A nurse from the United Kingdom, Amigol Pradeep, scooped the 2026 Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award.

Held in India, the award celebrates nurses who are advancing the profession and creating meaningful change.

The fifth Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award received a record-breaking 134,000 entries from 214 countries.

The top ten nurses were from Sweden, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, China, India, Colombia, Papua New Guinea, Nigeria and Namibia.

Namibian nurse Josephine Angula was one of them, but it was Dr Amigol Pradeep who emerged as the top nurse, earning recognition for her contribution to healthcare, research and organ donation advocacy.

Pradeep stressed that her win is not only a personal milestone but also a recognition of the impact nurses have on patients, families and communities.

Although born in Kerala, India, Pradeep has spent more than two decades working in healthcare in the United Kingdom, developing expertise in organ donation and transplantation.

Her work has also extended into research, education and advocacy, with a particular focus on encouraging conversations around organ and stem-cell donation.

"My personal mission has always been to save as many lives as possible. For families of a patient waiting for a transplant, every day brings uncertainty and hope. Stem cell and organ transplants transform lives. And from my experience, I am confident to say we as nurses are uniquely positioned to educate, advocate, and start these important conversations."

Pradeep, whose work has helped register over 10,000 stem cell donors and create life-saving transplants, is using the global attention to encourage more people to consider registering for organ donation.

"I urge everyone present here and those listening virtually to raise awareness, start conversations and inspire informed decisions about stem cell donor registration and deceased organ donor registration. I believe the words 'once a nurse, you're always a nurse'. Wherever we are in the world, that calling remains within us."

The award-winning nurse is a senior transplant coordinator at King's College Hospital and an honorary senior lecturer at the University of Salford in the United Kingdom.