A nurse from the UK has won a $250,000 prize after being selected as the winner of a global nursing award.
Dr Agimol Pradeep was named as the winner of the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2026, at a ceremony held in Kochi, India.
Dr Pradeep is a senior transplant co-ordinator at King’s College Hospital and honorary senior lecturer at the University of Salford near Manchester, England.
She co-founded the Upahaar initiative to help address donor shortages for South Asian patients, for which she saw a desperate need. Since starting the project, more than 10,000 stem-cell donors have registered.
“I have seen how a shortage of ethnically matched donors can leave patients from minority communities waiting longer for a life-saving transplant, and I have seen how systemic barriers can prevent highly skilled nurses from returning to the profession,” she said. “I want to use this award to turn those experiences into even greater action.”
The monetary prize will be split between supporting Upahaar's goals and investing in nursing education and empowerment.
“Half of the prize will support Upahaar and my mission to give more patients with organ failure and blood cancers a chance at life, by expanding organ and stem-cell donation and taking this work to communities and countries where it is most needed,” she said.
The mission to raise awareness for organ donation is only the beginning. She believes there is more work to be done in other communities.
“If this award can help us change systems, mobilise communities and give thousands of more people a chance at life, that is the legacy I would want it to create,” the winner said.
Dr Pradeep's impact can be seen beyond just her job. “Nurse Agimol Pradeep’s achievement embodies the expertise, courage, compassion and unwavering commitment that define exceptional nursing,” said Dr Azad Moopen, founder chairman of Aster DM Healthcare. “These are the qualities at the heart of the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award, which was established to recognise and elevate the vital contributions of nurses worldwide.”
What is the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2026?
The award is Aster DM Healthcare's recognition of nurses who go above and beyond in serving their patients. Since 2021, it has been celebrating excellence in the field.
“As the award grows, our responsibility is to ensure these stories travel further, inspire more people and contribute to a stronger global appreciation of the nursing profession.” said Alisha Moopen, managing director and group chief executive of Aster DM Healthcare.
There were 10 finalists from around the world who made the shortlist through the selection process.
Last year, Naomi Oyoe Ohene Oti from Ghana won the award, which was presented to her by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, in Dubai.
