Lt. General Sadhna Saxena Nair Age, Husband, Family, Biography

Bio/Wiki
Profession	Military Doctor
Famous For	Being the first woman to be appointed as the Director of General Medical Services (Army)
Physical Stats
Height (approx.)	5' 5" (165 cm)
Eye Colour	Black
Hair Colour	Black
Military Career
Service/Branch	Indian Army, Indian Air Force
Rank	Lieutenant General (Indian Army)
Corps	Army Medical Corps
Service Years	26 December 1985- Present
Service Number	18197 MED MS-11842|MR-05977
Career Ranks	• 03 December 1986- Flight Lieutenant • 05 December 1991- Squadron Leader • 14 January 2000- Wing Commander • 23 January 2009- Acting Group Captain • 01 January 2009- Group Captain • 21 July 2015- Acting Air Commodore • 4 June 2015- Air Commodore • 25 January 2021- Acting Air Vice Marshal • 24 December 2020- Air Vice Marshal • 23 Oct 2023- Acting Air Marshal
Military Decorations	• Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Western Air Command (2001) • Chief of the Air Staff Commendations (2006) • Vishisht Seva Medal by the President of India (26 January 2013)
Personal Life
Signature
Nationality	Indian
School(s)	• St Mary's Convent School, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh • Loreto Convent School, Lucknow Note: She also attended different schools in Assam, Gorakhpur, Kanpur, and Chandigarh.
College/University	Armed Forces Medical College, Pune
Educational Qualification(s)	• MBBS • Postgraduation in Family Medicine • Diplomas in Maternal and Child Health and Health Care Management
Religion	Hinduism
Relationships & More
Marital Status	Married
Family
Husband/Spouse	Karath Padmadass Nair (Retd. Air Marshal)
Children	Son- Fighter Pilot (Flight Lieutenant) in the Air Force
Parents	Father- Military Doctor
Siblings	Brother- Military Doctor

Some Lesser Known Facts About Sadhna Saxena Nair

• Sadhna Saxena Nair grew up in a family with a military background. Since the 1950’s, three generations of her family have served in the Indian armed forces.

• Sadhna was commissioned into the Indian armed forces (Army Medical Corps) on 26 December 1985.

• A year later, she was transferred to the Indian Air Force.
  

  An old image of Sadhna Saxena Nair

• Meanwhile, she pursued her post-graduation.

• After completing her formal education, Sadhna took a two-year training in medical informatics at AIIMS, New Delhi.

• She also trained in CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear) warfare with the Israeli Defence Forces and in military medical ethics with the Swiss Armed Forces in Spiez, Switzerland.

• Sadhna has authored two studies- Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity in School Going Children in an Air Force Camp in New Delhi and Response of Patients and OPD Registration Staff of a Multispecialty Government Hospital to computerisation of OPD Registration.

• In 2019, Sadhna Saxenawas nominated as an expert member of Dr Kasturirangan Committee for drafting a part of the medical education component of the National Education Policy.

• In 2023, she became the second woman officer to become Air Marshal, after Air Marshal Padma Bandopadhyay. After Sadhna was promoted to the rank of Air Marshal, she was appointed as the DG Hospital Services (Armed Forces), becoming the first woman to hold the post.
  

  Sadhna Saxena Nair as Air Marshal

• Lt General Sadhna Nair is the first woman principal medical officer of Western Air Command, Indian Air Force (IAF), and Training Command, Indian Air Force.
  

  Sadhna Saxena Nair at a command hospital

• In 2024, Saxena became the first woman to be appointed as the Director of General Medical Services (Army).
  

  Sadhna Saxena Nair being welcomed as the Director of General Medical Services (Army)

• Lt. General Sadhna has served as a Senior Medical Officer (SMO) of three different stations including Air Force Station, Pune. The SMCs that she headed have been declared ‘Best SMC’ of Command on several occasions.

• Sadhna Saxena’s husband, K. P. Nair, is a native of Ottapalam Vaniyamkulam, Palakkad, who retired in 2015 as the Director General of Inspection and Flight Safety of the Air Force.

• Sadhana Saxena and KP Nair are the first air marshal couple in the Air Force.