Indian-origin UK nurse wins $250,000 Global Nursing Award for boosting organ donation among South Asians

Agimol Pradeep, an Indian-origin nurse based in the UK, recently won the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2026. On Saturday, Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan presented the cash prize of $250,000 to the nurse at an event held in Kochi. It was Pradeep's contribution to greater awareness of organ and stem-cell donation over the years that gained her the recognition.A senior transplant coordinator at King's College Hospital and honorary senior lecturer at the University of Salford, she has emerged as the winner from more than 134,000 registrations from 214 countries and economies, from which 10 finalists were selected. The finalists were selected through a process involving Ernst & Young LLP, a screening jury, and a grand jury. They were assessed on their professional achievements, leadership, innovation, impact, and contribution to nursing. Nations including India, Sweden, Saudi Arabia, China, Colombia, Namibia, Nigeria and Papua New Guinea were represented through the 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. She added that sh...