Every year on May 12, International Nurses’ Day is observed to honor Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. The day recognizes the dedication, compassion, and valuable contributions of nurses to society and promotes their support and inclusion worldwide. As part of this celebration, Manipal College of Nursing and Manipal School of Nursing, Manipal, have conducted various activities. The theme selected by the International Council of Nurses for 2026 is “Our Nurses, Our Future: Empowered Nurses Save Lives.”

The formal event took place on May 13, 2026, at the Dr. TMA Pai Auditorium, 3^rd Floor, KMC, Manipal. The program commenced with an invocation by Ms. Vinisha Nazareth and a group, followed by a welcome address and introduction of the chief guest by Dr. Judith A. Noronha, Dean, MCON, Manipal. A floral tribute to Florence Nightingale and a lamp lighting ceremony were conducted by the dignitaries, symbolizing the spirit of nursing service. Mrs. Janet Prameela D’Souza, Convener of International Nurses’ Day 2026, presented the report of the Nurses’ Week activities. These activities included a seminar on the theme, a workshop on trauma management, a television interview on the ICN theme, and competitions such as elocution, collage, reel-making, and a poster competition.

The chief guest, Dr. Shyamala Kumar, Nursing Director, Royal Care Super Specialty Hospital, Coimbatore, delivered a highly inspiring keynote address on the theme. In her address, she highlighted the evolving role of nurses in modern healthcare and emphasized that “the presence of a nurse is the ultimate medicine.” She reflected on the emotional, professional, and ethical responsibilities of nurses and stressed the importance of resilience, lifelong learning, positive practice environments, and shared governance in healthcare systems.

The session stressed that nursing is not merely a profession, but a “beautiful burden” driven by compassion, leadership, and patient-centered care. The speaker also highlighted the importance of nurse wellbeing, shared governance, climate-resilient health care, and continuous professional development in shaping the future of global healthcare.  

Two distinguished nurses, Mrs. Sujatha B, Ward Sister at Kasturba Hospital, Manipal, and Mrs. Lakshmi B, Senior Health Assistant, Primary Health Centre, Hiriadka, were honoured for their outstanding contributions to patient welfare and community care services, as well as their support for student learning. Dr. Leena Sequira, Principal of Manipal School of Nursing, highlighted the accomplishments of these honoured nurses. The award for excellence in clinical practice, donated by Dr. Kasturi R Adiga, former Principal of Manipal School of Nursing, was received by Mr. Shiva Prasada, Staff Nurse in the Emergency Medicine Department, Mr. Abhishek Kumar, 2^nd year PBBSc Nursing student of 2024-25 batch & Ms. Saniya Dsa, 3^rd year GNM student of 2024- 25 batch.

Prizes were awarded to the winners of various competitions, including elocution, collage, reel making, and poster competition, all centred around the theme of International Nurses' Day 2026. Two students who excelled in sports at the state and national levels were honoured, followed by the presentation of alumni testimonial videos. Mr. Renjulal Y, Assistant Professor – Senior Scale and Co-convener, extended gratitude through the vote of thanks.

The event concluded with a series of cultural performances presented by both students and faculty members of Manipal College of Nursing (MCON) and Manipal School of Nursing (MSON) at MAHE, Manipal. The activity aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 4, Quality Education, to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and to promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.