Healing Hands Honoured: 25th Florence Nightingale Awards Celebrate Karnataka’s Nursing Heroes at Vidhana Soudha
BENGALURU(MT NEWS): 27 June 2026 – The Banquet Hall of Vidhana Soudha recently hosted the landmark 25th Florence Nightingale Awards 2026. Organised by the Florence Nightingale Award Committee, Bengaluru, the silver jubilee edition honoured exceptional nursing professionals from across the region for their exemplary clinical practice, dedication to patient care, and selfless commitment to the noble profession.
The grand ceremony was inaugurated by Shri U.T. Khader (Hon’ble Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka), alongside Dr. Sharan Prakash Patil (Hon’ble Minister for Medical Education, Government of Karnataka), Shri Rizwan Arshad (Member of Legislative Assembly, Shivajinagar), and Dr. Bhagavan B. C. (Vice Chancellor, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences). Chaired by Shri Ivan Nigli (Former MLA and Chairman of the Florence Nightingale Award Committee), the event featured Shri Gurudatta Hegde, IAS (Commissioner for Health and Family Welfare Services, Bengaluru) as the Guest of Honour.
Addressing the gathering, Health Minister U.T. Khader lauded nurses as the backbone of the healthcare ecosystem, emphasizing that their enduring dedication significantly impacts public health delivery under challenging circumstances. Twelve outstanding nurses received the award, each presentation including a memento and a cash prize of Rs. 25,000.
A major highlight of this milestone edition was the presentation of awards under special silver jubilee categories. Among the celebrated honourees was Ms. Thara Machado, Assistant Nursing Superintendent at Father Muller Medical College Hospital, Mangaluru, who was conferred the prestigious award under the Silver Jubilee Best Nursing Officer Category for her 29 years of exemplary clinical service. Other prominent awardees included Seema K. (Taluk Government Hospital, Raichur), Bharathi Mendigeri (Taluk Government Hospital, Belagavi), Leelavathi K.O. (Manipal Hospital, Bengaluru), alongside representatives Nanda Prakash (Cheluvamba Hospital, Mysuru).
Reflecting on the milestone, Chairman Ivan Nigli remarked, “It is with deep gratitude and pride that we celebrate the 25th Silver Jubilee of these awards. Initiated in 2000 by the Anglo Indian Unity Centre to recognize nursing excellence, what started as a small gesture has grown into a prestigious state-level event, honouring over 250 nurses across Karnataka over the past 25 years.”
Nigli commended the 12 awardees for keeping Florence Nightingale’s lamp of compassion burning bright across ICUs, PHCs, and rural health camps. He extended his sincere thanks to the Government of Karnataka, Chief Guest Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara, and Ministers U.T. Khader and Dr. Sharan Prakash Patil for their unwavering support.
The 2026 celebrations concluded on a high note, reinforcing a collective commitment to modernizing nursing education, expanding healthcare training capacity, and safeguarding the well-being of the nation’s healthcare warriors.
