Indian-origin UK nurse Agimol Pradeep wins Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2026, receives $250,000 prize

Agimol Pradeep, an Indian-origin nurse based in the UK, has won the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2026 for her work to raise awareness about organ and stem-cell donation.

Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan presented Pradeep with the $250,000 cash prize at an event in Kochi on Saturday.

Pradeep, a senior transplant coordinator at King’s College Hospital and honorary senior lecturer at the University of Salford, was selected as the winner from more than 134,000 registrations spanning 214 countries and economies. Ten finalists were shortlisted through a process involving Ernst & Young LLP, a screening jury and a grand jury.


The finalists were assessed on their professional achievements, leadership, innovation, impact and contribution to nursing. Countries including India, Sweden, Saudi Arabia, China, Colombia, Namibia, Nigeria and Papua New Guinea were represented among the top 10 finalists.

“I have seen how a shortage of ethnically matched donors can leave patients from minority communities waiting for a life-saving transplant," she said, as per a report by The Week.

Pradeep said she sees the award as an opportunity to “take a lifetime of work further.”

"Half of the prize will support Upahaar and my mission to give more patients with organ failure and blood cancer a chance at life, by expanding organ and stem cell donation and taking this work to communities and countries where it is most needed," she explained.

Upahaar is a charitable organisation focused on increasing awareness of organ donation among the South Asian community. Pradeep co-founded the organisation to address the disproportionate impact of donor shortages on South Asian patients. The initiative currently has more than 10,000 registered stem-cell donors.

A scarcity of nurses

Addressing the gathering, Satheesan highlighted the need to strengthen Kerala’s nursing workforce.

“The director-general of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has stated that there is a scarcity of 6 million nurses. We have also planned to increase the number of nurses in Kerala because healthcare is our priority."

Pradeep also highlighted the challenges faced by nurses seeking to return to the profession.

"I have seen how systemic barriers can prevent highly skilled nurses from returning to the profession," she said.

She added that she wants to invest in nursing education and training to help empower more nurses to become changemakers.

Pradeep on organ donation in the UK

In a conversation with Gulf News, Pradeep highlighted the difference between healthcare systems with established transplant services and those where such support remains limited.

“In the UK, we have a dedicated organ transplant service where we have a national transplant waiting list. We can provide transparent care to patients who are struggling with organ failure.”

However, she noted that even developed healthcare systems continue to face a significant need for organ transplants.

“Despite saying that, we are losing around three patients every day with organ failure, even in a developed country like the UK.”

Aster DM Quality Care Ltd Executive Director Alisha Moopen said the stories of the finalists highlighted the broader role nurses play in healthcare.

"Stories of our top 10 finalists demonstrate that nurses are not only essential to delivering healthcare; they are shaping how healthcare evolves," she said.

The Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award was launched in 2021 to bring together stories of nurses working across different healthcare settings, communities and disciplines and highlight the impact of nursing.

The ceremony also featured a special message from Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organisation, who congratulated the finalists and recognised the contribution of nurses to healthcare worldwide.