President Droupadi Murmu on Monday conferred the National Florence Nightingale Awards 2026 on nursing personnel at Rashtrapati Bhavan to mark International Nurses Day and recognise exceptional service by nursing professionals across the country.
Union Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda was also present at the ceremony.
Instituted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the National Florence Nightingale Award, however, honours the dedication, compassion and resilience associated with the nursing profession.
The awardees this year include Sub Inspector Kulwinder Parhi from Leh, Ujwala Mahadev Soyam from Maharashtra, Lalenthangi Hnamte from Mizoram, Madhu Mala Gurung from Sikkim, Pooka Parmar Rana from Uttarakhand, Gita Karmakar from West Bengal, Poonam Verma from Chandigarh, Deepa Biju from Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Sharwan Kumar Dhaka from Delhi, Raksha Rupo Parvatkar from Goa, Kabitha Jagannath from Karnataka, Manjumol VS from Kerala, Aysha Beebu K from Lakshadweep, Dr R Shankar Shanumugam from Tamil Nadu and Maj Gen Lissamma PV from the Indian Army.
The awards recognise Registered Nurses, Midwives, Auxiliary Nurse Midwives and Lady Health Visitors serving under the Central and State Governments, Union Territories and voluntary organisations.
Each award, however, carries a Certificate of Merit, a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh and a medal recognising the contribution of nursing professionals to the healthcare sector.
International Nurses Day is observed annually to acknowledge the role of nurses in hospitals, clinics, emergency care and community healthcare systems worldwide. The day, however, commemorates the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale, whose work laid the foundation for modern nursing practices.
This year’s theme, ‘Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives’ highlights the need for safer working conditions, improved opportunities and stronger institutional support for nurses to enhance healthcare outcomes.
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