
2. Lieutenant General Daya Ram Thapar CIE, OBE  Indian Army 1 October 1950 11 June 1954 [4][5]
3. Lieutenant General D. N. Chakravarti OBE  Indian Army 12 June 1954 15 October 1955 [5]
4. Lieutenant General B. Choudhury  Indian Army 15 October 1955 16 October 1959 [6]
5. Lieutenant General B. M. Rao  Indian Army 16 October 1959 1 September 1961 [7]
6. Lieutenant General S. P. Bhatia  Indian Army 1 September 1961 9 October 1962 [8]
7. Lieutenant General C. C. Kapila OBE  Indian Army 9 October 1962 10 October 1964 [9]
8. Lieutenant General T. R. Pahwa  Indian Army 10 October 1964 25 October 1966 [10]
9. Lieutenant General A. K. Dev PVSM  Indian Army 26 October 1966 15 December 1967 [11]
10. Lieutenant General Jagdish Ram Vaid FRCS  Indian Army 15 December 1967 27 July 1968 [12][13]
11. Lieutenant General B. Bhattacharjya FRCP, FRCPE  Indian Army 31 July 1968 9 July 1969 [14]
12. Lieutenant General S. N. Chatterjee MC  Indian Army 9 July 1969 1 August 1973 [15][16]
13. Lieutenant General Ved Prakash PVSM  Indian Army 2 August 1973 31 December 1974 [15]
14. Air Marshal Ajit Nath  Indian Air Force 1 January 1975 23 April 1976 [17]
15. Lieutenant General R. S. Hoon PVSM  Indian Army 24 April 1976 1 July 1977 [18][19]
16. Lieutenant General B. D. P. Rao MBE  Indian Army 1 July 1977 24 April 1978 [19]
17. Lieutenant General L. N. Budhraja PVSM, AVSM  Indian Army 24 April 1978 31 October 1979 [8][20][21]
18. Lieutenant General D. N. Gupta PVSM, AVSM  Indian Army 1 November 1979 31 January 1982 [21][22]
19. Lieutenant General H. S. Seth  Indian Army 1 February 1982 31 July 1982 [22]
20. Lieutenant General V.V.S. Pratapa Rao PVSM  Indian Army 1 August 1982 31 May 1983 [23]
21. Lieutenant General A. R. Subramanian  Indian Army 1 June 1983 1985 [24]
22. Lieutenant General H. C. Puri AVSM, VSM, FRCS, FRCSE  Indian Army October 1985 31 August 1986 [25][26]
23. Lieutenant General Jagdish Narayan PVSM  Indian Army 1 September 1986 31 December 1987 [27]
24. Lieutenant General K. D. Kapur  Indian Army 1 January 1988 September 1988 [28]
25. Lieutenant General Jaswant Singh Paul  Indian Army 30 September 1988 February 1990 [29]
26. Lieutenant General V. K. Tewari  Indian Army 16 February 1990 March 1991 [30]
27. Lieutenant General N. C. Sanyal  Indian Army 16 April 1991 December 1994 [31]
28. Surgeon Vice Admiral Inderjit Singh  Indian Navy 18 December 1994 1 September 1996 [32]
29. Lieutenant General D. Raghunath AVSM  Indian Army 1 September 1996 1 September 1997 [33][34]
30. Lieutenant General Ramanand Jayaswal AVSM  Indian Army 1 September 1997 2000 [34]
31. Lieutenant General R. K. Jetley PVSM, VSM  Indian Army 9 October 2000 31 October 2002 [35]
32. Lieutenant General Bijoy Nandan Shahi PVSM, AVSM, VSM  Indian Army 1 November 2002 1 February 2004 [36]
33. Lieutenant General J. R. Bhardwaj PVSM, AVSM, VSM  Indian Army 1 February 2004 May 2005 [37][38]
34. Surgeon Vice-Admiral Vijai Kumar Singh  Indian Navy June 2005 1 May 2007 [39]
35. Surgeon Vice-Admiral Yogendra Singh VSM  Indian Navy 1 May 2007 30 May 2009 [40]
36. Lieutenant General Naresh Kumar Parmar PVSM, AVSM, VrC, VSM  Indian Army 1 June 2009 1 June 2011 [41]
37. Lieutenant General H. L. Kakria PVSM, AVSM, VSM  Indian Army 1 June 2011 30 June 2012 [42]
38. Air Marshal D. P. Joshi  Indian Air Force 1 July 2012 31 October 2014 [43][44]
39. Lieutenant General B. K. Chopra AVSM  Indian Army 1 November 2014 30 June 2016 [44]
40. Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Unni AVSM, VSM  Indian Army 1 July 2016 1 November 2017 [45]
41. Lieutenant General Bipin Puri VSM  Indian Army 1 November 2017 1 November 2019 [46]
42. Lieutenant General Anup Banerji SM  Indian Army 1 November 2019 31 December 2020 [47]
43. Surgeon Vice-Admiral Rajat Datta AVSM, SM, VSM  Indian Navy 1 January 2021 14 March 2023 [48]
44. Lieutenant General Daljit Singh AVSM, VSM  Indian Army 15 March 2023 Incumbent [49]

See also

References

  1. ^ "DIRECTORATE GENERAL ARMED FORCE MEDICAL SERVICES". Ministry of Defence. Archived from the original on 26 February 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  2. ^ a b "DIRECTORATE GENERAL ARMED FORCE MEDICAL SERVICES | Department Of Defence". www.mod.gov.in.
  3. ^ a b "Defence Services Medical Chief Retires" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 16 September 1950. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  4. ^ "New Director-General of Armed Forces Medical Services: General Thapar's Career" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 14 October 1950. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Lt-Gen Chakravarti Takes Over As D.G.A.F.M.S." (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 11 June 1954. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  6. ^ "New Director General Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 15 October 1955. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  7. ^ "Maj-Gen B.M. Rao Next Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 10 July 1959. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Timeless Reflections 1764-2011" (PDF). Indian Army Medical Corps. 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  9. ^ "General Kapila Takes Over As Director-General Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 9 October 1962. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  10. ^ "New Director-General of Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 9 October 1964. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  11. ^ "Lt Gen A. K. Dev Takes Over as New DG Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 25 October 1966. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  12. ^ "Lt-Gen J R Vaid - New DG AFMS" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 14 December 1967. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  13. ^ "Lt-Gen Vaid Passes Away, Body Cremated With Full Military Honours" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 28 July 1968. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  14. ^ "Lt-Gen B. Bhattacharjya, New Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 31 July 1968. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  15. ^ a b "Lt Gen Ved Prakash Appointed Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 22 July 1973. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  16. ^ "Gen Chatterjee Takes Over As Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 9 July 1969. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  17. ^ "Air Marshal Ajit Nath". IAF - Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  18. ^ "Lt. Gen. R. S. Hoon Appointed Director General Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 23 April 1976. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  19. ^ a b "Lt Gen Rao is New DG AFMS" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 30 June 1977. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  20. ^ "New Armed Forces Dental Clinic Inaugurated" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 24 April 1978. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  21. ^ a b "General Gupta New DGAFMS" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 28 October 1979. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  22. ^ a b "Lt Gen HS Seth New DG AFMS" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 3 January 1982. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  23. ^ "New Director General For Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 25 July 1982. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  24. ^ "General Subramanian to Head Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 31 May 1983. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  25. ^ "Lt Gen H.C. Puri New DG AFMS" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 18 October 1985. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  26. ^ "Lt Gen H.C. Puri Retires" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 31 August 1986. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  27. ^ "Lt Gen Jagdish Narayan Appointed As Director General Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 9 September 1986. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  28. ^ "Symposium on Diabetology, Endocrinology and Metabolism Inaugurated" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 26 August 1988. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  29. ^ "Lt Gen Paul Appointed DG Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 30 September 1988. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  30. ^ "Lt Gen VK Tewari Retires" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 5 March 1991. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  31. ^ "Lt Gen N C Sanyal Is New DG Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 16 April 1991. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  32. ^ "Surgeon Vice Admiral Inderjit Singh Takes Over As Director General Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 18 December 1994. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  33. ^ "Lt Gen D Raghunath Takes Over As DG AFMS" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 9 September 1996. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  34. ^ a b "Gen Jayaswal New DG of Armed Forces Medical Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 1 September 1997. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  35. ^ "Gen Jetley Takes Over as DGAFMS" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 9 October 2000. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  36. ^ "LT GEN SHAHI TAKES OVER AS NEW DGAFMS". Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 4 February 2004. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  37. ^ "Lt Gen JR Bhardwaj takes over as DGAFMS". Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 4 February 2004. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  38. ^ Singh, Rahul (3 June 2005). "More legal trouble for the Army". Times of India. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  39. ^ "Vice Adm Yogendra Singh to Take Charge as DGAFMS". OneIndia.com. 1 May 2007. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  40. ^ "Surg. Vice Admiral Yogendra Singh takes over as new DGAFMS". Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 1 May 2007. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  41. ^ "Lt Gen Naresh Kumar assumes the charge of DGAFMS". Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 1 June 2009. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  42. ^ "Lt. General HL Kakria Takes Over as DGAFMS". Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 1 June 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  43. ^ "Air Marshal Joshi appointed DGAFMS". Indian Express. 3 July 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  44. ^ a b "LT Gen BK Chopra Takes Over As DGAFMS". Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 1 November 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  45. ^ "Lt Gen MK Unni Takes over as the new DGAFMS". Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 1 July 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  46. ^ "Lt Gen Bipin Puri, VSM, PHS Director General Armed Forces Medical Service". Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 3 November 2017. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  47. ^ "Lt Gen Anup Banerji takes charge as DG AFMS". Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 1 November 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  48. ^ "Surgeon Vice Admiral Rajat Datta takes over as Director General Armed Forces Medical Services". Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 1 January 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  49. ^ "Lt Gen Daljit Singh takes over as military's top doctor". Hindustan Times. 2023-03-15. Retrieved 2023-08-19.
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