UK’s Agimol Pradeep Wins Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2026 and USD 250,000 Prize
Selected from over 134,000 registrations across 214 countries and economies; award recognises her work in transplantation, organ donation and nursing advocacy
POSTED BY:- Poonam S. Juthani
DT:-16/09/2026
9867490397
Mumbai/Kochi: Nurse Agimol Pradeep from the United Kingdom has been named the winner of the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2026, receiving the prestigious USD 250,000 prize at a ceremony held in Kochi, India. She emerged as the winner from more than 134,000 registrations received from 214 countries and economies worldwide.
Dr Agimol Pradeep serves as Senior Transplant Coordinator at King’s College Hospital and Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Salford, UK. Her work has focused extensively on transplantation and increasing awareness around organ and stem-cell donation, particularly among minority and South Asian communities.
The award was presented to Dr Pradeep by Shri V. D. Satheesan, along with Dr. Azad Moopen, Founder & Executive Chairman, Aster DM Quality Care Ltd; Alisha Moopen, Executive Director, Aster DM Quality Care Ltd; T.J. Wilson, Director, Aster DM Quality Care; and Varun Khanna, Managing Director and Group CEO, Aster DM Quality Care Ltd.
Since its launch in 2021, the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award has developed into an international platform recognising nurses who are advancing the profession and creating meaningful change within healthcare and their communities. The 2026 edition received more than 134,000 registrations from 214 countries and economies, highlighting the diversity and global reach of the nursing profession.
The ceremony also featured a special message from Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization. He congratulated the finalists and acknowledged the role of the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award in celebrating nurses and recognising their contributions to healthcare worldwide.
Commenting on receiving the award, Dr Agimol Pradeep said, “Winning the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award is an extraordinary honour, but more importantly, it gives me an opportunity to take a lifetime of work further. 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 added that half of the prize money would support Upahaar and her mission to expand organ and stem-cell donation, particularly for patients with organ failure and blood cancers. She also intends to invest in nursing education and training while empowering nurses to become advocates and changemakers.
“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,” Dr Pradeep said.
Congratulating the winner, Dr. Azad Moopen, Founder & Executive Chairman, Aster DM Quality Care Ltd., said, “Nursing is among the world’s most noble, respected and consequential professions, reaching across borders and transforming millions of lives every day. This year, more than 134,000 nurses from around the world shared their stories, reflecting the extraordinary scale, dedication and global impact of nursing.”
He said Dr Pradeep’s achievement reflected the expertise, courage, compassion and commitment that the award seeks to recognise. He also acknowledged the work of the other finalists, noting that their leadership, innovation and service are contributing to the evolution of healthcare and the nursing profession globally.
“We are immensely proud to celebrate Dr Agimol Pradeep as this year’s winner and to honour all our finalists, whose leadership, innovation and service are helping shape the future of healthcare and redefine the possibilities of nursing,” Dr Moopen added.
Alisha Moopen, Executive Director, Aster DM Quality Care Ltd., said, “The most inspiring part of the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award is discovering the extraordinary work happening in places and communities that the world may not always see. Nurse Agimol has shown us that meaningful change can begin anywhere through a single nurse determined to solve a problem.”
She highlighted Dr Pradeep’s work in transplantation and organ donation within the UK’s South Asian community, describing it as an example for others to follow. She added that the stories of the top 10 finalists demonstrate how nurses are not only essential to healthcare delivery but are also actively shaping how healthcare evolves.
“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,” Alisha Moopen said.
The 2026 award reinforces the growing recognition of nurses not only as caregivers but also as educators, innovators, advocates and leaders capable of driving systemic change. Through the global platform, Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award continues to spotlight nursing professionals whose work is creating an impact across healthcare systems and communities worldwide.
For Dr Agimol Pradeep, the recognition provides an opportunity to further expand initiatives in organ and stem-cell donation, nursing education and community advocacy, while bringing greater global attention to the role nurses can play in transforming healthcare.
