The President of India Pranab Mukherjee conferred the Florence Nightingale Awards to 35 nurses from across the country on the occasion of International Nurses Day at the Rashrapati Bhavan, here today, in the presence of J P Nadda, Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Shripad Yesso Naik, Minister of State for Health.
The President congratulated the award winners and said that nurses play a crucial role in providing healthcare facilities to all parts of the country including remote areas where they work in challenging conditions. He stated that the selfless dedication of their services is an inspiration for the whole country. The President added that the nurses have a crucial role to play through their contribution in policy making, improving health programmes and in strengthening healthcare systems in the country.
The President commended all the nurses for their compassion, discipline and commitment to healthcare.
The Minister for Health and Family Welfare, J P Nadda congratulated the award winners and appreciated their exemplary services. Acknowledging the strong caring and compassionate attitude of the nursing community, the Health Minister said that nurses play a pivotal role in providing healthcare at the primary, secondary and tertiary level. He added that through the competence they have demonstrated themselves to be role models for the young generation. He elaborated on the various schemes and initiatives taken up by the Ministry for strengthening and upgrading the infrastructure and human resource in the nursing sector.
The Florence Nightingale awards are given to the outstanding nursing personnel employed in Central, State/UTs. Nurses working in Government, Voluntary Organizations, Mission institutions and the private institutions can apply with the due recommendation of concerned State Government. The Florence Nightingale Awards carries Rs.50, 000/- cash, a certificate, a citation certificate and a Medal.
The list of awardees for 2015 is as follows-
- Ms. Sarojini Naik from Andaman and Nicobar
- Dr. Sharaf Anuradha from Andhra Pradesh
- Ms. Kumari Rupa Sinha from Bihar
- Dr. K. Lalita from Karnataka
- Ms. Kalpana Sampath from New Delhi
- Ms. Neelam R. Lall from New Delhi
- Krishan Bihari from New Delhi
- Ms. Annamma. K from Dadra and Nagar Haveli
- Major General Sushila Shahi from New Delhi
- Ms. Shakuntla Devi from New Delhi
- Ms. Ram Dulari Negi from Himachal Pradesh
- Ms. Rehana Kousar from Jammu and Kashmir
- Dr. R. Sreevani from Karnataka
- Ms. K. Soja Baby from Kerala
- Ms. Vungzanem Valte from Manipur
- Ms. Wandanora Marpna from Meghalaya
- Dr. E. Premila from Puducherry
- Ms. Gurmeet Kaur from Punjab
- Ms. M. Umanagendramani from South Central Railway, Secunderabad, Telangana
- Jogendra Sharma, Rajasthan
- Ms. Anupama Kar, Tripura
- Ms. Gibymol. T. Mathew from Uttarakhand
- Ms. Chhanda Pandey from Uttar Pradesh
- Ms. Mithu Sanbighna from West Bengal
- Ms. Rewati Jeram from Arunachal Pradesh
- Ms. Minati Kalita from Assam
- Ms. Jayshriben G. Chavda from Gujarat
- Ms. Vijay Mukaji Raut from Maharashtra
- Ms. Marwanka Myrchiang from Meghalaya
- Ms. Vanhnuaithangi from Mizoram
- Ms. K. Kasthuri from Tamil Nadu
- Ms. Anita Usrathe from Madhya Pradesh
- Ms. Amina Abbas Nadaf from Maharashtra
- Ms. Ullash Manjari Mohapatra from Odisha
- Ms. Tripti Banerjee from West Bengal
Also present at the award ceremony were B P Sharma, Secretary (Health and Family Welfare) and senior officers from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare along with invitees.