
PUNE, 05 Feb: Lieutenant General Pankaj P Rao assumed the appointment of Director and Commandant of Armed Forces Medical College, Pune on 03 Feb 2025. An alumnus of AFMC, Pune, the General Officer was commissioned into the Indian Army in 1987. The General Officer completed MS in General Surgery from AFMC, Pune in 1995 followed by Fellowship in GI Surgery in 2004 from AIIMS, New Delhi and a fellowship in Liver Transplantation in 2012 from Medanta Hospital, New Delhi.
In an exemplary career spanning over 38 years, the General Officer has held prestigious academic, clinical, and administrative appointments including that of Surgical Specialist at HQ, IMTRAT, Bhutan, Senior Advisor Surgery at Army Hospital, (Research & Referral), New Delhi, and Command Hospital, Pune, Professor & HoD, Department of Surgery, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune and Commandant, Military Hospital, Wellington.
On promotion as a Major General, he commanded Command Hospital, Central Command, where under his visionary guidance the hospital was awarded the first runners-up award in the Raksha Mantari Trophy.
Prior to his current appointment, the General Officer served as Senior Consultant (Surgery) at the Office of the Director General Armed Forces Medical Services, New Delhi, where he played a key role in shaping critical healthcare policies. His contributions were instrumental in the revision of the Combat Casualty Care doctrine, with a particular focus on enhancing training methodologies and refining course content. Additionally, he spearheaded efforts to bolster organ donation within the Armed Forces and was pivotal in restructuring the formats for Annual Specialist Returns.
An ardent educator, he has mentored numerous postgraduate and super-specialty students. His commitment to medical research is reflected in over 60 scientific publications featured in prestigious international and national indexed medical journals. He has also successfully led multiple research projects under the Armed Forces Medical Research Committee (AFMRC). His scholarly contributions have been recognized with esteemed accolades, including the Chief of Air Staff Best Paper Award in 2015 and the Best Research Paper Award at AFMRC 2016.
Among his many professional milestones, the General Officer holds the distinct honor of successfully leading the liver transplant team during his tenure as Senior Advisor (Surgery) at Army Hospital (R&R), New Delhi.
In recognition of his unwavering dedication and exceptional service, he was conferred with the Chief of Army Staff Commendation in 2001. His professional excellence has been further acknowledged through numerous orations, awards, and commendations by esteemed academic societies and conferences.
Lt Gen PP Rao’s extensive experience and leadership are set to further enhance AFMC, Pune’s legacy of excellence in medical education, research, and healthcare delivery.