Lt. Gen. Sadhana Saxena Nair: First woman to head Army medical services

NEW DELHI: For the first time, a woman is leading the medical service of the Indian Army. Lt. Gen. Sadhana Saxena Nair has assumed the role of Director General of Army Medical Services. She is the first woman to serve as the Director General Hospital Services (Armed Forces) and the first woman to be the Principal Medical Officer of the Western Air Command.

Lt. Gen. Sadhana graduated with excellent academic records from the Armed Forces Medical College in Pune. She joined the Army Medical Corps in 1985 and transferred to the Air Force in 1986. Her first assignment was as a Flight Lieutenant. She has been awarded the Vishishtha Seva Medal for her meritorious service and is the second woman to attain the rank of Air Marshal. Previously, she was the Principal Medical Officer at the Air Force Training Command Headquarters in Bangalore.

Lt. Gen. Sadhana comes from a family with three generations of army personnel. She is responsible for the health of 1.2 million soldiers. Her husband is retired Air Marshal KP Nair.