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Madhuri Kanitkar Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 5, 2026 • 3 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth15 October 1960

Age60 (as of 2020)

BirthplaceDharwad, Karnataka

ProfessionArmy Officer

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseRajeev Kanitkar

FamilySon: Nikhil Kanitkar; Daughter: Vibhuti Kanitkar

Madhuri Kanitkar Biography

Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Madhuri Kanitkar is a senior medical officer in the Indian Army who in 2020 became the third woman in the Indian Armed Forces to be promoted

Early life and background
Madhuri Kanitkar was born on 15 October 1960 in Dharwad, Karnataka. She grew up in a family with a strong medical tradition; her grandparents were doctors, an influence that led her to pursue medicine herself. Kanitkar joined the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) in Pune in 1978 and went on to complete an MBBS followed by a Doctor of Medicine (MD) in Pediatrics. She also received specialized training in pediatric nephrology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, and completed fellowships at the National University Hospital in Singapore and Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.

Career
Kanitkar’s career has been entirely within the Indian Army’s medical services. She was commissioned in 1983 and has served continuously since then. Over decades of service she progressed from teaching roles at AFMC—serving as associate professor, professor and eventually Head of the Department of Pediatrics—to academic duties at the Army College of Medical Sciences. She established the Army Medical Corps’ first pediatric nephrology service and served as President of the Indian Society of Pediatric Nephrology.

Her operational experience includes a posting to Pathankot in 1999 during which she was called back to service for the Kargil War. In addition to her institutional responsibilities, Kanitkar has held senior leadership positions: she was appointed Dean and Deputy Commandant of the Armed Forces Medical College on 28 January 2017 and later served as Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Medical) under the Chief of Defence Staff.

On 29 February 2020 she was promoted to the three-star rank of Lieutenant General, becoming the third woman in the Indian Armed Forces to reach that level. She is the first woman pediatrician in the Army Medical Services to attain this rank. Her promotion marked a notable milestone in the service’s history.

Honors and recognition
Throughout her service Kanitkar has received multiple decorations and commendations. She was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2014 and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2018. She has also received a General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Commendation Card and five Chief of the Army Staff Commendation Cards. During her training years she was recognized with the President’s Gold Medal for standing first in her AFMC batch.

Public profile
Kanitkar and her husband, Rajeev Kanitkar, are both retired lieutenant generals and are noted as the first couple in the Indian Armed Forces to each achieve three-star rank. Rajeev Kanitkar served as Quartermaster General before retirement. They married on 16 November 1982 and have two children: a son, Nikhil Kanitkar, and a daughter, Vibhuti Kanitkar.

Her public profile broadened in 2020 when she appeared on the cover of Femina magazine’s August issue alongside other prominent Indian women. Outside her professional life she maintains an active lifestyle, enjoying golf and horse-riding, and is able to run 10 km at a slow pace. She is also a member of the Prime Minister’s STIAC (S&T) Innovation Advisory Committee.

Latest updates
As of 2020 Kanitkar had completed more than 37 years of service in the Indian Army and was serving as Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Medical). Her promotion to lieutenant general was confirmed in February 2020. She continues to be recognized for both her clinical contributions to pediatric nephrology in military medicine and her leadership roles within military medical education and administration.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Madhuri Kanitkar, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded
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Recent Work

Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Medical)

Served as Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Medical) under the Chief of Defence Staff; senior three-star appointment in the Indian Armed Forces.

2020
Dean and Deputy Commandant, Armed Forces Medical College

Appointed Dean and Deputy Commandant of AFMC, Pune.

2017
Established Pediatric Nephrology Service, Army Medical Corps

Founded the first pediatric nephrology service within the Army Medical Corps and led the Indian Society of Pediatric Nephrology as president.

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Career Highlights

  1. Commissioned into the Indian Army in 1983 and more than 37 years of service by 2020
  2. Promoted to Lieutenant General on 29 February 2020, the third woman in the Indian Armed Forces to reach a three-star rank
  3. Dean and Deputy Commandant of the Armed Forces Medical College (appointed 28 January 2017)
  4. Established the Army Medical Corps’ first pediatric nephrology service and served as President of the Indian Society of Pediatric Nephrology
  5. Recipient of Vishisht Seva Medal (2014) and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (2018)
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Madhuri Kanitkar born?

Madhuri Kanitkar was born on 15 October 1960.

What is Madhuri Kanitkar known for?

Madhuri Kanitkar is known for army Officer.

What is Madhuri Kanitkar’s marital status?

Madhuri Kanitkar's marital status is listed as Married.

Who is Madhuri Kanitkar married to?

Madhuri Kanitkar is publicly listed as married to Rajeev Kanitkar.