National Florence Nightingale Awards 2026
Why in News?
The National Florence Nightingale Awards 2026 are prominently in the news because the President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, officially conferred the prestigious awards upon 15 outstanding nursing professionals on May 12, 2026. The ceremony was hosted at the Ganatantra Mandap within Rashtrapati Bhavan to honour extraordinary public health service.
Award Structure & Components
- The Bounty: Each of the 15 selected healthcare workers received an official Certificate of Merit, a ceremonial medal, and a financial cash prize of ₹1,000,000 (one lakh rupees).
- Eligible Professional Roles: The honours are structurally distributed across four specific nursing layers:
- Registered Nurses
- Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs)
- Midwives
- Lady Health Visitors (LHVs)
- Institutional Scope: Candidates are pooled universally across Central Government facilities, State Governments, Union Territories, and voluntary charitable organizations.
Prominent 2026 Award Recipients & Achievements
- Aysha Beebi K (Lakshadweep): Honoured for successfully administering an emergency midnight childbirth delivery on a completely isolated, remote island, saving both the mother and newborn.
- Kulwinder Parhi (Ladakh): Awarded for close to 30 years of uninterrupted healthcare service in freezing high-altitude terrain, treating both military troops and local populations under sub-zero weather conditions.
- Major General Lissamma PV: The Additional Director General of the Military Nursing Service (ADGMNS) was recognized for close to 40 years of exemplary military nursing leadership and field service.
- Dr. Sharwan Kumar Dhaka (Delhi): Honoured for orchestrating widespread public health outreach and administering localized vaccine drives across heavily underserved urban communities.
- Kamlesh Parmar (Gujarat): A male nurse at SSG Government Medical College Hospital, Vadodara, awarded for voluntary humanitarian support and mass casualty relief work during regional earthquakes and floods.
Background of the Award
- Founding Year: The accolade was originally instituted in 1973 by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
- Core Objective: It remains the absolute highest national honour available to a nursing professional in India, aimed at recognizing meritorious service, compassion, and systemic strengthening of the country's public health grid.
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