On Tuesday, the national Florence Nightingale Award 2026 was handed to 15 nursing practitioners by Droupadi Murmu for their outstanding services in the government’s healthcare and patient care system nationwide.
The function of the awards was held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in the presence of Union Health Minister, J. P. Nadda. In her address to the gathering, President Murmu credited nurses and health professionals for their compassion, dedication and commitment towards patients and their care, especially in the challenging times.
The President said that the nursing staff set the standard of good service and were an integral part to the institution delivering quality healthcare services and systems, adding that the nursing staff do all that is within their power to ensure the welfare of the public and to attend to the patient.
The National Florence Nightingale Award is given to registered nurses, midwives, auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs), lady health visitors who are working in government institutions, the Union territories and voluntary organisations for their upstanding service.
This year, six ANMs and nine nurses from across India, from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and West Bengal, were awarded for their exemplary service.
Awards were comprised of a Certificate of Merit, a medal and award cash amount of ₹1Lakhs to each awardee. The awards are seen as one of the prestigious awards for the nursing fraternities of the country and acknowledge the importance of their role in reinforcing the healthcare system in India.