Lalenthangi Hnamte, an Auxiliary Nurse Midwife from Mizoram, received the National Florence Nightingale Award from the President of India on the occasion of International Nurses Day (12th May) for her outstanding service in remote tribal regions.

About the National Florence Nightingale Award

• The President of India, conferred the National Florence Nightingale Awards 2026 upon exceptional nursing professionals.
• The Award, instituted in 1973 by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, honours the dedication, compassion, and resilience that define the nursing profession. 
• The award is presented to Registered Nurses, Midwives, Auxiliary Nurse Midwives, and Lady Health Visitors employed in Central, State/UTs and Voluntary Organizations. 
• Each award includes a Certificate of Merit, a cash prize of ₹1,00,000, and a medal symbolizing the nation’s gratitude for the invaluable service rendered by these health warriors.

About Lalenthangi Hnamte 

• She has served as an Auxiliary Nurse Midwife since 1999 in remote areas of Mizoram, especially in Lunglei district.
• Many villages where she worked lacked proper road connectivity, regular medical facilities and easy transportation access.
• Despite these challenges, she continued to provide maternal and child health services, immunisation and vaccination programmes and public health awareness support.
• Since her posting at the Tuichawng Ayush Health and Wellness Centre in 2017, health-care delivery in the area reportedly improved significantly.

About Florence Nightingale

• Florence Nightingale is known as the “Lady with the Lamp.”
• She pioneered modern nursing practices during the Crimean War and emphasized hygiene, sanitation, and patient care.

Exam Hook: Prelims Question

The National Florence Nightingale Award is associated with which field?
(a) Agriculture
(b) Nursing and Public Health
(c) Literature
(d) Art forms

Answer: (b)

ence Nightingale Award celebrates the selfless contribution of frontline nurses who strengthen India’s public health system by delivering essential health services in remote and underserved regions.

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