UK-Based Malayali Nurse Agimol Pradeep Wins $250,000 Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2026

KOCHI :  UK-based nurse Agimol Pradeep, hailing from Kottayam, Kerala, has been named the winner of the prestigious Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2026, receiving a cash prize of USD 250,000 (~₹2.5 Crore). Selected from over 134,000 entries across 214 countries, Nurse Agimol—a Senior Transplant Coordinator at King’s College Hospital, London, and Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Salford—was presented the award by Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan at a grand ceremony held at Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty. Recognized for her pioneering advocacy in organ and stem-cell donation through her non-profit initiative Upahaar and her landmark policy contributions empowering internationally educated nurses in the UK, Agimol announced that half of her prize money will be dedicated to expanding organ donation awareness and supporting nursing education globally. The event featured messages from WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, alongside leadership from Aster DM Healthcare Founder Chairman Dr. Azad Moopen and Group CEO Alisha Moopen.