In Brief:
- Global Winner: Selected from over 134,000 applicants across 214 countries and presented the $250,000 prize at a ceremony in Kochi, India.
- Impactful Advocacy: Co-founded Upahaar, an initiative that has registered over 10,000 stem-cell donors and significantly increased organ donation awareness in the UK.
- Professional Distinction: Serves as a Senior Transplant Coordinator at King's College Hospital and is a previous recipient of the British Empire Medal (BEM).
Indian-origin UK nurse Dr. Agimol Pradeep was named the grand winner of the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2026, taking home the USD 250,000 (approx. ₹2.39 crore) prize during an award ceremony in Kochi, India, on Saturday, September 12. Originally from Kerala's Kottayam district, Dr. Pradeep—who works as a Senior Transplant Coordinator at King's College Hospital and an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Salford—was chosen from a field of over 134,000 nominees spanning 214 nations. She was honored primarily for establishing the Upahaar initiative, which mobilized communities to recruit thousands of ethnically matched organ and stem-cell donors, as well as her efforts to assist internationally trained nurses in credential re-licensing. Dr. Pradeep pledged to utilize half of her prize money to further expand organ donation outreach and nursing education across developing nations.
