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Pune: Lieutenant General Sandeep Thareja, SM, VSM, relinquished the command of the Armed Forces Medical College on 02 Feb 2025. The General Officer will be assuming the prestigious appointment of Director General Medical Services (Air) on secondment to Air Force in the rank of Air Marshal.
Throughout an illustrious career spanning over 38 years, the General Officer has held a series of distinguished academic, clinical, and administrative appointments, leaving an indelible mark on the field of military medicine. His vast experience includes serving as a Medical Specialist with the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), and holding key roles such as Senior Advisor (Medicine) & Gastroenterology at Base Hospital Delhi Cantt, Command Hospital (Western Command), and Army Hospital Research & Referral, New Delhi. Additionally, he served as Senior Consultant (Medicine) at the Office of the Director General, Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS), contributing significantly to policy formulation and medical advancements.
His exemplary administrative acumen was evident in multiple leadership roles, including Commandant of 167 Military Hospital, Brigadier IC Administration & Commander Troops at Base Hospital Delhi Cantt, and Commandant of Command Hospital (Central Command). Notably, during his tenure as Brigadier IC Administration & Commander Troops at Base Hospital Delhi Cantt amid the COVID-19 pandemic, he played a pivotal role in orchestrating exceptional healthcare services, navigating complex administrative challenges, and ensuring seamless crisis management.
As Commandant, Command Hospital (Central Command), his dynamic leadership was instrumental in the expedited preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for a new Command Hospital, accomplishing this significant milestone in record time.
In his capacity as Senior Consultant (Medicine), he spearheaded several transformative initiatives, including the Armed Forces Cancer Registry, formulation of the Guide to Medical Officers, the Disability Pension Board, the Agniveer Medical Policy, and the development of a Common Tri-Service Medical Classification for Disabilities. His contributions extended to cutting-edge medical advancements, such as Biosensors, Performance Audits of Military Hospitals, and Genomic Sequencing in the Armed Forces, further solidifying his legacy as a visionary leader in military healthcare.
During his tenure as Commandant of AFMC, the institution strived for excellence in academics, innovations, collaborative translational research and extracurricular activities. In a brief span of six months under his leadership AFMC witnessed addition of numerous superlative facilities for cadets, personnel and officers. He took a keen interest in promotion and co-ordination of clinical and operational research in areas related to biomedical and medical professions and education through development of infrastructure, manpower and skills in cutting edge areas.
Under his able leadership the newly established Dept of Medical Research got a fillip with consolidation, reorganization and addition of various research facilities in the institution. Establishment of a regional resource center for Health Technology Assessment funded by Dept of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in Sep 2024 enhanced the capability of AFMC for implementation research and health economics. The DHR-ICMR Advanced Molecular Oncology Diagnostic Services (DIAMOnDS) was established in AFMC in Jan 2025. Alongside an inhouse Next Generation Sequencing facility, this puts AFMC at the forefront of clinical oncology and genomics in the country.
An ecosystem of innovation and extramural collaborations was actively promoted which led to AFMC being short listed to be an ICMR Center for Advanced Research for Biomedical Devices. Faculty from the institution participated in ICMR First-in-World Challenge and AFMC actively contributed to development of an IPR policy for the AFMS. AFMC was selected to participate and coordinate problem statements launched by the Defence Innovation Organization under the IDEX Defence India Start-up Challenge (DISC) edition Medical Innovations and Research Advancement (MIRA), targeting the critical medical challenges faced by the Armed Forces while leveraging the unique strengths and expertise of AFMS to foster cutting-edge advancements in healthcare. Inception of pioneering initiatives like SMART Classroom to enhance postgraduate teaching, photogrammimetric 3D modelling and AR/VR based training, Smart Ward, innovations in numerous clinical departments like Surgery, Dermatology, Ophthalmology and Dental Sciences were other notable value additions under his visionary leadership.
ARMEDiCON 2025, the 73rd Armed Forces Medical Conference was successfully organized under his patronage showcasing technological innovations such as medical logistics drones, Multiutility Utility Legged Equipment ‘Sanjay’, Yodharakshak challenge, Undergraduate research, patient safety and soft skills panel discussions…make this news
