Group Captain Dr. Jiveksha Wagle (Retd)
By John Aguiar
Group Captain Dr. Jiveksha Wagle was born in Margao to Guiri Prabhudessai, an Advocate and to Sharad Prabhudessai, a primary school teacher, on 03 Jan 1968. After her schooling in Bhatikar High School and pre university at Chowgule College, she joined the 85th Batch in Goa Medical College.
She got married to Sandesh Wagle a combat helicopter pilot in the IAF in 1991. She joined the Army Medical Corps as a Medical Officer and was selected for the Indian Air Force. She was commissioned by the President of India on 13 Jul 1992 as a Flight Lieutenant in the IAF.
In her service of over 31 years, she was posted all over India from the deserts of Rajasthan, to the Nicobar Islands as well as to the southern and eastern parts of India. She received specialised training in Aviation Medicine and was given the onerous responsibilities of the Senior Medical Officer of various combat Air Force Bases around the country.
Her daughter is an ophthalmologist based in Delhi pursuing super specialisation and her son is working in the US after completing his MS in Computer Sciences at New York University.
On being selected as a Group Captain (equivalent of a Colonel in the Army), she was based in New Delhi and performed the highly responsible role of the Advisor to the IAF and to the Ministry of Defence on medical matters of Airmen Selection and thereafter on matters of medical fitness for promotion and also for deciding physical and medical disability during discharge and during the Medical Boards of Airmen and Non-Combatants of the IAF.
For her dedication and devotion to duty, she was awarded the Commendation of the Chief of the Air Staff. On the retirement of her husband Air Marshal Sandesh Wagle from the IAF, she took premature retirement in 2023 and has now returned to her roots in Margao to settle down.
Her husband is a retired Air Marshal of the IAF and a recipient of the Param Vishishth Seva Medal from the President of India, her daughter is an ophthalmologist based in Delhi and her son is pursuing his MS in Computer Sciences at New York University.
In a message to Goans , Group Captain Wagle said, joining the Armed Forces as a doctor is more than a job; it's a life of discipline, continuous learning, and immense personal growth. You will serve in challenging and diverse environments, developing unique skills and a resilient spirit that is invaluable both professionally and personally.
While we doctors are committed to healing, in the Armed Forces, our role extends to serving at the front lines, in times of peace and war. This is a chance to combine your passion for medicine with the fierce love for your country. Your skills will be crucial in protecting the health and well-being of our soldiers and their families.
Remember, bravery is not the absence of fear, but action in the face of it. You will encounter situations where you must be strong, both for your patients and for your comrades. Be prepared to rise to the occasion, and know that your courage will make a profound difference she said.
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