Dr. V. K. Sashindran assumed office as Dean of Symbiosis Medical College for Women and Symbiosis University Hospital and Research Centre on 4 August 2025. He is an alumnus of the Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, where he did his MBBS (1986) and MD in General Medicine (1993), Pune University, followed by a DNB in General Medicine (1995). He was awarded an NIH-Fogarty Fellowship in Advanced AIDS Research at UCLA (2004–06) and completed an M.Sc. in Infectious Diseases at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (2007).

Over a 35-year career in the Indian Air Force, Dr. Sashindran served as Staff Surgeon to the Chief of Air Staff, Principal Medical Officer of the Central Air Command in Prayagraj, and Air Officer Commanding of the 7 Air Force Hospital in Kanpur.

At AFMC, Pune, he was Professor and Head of Internal Medicine. He also established the first Geriatric Medicine unit and introduced multidisciplinary teaching models. Transitioning to civilian academia, he directed postgraduate studies at KS Hegde Medical Academy, NITTE University, and served as Dean of DY Patil School of Medicine, Navi Mumbai.

As principal investigator or co-investigator on more than a dozen externally funded studies, Dr. Sashindran leads research on accelerated ageing in prediabetes, sarcopenia, assessment via point-of-care diagnostics and digital therapeutics in palliative care. He has authored over 150 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters and conference presentations on HIV–TB co-infection, immunosenescence, metabolic complications of antiretroviral therapy, geriatric frailty, polypharmacy, and community-based WASH and child-nutrition interventions.

His distinguished service has been honoured with the Vishisht Seva Medal for Distinguished Service (2018), two Chief of the Air Staff Commendation Medals (2009, 2013) and Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh (2019). He contributed to National Health Policy by being a member of the TRG for Adult & Adolescent Anti-Retroviral Therapy Guidelines forecasting committee of the National AIDS Control Organisation and by being a member of Drug Forecasting Committee of the National AIDS Control Organisation. A life member of multiple professional societies, he is an avid mountaineer and certified outdoor leader (NOLS, USA) with expeditions across the Himalaya, Karakoram, Atlas and Alps, and a dedicated philatelist specializing in mountain-themed stamps.