Surgeon Vice Admiral Manish Honwad, VSM, has assumed charge as the new Director and Commandant of the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune, bringing more than 37 years of experience in military medicine, healthcare administration, academics and clinical care.
An alumnus of AFMC, Vice Admiral Honwad completed his MBBS from the institution in 1989, followed by an MD in Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine in 1998. He also underwent specialised training in Neuro-Anaesthesiology as a WHO Fellow at NIMHANS, Bengaluru, and holds an M.Phil in Public Administration from the Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi.
Over the course of his distinguished service, he has held several key leadership positions, including Additional Director General Medical Services (Navy) at Naval Headquarters and Commanding Officer of INHS Sanjivani and INHS Asvini.
With a strong focus on healthcare education and simulation-based learning, Vice Admiral Honwad is a Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare, USA. He has also represented the field of healthcare simulation at national and international conferences.
His contributions to patient care and military medical services have earned him several honours, including the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2025 and multiple commendations from senior naval commands.
His appointment comes as AFMC continues its role as a premier institution for medical education, training and research for the Armed Forces Medical Services. The Directorate General Armed Forces Medical Services has conveyed its best wishes to him for a successful tenure.
