Dubai, September 16, 2026 : Nurse Agimol Pradeep from the United Kingdom has been named the
Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2026 winner, emerging from more than 134,000 registrations
across 214 countries and economies. She is a Senior Transplant Coordinator at King’s College Hospital
and Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Salford, UK. She received the prestigious USD 250,000
prize at a ceremony in Kochi, India.
The award was presented to Nurse Agimol Pradeep by Shri V. D. Satheesan, Hon’ble Chief Minister of
Keralam, along with Dr. Azad Moopen, Founder Chairman of Aster DM Healthcare, Alisha Moopen,
Managing Director and Group CEO – Aster DM Healthcare GCC, T.J. Wilson, Executive Director and
Group Head, Aster DM Healthcare, and Varun Khanna, Managing Director and Group CEO of Aster DM
Quality Care Ltd.
Since its launch in 2021, the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award has grown into a global platform that
celebrates nurses who are advancing the profession and creating meaningful change. This year’s
134,000 registrations came from 214 countries and economies, bringing forward stories of nurses
working across different healthcare settings, communities and disciplines, underscoring the truly global
significance of nursing and the breadth of impact nurses are making across healthcare systems and
communities worldwide.
The ceremony also featured a special message from Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General
of the World Health Organization, who congratulated the finalists and recognized the important role of
the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award in celebrating nurses and their contribution to healthcare
worldwide.
Commenting on the win, 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. I want to use this award to turn those
experiences into even greater action. 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. I also want to
invest in nursing education and training and help empower more 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. Azad Moopen, Founder Chairman, Aster DM Healthcare 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.
Nurse Agimol Pradeep’s achievement embodies the expertise, courage, compassion and unwavering
commitment that define exceptional nursing. 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.
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. May it inspire the global nursing community to continue its
remarkable service to humanity with renewed pride and purpose.
My heartiest congratulations and best wishes to Dr Agimol.”
Ms. Alisha Moopen, Managing Director & Group CEO, Aster DM Healthcare 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. Her pioneering work
in transplantation and organ donation within the UK’s South Asian community has set a benchmark for
many to follow. Stories of our top 10 finalists demonstrate that nurses are not only essential to delivering
healthcare; they are 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.”
A Senior Transplant Coordinator at King’s College Hospital and Honorary Senior Lecturer at the
University of Salford, UK, Dr Agimol Pradeep has dedicated her work to addressing inequities in
healthcare and strengthening access to care. After identifying the disproportionate impact of donor
shortages on South Asian patients awaiting transplants, she turned her research into community-led
action, co-founding the Upahaar initiative, which has registered more than 10,000 stem cell donors. Her
work has also contributed to regulatory change enabling internationally trained nurses to re-enter the
UK workforce, helping address critical workforce shortages. Her contributions to patient access,
community engagement and healthcare capacity have earned her recognition including the British
Empire Medal.
The rest of the 9 finalists are, Dr. Aidah Alkaissi from Sweden, Dinah Sevilla from The Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia, Dr. Hammoda Abu-Odah from Hong Kong SAR, China, Hindumbi K from India, Johana Patricia
Galvan Barrios from Colombia, Josephine Nelago Angula from Namibia, Oluchi Angel Okoi from Nigeria,
Peter Fore from Papua New Guinea, Ronald Mario Cañas Rojas from Colombia.
The 10 finalists progressed through a comprehensive selection process involving Ernst & Young LLP, a
Screening Jury and the Grand Jury, following assessment of their professional achievements, leadership,
innovation, impact and contribution to the nursing profession.
