The Ministry of Defence has announced that Surgeon Vice Admiral Manish Honwad, VSM, has taken charge as Director and Commandant of the Armed Forces Medical College, Pune. The appointment came into effect on 1 September 2026. This institutional leadership position oversees one of India’s premier defence medical training establishments.
Background and Qualifications
Surgeon Vice Admiral Honwad completed his MBBS from the Armed Forces Medical College in 1989. He later obtained an MD in Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine from the same institution in 1998. He holds a WHO fellowship in Neuro-Anesthesiology from the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, and an M.Phil in Public Administration from the Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi.
The Flag Officer brings over 37 years of service experience to the role. His previous postings include serving as Additional Director General Medical Services (Navy) at Naval Headquarters, commanding officer of INHS Sanjivani and INHS Asvini, and other academic and clinical positions across the armed forces medical services.
Surgeon Vice Admiral Honwad is a Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator recognised by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSIH), USA, and has presented on healthcare simulation topics at national and international conferences.
Honours and Recognition
In recognition of his professional contributions, he was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2025. Earlier in his career, he received the Chief of Naval Staff Commendation on two occasions—in 2006 and 2013—along with commendations from Flag Officers Commanding-in-Chief (South) in 2007 and (West) in 2011.
What this means for you
If you are a defence services aspirant seeking admission to Armed Forces Medical College or a patient accessing its teaching hospital, this leadership change brings experience in both clinical practice and healthcare administration to the institution. The college trains medical professionals for the armed forces and remains one of India’s top medical education centres, so this appointment reflects the ministry’s commitment to maintaining institutional quality and standards.