Key Points
- Air Marshal Vivek Hande becomes first officer to serve in medical roles across all three defence services
- The gastroenterologist previously commanded Indian Naval Hospital Ship Asvini
- Hande held DG (Organisation and Personnel) role before this appointment
Air Marshal Vivek Hande, a gastroenterologist who has held medical leadership positions across all three branches of the Indian defence forces, took charge as Director General Medical Services (Air) on Tuesday (1 September). The DGMS (Air) is the senior-most medical officer in the Indian Air Force and is responsible for healthcare policy, military hospitals and medical readiness for air force personnel.
Hande joins the Air Force on permanent secondment, a transfer arrangement where an officer from one service takes up a position in another while retaining their original service identity. His appointment makes him the first officer in the armed forces medical services to have served in senior medical roles across the Army, Navy and Air Force.
The Air Marshal was commissioned in December 1988 after graduating from the Armed Forces Medical College, Pune. He later trained at Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, one of India’s leading cancer treatment and research centres, and completed the National Defence College programme in New Delhi, a course typically undertaken by officers being groomed for senior strategic positions.
Air Marshal Vivek Hande background
Hande built his career as a specialist in gastroenterology, the branch of medicine focused on the digestive system. He held both clinical and administrative positions over his three-decade career. As a Flag Officer, the naval equivalent of a general officer rank, he commanded the Indian Naval Hospital Ship Asvini, the Navy’s premier medical facility in Mumbai. He subsequently served as Senior Consultant Medicine at the same institution.
Before his current appointment, Hande held the rank of Vice Admiral and served as Director General (Organisation and Personnel) in the office of the Director General Armed Forces Medical Services. That role involved coordinating personnel policies and organisational matters across the medical services of all three defence branches. His elevation to the Air Force’s top medical post follows that administrative tenure.
The DGMS (Air) position carries responsibility for the health infrastructure serving approximately 1.4 lakh active Air Force personnel, along with their dependants and retired personnel. The role involves oversight of Air Force hospitals, medical units at air bases and aeromedical evacuation capabilities. The DGMS (Air) reports to the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Training Command and works in coordination with the Director General Armed Forces Medical Services on tri-service medical matters.
Hande’s cross-service career is unusual in the Indian military. While the Armed Forces Medical Services is a unified cadre that can post officers to any of the three services, most officers spend the bulk of their careers within one branch. His trajectory through Navy command and Army-level tri-service coordination before assuming the Air Force’s top medical position reflects the integrated approach that defence planners have sought to promote across the services.
The appointment comes as the defence forces continue efforts to modernise military healthcare infrastructure. Recent years have seen investments in telemedicine capabilities, upgraded diagnostic equipment at service hospitals and expanded mental health services for personnel. The DGMS (Air) will be responsible for implementing these initiatives within the Air Force’s medical establishment.
Your Questions, Answered
What is the DGMS (Air) role?
The Director General Medical Services (Air) is the senior-most medical officer in the Indian Air Force, responsible for healthcare policy, military hospitals and medical readiness for air force personnel.
Who is Air Marshal Vivek Hande?
Air Marshal Vivek Hande is a gastroenterologist who has served in medical leadership positions across the Army, Navy and Air Force. He previously commanded Indian Naval Hospital Ship Asvini and served as DG (Organisation and Personnel) in the tri-service medical office.
What does permanent secondment mean in the military?
Permanent secondment is a transfer arrangement where an officer from one defence service takes up a position in another service while retaining their original service identity and affiliation.
When did Air Marshal Hande take charge as DGMS (Air)?
Air Marshal Vivek Hande took charge as Director General Medical Services (Air) on 1 September 2026.
