- 37 years of clinical, academic and command experience converge as Honwad returns to AFMC as Director & Commandant
- AFMC alumnus of 1989, Honwad brings frontline medical leadership from Naval Headquarters, INHS Asvini and INHS Sanjivani
- VSM recipient recognised for distinguished service and patient care, with multiple Naval commendations
- Neuro-anaesthesiology, critical care and healthcare simulation expertise add depth to military medical education and training
NE DEFENCE BUREAU
PUNE, SEPT 1
Thirty-seven years after walking out of the Armed Forces Medical College as a young doctor, Surgeon Vice Admiral Manish Honwad, VSM, returned to the institution today not as a student—but as the officer entrusted with leading it.
Surgeon Vice Admiral Manish Honwad, VSM, assumed charge as Director and Commandant of the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune, today, bringing to the country’s premier military medical institution more than three decades of experience spanning clinical medicine, medical education, healthcare administration and senior naval medical command.
His appointment carries a distinctive significance: an alumnus who completed his MBBS from AFMC in 1989 now returns to lead the very institution where his military medical journey began.
From AFMC classrooms to the highest levels of Naval Medical Command
After completing his MBBS at AFMC, Honwad pursued his MD in Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine from the same institution in 1998.
He subsequently undertook advanced specialisation as a WHO Fellow in Neuro-Anaesthesiology at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru.
His academic credentials also extend beyond medicine. He is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi, where he was awarded an M.Phil in Public Administration, adding a public-policy and administrative dimension to his medical leadership.
Over a career spanning more than 37 years, he has held a series of key academic, clinical and administrative appointments, including Additional Director General Medical Services (Navy) at Naval Headquarters, as well as Commanding Officer of INHS Sanjivani and INHS Asvini.
His elevation to Director and Commandant of AFMC brings together these diverse strands of military medical leadership at one of India’s most important institutions for training healthcare professionals for the Armed Forces.
Medicine, military leadership and the science of simulation
Beyond conventional clinical and administrative responsibilities, Honwad has developed significant expertise in healthcare simulation, an increasingly important component of modern medical education and patient-safety training.
He is a Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSIH), USA, and has served as an international speaker on healthcare simulation at national and international conferences.
His experience in anaesthesiology, critical care and simulation is particularly relevant to military medicine, where healthcare professionals must be prepared to make rapid, high-stakes clinical decisions under demanding operational conditions.
At AFMC, such expertise can contribute to strengthening the institution’s continuing emphasis on advanced medical education, simulation-based training, clinical excellence and preparedness for emerging healthcare challenges.
VSM recognition caps a distinguished service record
Honwad’s contribution to military medicine and patient care has earned him several professional and service recognitions.
He was conferred the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) in 2025 in recognition of his distinguished service.
He has also received Chief of Naval Staff Commendations in 2006 and 2013, besides Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (South) Commendation in 2007 and Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (West) Commendation in 2011.
The honours reflect a career that has combined medical expertise with institutional leadership and service responsibilities across the Armed Forces Medical Services.
A new chapter for AFMC under an Alumnus-Commandant
As Director and Commandant, Surgeon Vice Admiral Honwad will now lead an institution that occupies a unique position at the intersection of medical education, military healthcare, research, clinical training and national defence preparedness.
His own journey—from an AFMC medical student in 1989 to its Director and Commandant more than three decades later—adds an unusual personal dimension to the appointment.
The Armed Forces Medical Services leadership conveyed its best wishes to the Flag Officer for a successful tenure, with the Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) extending greetings on behalf of all ranks.
For AFMC, the appointment marks more than a change at the top. It is the return of one of its own to lead the institution that shaped his medical and military career—this time with 37 years of experience to shape the next generation.
