From the President’s Desk

Dear friends,

Warm greetings to all.

Dr. Geeta Joshi

As we celebrate International Nurses Day on 12th May, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Palliative Care Nurses across the country. Your compassion, clinical expertise, and unwavering commitment form the very backbone of palliative care. The entire IAPC family salutes your invaluable contributions.

Marking International Nurses Day, IAPC presents this month’s infographic in tribute to palliative care nurses, with a message of deep appreciation:

“To every nurse who holds a hand, manages pain, listens without judgment, and walks alongside patients and families through life’s most vulnerable moments—we thank you. You are the backbone of palliative care.”

I warmly encourage you to share this infographic within your networks. Please visit the ‘Announcements / Messages from IAPC’ section of this newsletter to view, share, and celebrate this special infographic highlighting the excellence of palliative care nurses.

I am also pleased to share that the Worldwide Hospice and Palliative Care Alliance (WHPCA) has announced the theme for World Hospice and Palliative Care Day 2026, to be observed on Saturday, 10th October: “Pain Management: An Essential Part of Palliative Care.” In this context, I am delighted to announce that IAPC, in collaboration with Alpha Palliative Care, Thrissur, Kerala, will host an International Conference to mark the occasion. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to amplifying India’s voice on the global palliative care stage.

The past few months have been marked by meaningful collaboration, learning, and forward momentum for palliative care in India. Our colleagues and friends continue to achieve important milestones in this collective journey.

It is with great pride that I congratulate our youngest achiever, Dr. Vanumu Divya Sai, from the Department of Pain and Palliative Medicine, Basavatarakam Indo-American Cancer Institute and Research Centre, on being awarded the NBEMS President’s Gold Medal in Palliative Medicine. I also extend my heartfelt congratulations to pioneers in the field, Dr. Dinesh Chandra Goswami and Dr. Gayatri Palat, who have been honoured with well-deserved awards for their outstanding contributions to palliative care. I invite you to read more in the ‘Awards and Recognitions’ section of this newsletter.

We remain steadfast in our commitment to strengthening palliative care education in India. Steady progress is being made in the courses offered through the Academy of Palliative Medicine (APM) and IAPC. I encourage you to explore the ‘Education and Training‘ section for updates, along with reports of diverse educational activities from across the country.

In support of capacity building, IAPC will extend scholarships to National Nursing Faculty interested in enrolling in the Advanced Nursing Skills in Palliative Care course, further strengthening nursing leadership in this field.

Preparations are well underway for IAPCON 2027 in Bhubaneswar. To support participation from outstanding professionals, IAPC will be offering conference grants. Details of the selection criteria will be announced soon, and I strongly encourage eligible members—particularly young professionals and those from underserved regions—to apply.

Before I conclude, I would like to sincerely appreciate all contributors to the ‘IAPC Exclusive Articles‘ section. I once again invite you to read and enjoy these insightful articles:

We warmly invite authors from across India to contribute to the Exclusive Articles section of the IAPC Newsletter. Share your experiences, insights, and stories—and let your voices inspire the wider community.

With warm regards,

Dr. Geeta Joshi

President
Indian Association of Palliative Care (IAPC)