**Executive Summary**
On May 12, 2026, President Droupadi Murmu conferred the National Florence Nightingale Awards for the year 2026 to 15 nursing professionals at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Held on International Nurses Day, the ceremony recognized exemplary service and dedication to public health delivery across diverse healthcare settings. The event highlighted ongoing government initiatives, such as the establishment of 157 nursing colleges and legislative reforms aimed at empowering the nursing workforce.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Award Ceremony and Recognition**
* **Awardees:** A total of 15 nursing professionals, including Registered Nurses, Midwives, Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), and Lady Health Visitors, were honored.
* **National Representation:** Recipients were selected from various regions, including State Governments, Union Territories, and voluntary organizations.
* **Award Benefits:** Each award includes a Certificate of Merit, a cash prize of ₹1,00,000, and a medal symbolizing the nation's gratitude.
* **Dignitaries Present:** The ceremony was attended by the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda, and the Union Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav.
**Healthcare Policy and Infrastructure**
* **Legislative Reform:** The government has introduced the National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Act to modernize nursing education and regulatory frameworks.
* **Capacity Building:** Plans are underway to establish 157 new nursing colleges co-located with existing medical colleges to expand training capacity.
* **Strategic Role:** The document emphasizes that nurses are ideally placed to lead health services decision-making and policy development due to their proximity to patients.
**Official Themes and Messages**
* **2026 Theme:** The event echoed the theme "Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives."
* **President’s Message:** President Murmu noted that nursing personnel exemplify high standards of service and are crucial for delivering quality healthcare in challenging circumstances.
* **Minister’s Message:** Shri Nadda highlighted that investing in the well-being of nurses is essential for building healthier communities and a robust future.
**Impact Analysis**
**Nursing Professionals (Awardees and the wider workforce)**
**Impact**
They receive national recognition and financial rewards for exemplary service. Legislative changes and the establishment of new colleges provide improved training, modernization of the profession, and a stronger voice in policy development.
**Action Required**
Continue providing high-standard healthcare services and utilize newly established training and regulatory frameworks to enhance professional competency.
**Government of India (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare)**
**Impact**
The Ministry is responsible for implementing transformative initiatives and managing the National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Act to strengthen the healthcare system.
**Action Required**
Complete the establishment of the 157 co-located nursing colleges and oversee the modernization of nursing education and regulatory standards.
**General Public and Communities**
**Impact**
The public benefits from a more skilled, competent, and empowered nursing workforce, leading to improved health outcomes and a more resilient public health delivery system.
**Action Required**
No direct action is required; the community serves as the beneficiary of improved healthcare standards and professionalized nursing services.
Key Entities Referenced
National Florence Nightingale Awards: A prestigious national award instituted to recognize exemplary service, dedication, and commitment of nursing professionals in India.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: The primary government body responsible for instituting the awards and implementing transformative initiatives in the nursing and healthcare sector.
National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Act: A legislative framework aimed at modernizing nursing education and regulatory standards to improve healthcare delivery.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
President of India Confers National Florence
Nightingale Awards 2026 to 15 Awardees at
Rashtrapati Bhavan
Posted On: 12 MAY 2026 1:40PM by PIB Delhi
The President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu conferred the National Florence Nightingale Awards for the
year 2026 to nursing professionals at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan today. A total of 15 nurses
from diverse regions and healthcare settings were honoured in recognition of their exemplary service,
unwavering dedication to strengthening public health delivery, and outstanding commitment to the welfare
of the community.
Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda and Union Minister of State for
Health & Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav also graced the occasion.
In her message on the occasion, the President remarked that “nursing personnel exemplify the highest
standards of service and play a crucial role in delivering quality healthcare, often in the most challenging
circumstances.”President Droupadi Murmu presented the National Florence Nightingale Awards
for the year 2026 to the nursing personnel on the occasion of International
Nurses Day at a function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
In her message on the occasion, the President said that nursing personnel… pic.t
witter.com/DDaPuzq1nS
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) May 12, 2026
Honouring the unwavering compassion, resilience, and dedication of nurses on the International Nurses
Day, Shri Nadda remarked that “Echoing this year’s theme Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses
Save Lives, we see how nurses strengthen our healthcare systems and drive national progress. By investing
in their well-being, we build healthier communities, thriving societies, and a robust future. Let’s cherish,
safeguard, and uplift those who selflessly care for us all.”
On #InternationalNursesDay, we honor the unwavering compassion, resilience,
and dedication of our nurses.
Echoing this year’s theme "Our Nurses. Our Future.
Empowered Nurses Save Lives" we see how nurses strengthens our healthcare
systems and drive national progress. By…
— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) May 12, 2026
The National Florence Nightingale Award, instituted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,
honours the dedication, compassion, and resilience that define the nursing profession. These prestigious
awards are presented to Registered Nurses, Midwives, Auxiliary Nurse Midwives, and Lady Health
Visitors serving across Central and State Governments, Union Territories, and voluntary organizations.
Each award includes a Certificate of Merit, a cash prize of ₹1,00,000, and a medal symbolizing the
nation’s gratitude for the invaluable service rendered by these health warriors.The nurses who were awarded today are as under:
S.No. Category Name State / Union Territory
1 ANM Ms Kulwinder Parhi Ladakh (Union Territory)
2 ANM Ms Ujwala Mahadev Soyam Maharashtra3 ANM Ms Lalenthangi Hnamte Mizoram
4 ANM Ms Madhu Mala Gurung Sikkim
5 ANM Ms Pooja Parmar Rana Uttarakhand
6 ANM Ms Gita Karmakar West Bengal
7 Nurse Ms Poonam Verma Chandigarh (Union Territory)
8 Nurse Ms Deepa Biju Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman
& Diu (UTs)
9 Nurse Dr Sharwan Kumar Dhaka Delhi
10 Nurse Ms Raksha Rupo Parvatkar Goa
11 Nurse Ms Kavitha Jagannath Karnataka
12 Nurse Ms Manju Mol V S Keralam
13 Nurse Ms Aysha Beebi K Lakshadweep (Union Territory)
14 Nurse Prof (Dr) R Shankar Shanmugam Tamil Nadu
15 Nurse Major Gen Lissamma P V IHQ of MoD (Army), DelhiNursing has a pivotal role to address the multiple health challenges and respond to the health needs of
individuals, communities and the world. According to the scope of practice, nurses provide appropriate,
accessible and evidence-based care. With a core role as patient advocate, their scientific reasoning skills,
numbers and spectrum of care across the continuum, nurses are ideally placed to lead and inform health
services decision making policy development. Being closest to patients, nurses can bring their voice to the
policy table.Recognising the vital role of nurses and midwives in strengthening healthcare delivery, the Government of
India, under the leadership of the Hon’ble Prime Minister, has undertaken transformative initiatives to
expand training capacity, modernise nursing education and regulatory frameworks through the National
Nursing and Midwifery Commission Act, and establishment of 157 nursing colleges co-located with
medical colleges to build a skilled, competent and empowered nursing workforce for improved health
outcomes and a stronger healthcare system.
*****
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