Meet Agimol Pradeep, Indian-origin UK nurse who won the Global Nursing Award worth $250,000 for increasing organ donation and transplantation within UK’s South Asian community

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 she considers 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 aimed at increasing the awareness of organ donation among the South Asian community. Pradeep co-founded the organisation to identify the disproportionate impact of donor shortages on South Asian patients. The initiative has more than 10,000 stem cell donors registered.

A scarcity of nurses

Satheesan in his address highlighted the need to increase the 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.”“I have seen how systemic barriers can prevent highly skilled nurses from returning to the profession,” added Pradeep. She also said she wants to invest in nursing education and training to help empower more nurses to become changemakers.In a conversation with Gulf News, Pradeep highlighted the difference between healthcare systems that have 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.”But even in a developed healthcare system, the need has remained significant. “Despite saying that, we are losing around three patients every day with organ failure, even in a developed country like the UK.”“Stories of our top 10 finalists demonstrate that nurses are not only essential to delivering healthcare; they are shaping how healthcare evolves,” said Aster DM Quality Care Ltd Executive Director Alisha Moopen. The award was first launched in 2021 and aims to bring together stories of nurses working across different healthcare settings, communities and disciplines, to signify the impact of nursing.Notably, 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.