On Oct 23, 2023, Air Marshal Sadhna Saxena Nair made history by assuming the role of Director General Hospital Services (Armed Forces) at the DGAFMS office, becoming the first woman to hold the position upon promotion to the rank of Air Marshal. Prior to this appointment, Before this appointment, the Air Officer served as the Principal Medical Officer (PMO) at HQ Training Command (Air Force) in Bangalore.
Air Marshal Sadhna S Nair, a graduate of the Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, was commissioned into the Indian Air Force in December 1985. She holds a Post Graduate degree in Family Medicine and has completed a two-year training program in Medical Informatics at AIIMS, New Delhi.
Additionally, she received training in CBRN Warfare with the Israeli Defence Forces and in Military Medical Ethics in Switzerland. Notably, she holds the distinction of being the first and only woman to serve as the Principal Medical Officer of both Western Air Command and Training Command.
In recognition of her exceptional service, she has been honored with the AOC-in-C (WAC) and CAS Commendations, along with the Vishisht Seva Medal bestowed by the President of India. Notably, her family has a long-standing tradition of serving in the Indian Air Force, spanning three generations over the past seven decades.
