Awards and Recognitions
Dr. Sushma Bhatnagar and Dr. Roop Gursahani Conferred with the Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians (London)
We are delighted to announce that Dr. Sushma Bhatnagar (Chairperson, Academy of Palliative Medicine & Former President, IAPC) and Dr. Roop Gursahani (Consultant Neurologist, PD Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai) have been elected as Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians of London (FRCP (Lon)). This prestigious recognition honours their outstanding contributions to medicine and their unwavering commitment to advancing patient-centered care. Their election was ratified at the recent RCP Council meeting.
Dr. Sushma Bhatnagar (former Head of the Department, Onco-Anaesthesia and Palliative Medicine, and former Chief, Dr. BRA IRCH, AIIMS Delhi) currently serves as the Clinical Lead in Palliative Medicine at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi. She has also contributed significantly as the Editor of the Indian Journal of Palliative Care (IJPC) and as the Lead of Cancer Treatment Centres (CTC) Programme for palliative care, in India. Under her leadership, palliative care services were established in several institutions across India. She also played a commendable role in advancing palliative care education in India, including the MD and DNB programmes, and contributed significantly to policy development and implementation.
Dr. Roop Gursahani is a dedicated member of the End-of-Life Care in India Task Force (ELiCiT) and has been consistently working towards advancing Neuro Palliative care in the country.
On this occasion, Dr. Bhatnagar and Dr. Gursahani expressed their heartfelt gratitude to all who have supported them. They emphasized that this honour is not only a personal achievement but also a tribute to the growth and recognition of Palliative Medicine in India.
IAPC extends its warmest congratulations to Dr. Bhatnagar and Dr. Gursahani on this remarkable achievement. Their election brings immense pride to the community and serves as an inspiration to colleagues across India.
Dr. Kabindra Bhagabati and Dr. Gayatri Palat Honoured by Pratishruti Cancer and Palliative Trust
Dr. Kabindra Bhagabati (In-charge of Palliative Medicine, Dr. B. Borooah Cancer Institute, Guwahati) and Dr. Gayatri Palat (Professor, Department of Palliative Medicine, MNJIO & RCC, Hyderabad) were honoured during the 8th Foundation Day celebrations of the Pratishruti Cancer and Palliative Trust, Dibrugarh, Assam. The event was held on 13th December, 2025 in Dibrugarh.
Dr. Bhagabati was conferred the “Dr. Prahlad Kumar Baruah Memorial Award 2025” in recognition of his dedicated service to palliative care in Assam. With over two decades of committed service, he has played a pivotal role in strengthening palliative care services across the state.
The “D. K. Gogoi Shastri Memorial Award 2025” for Leadership in Palliative Home Care was presented to Dr. Gayatri Palat. Dr. Palat was instrumental in establishing the Department of Palliative Medicine at MNJIO & RCC, Hyderabd. She is one of the founding members of the Pain Relief and Palliative Care Society, Hyderabad, and also serves as a Consultant with the Two Worlds Cancer Collaboration, Canada. Her sustained contributions to the advancement of paediatric palliative care, along with her advocacy and training efforts under the National Programme for Palliative Care (NPPC), have been instrumental in the establishment of palliative care services across government health facilities in Telangana.
On receiving the award, Dr. Bhagabati shared: “My heartfelt gratitude to the Pratishruti Cancer and Palliative Care Trust for bestowing upon me this prestigious honour. Since its inception, Pratishruti has worked tirelessly for the benefit of those receiving both curative and palliative care, irrespective of the stage of illness, including non-cancer conditions. I deeply cherish this recognition, as it comes from an organisation committed to compassionate and dedicated service.”
“As an alumna of Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh, I am proud to see the progress of palliative care in this region and look forward to achieving much more,” Dr. Palat shared, expressing her deep commitment and enduring connection with the region on receiving the award.
During the same occasion, the ‘Dr. Heramba Kumar Bharali Memorial Award’ for Excellence in Cancer Care was presented to Dr. M. N. Baruah, and the ‘Ashwini Charan Choudhury Memorial Award’ for Pioneer in Cancer Social Service was conferred on Karunadhara Trust.
The Indian Association of Palliative Care (IAPC) extends its warmest congratulations to all the awardees for their dedicated and exemplary service.
Honouring Dedicated Palliative Care Volunteers at BBCI
We are delighted to share that Ms. Dolly Roy Choudhury and Mrs. Indrani Das, both independent volunteers with the Palliative Care Services at Dr. B. Borooah Cancer Institute (BBCI), Guwahati, were felicitated by the management of BBCI in recognition of their exemplary commitment to supporting patients receiving palliative care and their families. Both have been associated with the Palliative Care services at BBCI since 2010.
During their long journey as inspiring palliative care volunteers, Ms. Dolly Roy Choudhury has extended valuable support by helping procure various instruments and equipment for the Palliative Care Department, in addition to contributing through several other activities. Mrs. Indrani Das has consistently supported patients in need by assisting with travel, food, and medicines, and has also donated several essential items and equipment for the palliative care ward.
The awards were presented during the 52nd Foundation Day celebrations of BBCI, held on 18th November, 2025. On this occasion, several philanthropists, NGOs, and organisations associated with BBCI, who have been actively supporting palliative care services, were also felicitated.
Ms. Choudhury and Mrs. Das, your commitment and compassion continue to inspire us all! Wishing you both continued success and the very best!
‘Angel Award’ Conferred on Ms. Sanatombi at PALICON 2025, Imphal
Ms. Sanatombi, Staff Nurse at the Palliative Care Unit of Shija Hospitals and Research Institute (SHRI), Imphal, and a member of the Palliative Care Society, Imphal, was honoured with the prestigious ‘Angel Award’ in recognition of her exemplary and dedicated service in the field of palliative care. The award was presented during PALICON 2025, held in Imphal on 22ndand 23rd November 2025.
Ms. Sanatombi has been working in palliative care in Imphal, Manipur since 2015 and belongs to the first generation of formally trained palliative care nurses in the state. She has been an active member of the Home Care Team, serving hundreds of patients while braving numerous challenges, and also extends her services at the inpatient unit of SHRI.
On receiving the award, Ms. Sanatombi shared, “This award truly inspires me, and I consider it an encouragement to further extend compassionate patient care to those in need.”
The Indian Association of Palliative Care (IAPC) congratulates Ms. Sanatombi and extends its warmest wishes in recognition of her unwavering commitment to palliative care!
KMIO, Bengaluru, to Establish 50-Bed Hospice for Terminally Ill Cancer Patients
In a significant move towards enhancing end-of-life care for patients with advanced cancer, the Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology (KMIO), Bengaluru, is preparing to set up a dedicated 50-bed hospice. This initiative aims to ensure that patients at the terminal stages of cancer can spend their final days with dignity and comfort.
The proposed hospice will operate under the Department of Palliative Medicine at this recognized Centre of Excellence in Oncology. A three-storey building is planned to be constructed on a 6,000 – 8,000 sq. ft. site within the institute campus at an estimated cost of Rs. 2 crores, supported through a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative by a private organization. In addition, Kidwai has drawn up a phased plan to expand home-based palliative care for patients unable to travel to the hospital due to advanced illness or immobility.
Dr. M. K. Yaduraj (Head of the Department of Palliative Medicine) expressed gratitude to the government and to corporate sponsors for the CSR funding, which will help expand the services.
KMIO currently serves around 3,000 outpatients and 750 inpatients daily, treating approximately 24,000 new cancer patients annually, with over three lakh patients coming for follow-up care. The Department of Palliative Medicine provides comprehensive, multidisciplinary palliative care services focused on improving the quality of life of patients with advanced and life-limiting cancers. The services provided are:
- Outpatient Palliative Care Unit: The unit caters to approximately 100 patients daily, translating to 2,800 – 3,000 patients each month, providing comprehensive management of pain and other distressing symptoms.
- Inpatient Palliative Care: The service provides care for 15 – 20 inpatients daily (approximately 450 – 500 patients per month), focusing on intensive symptom control and compassionate end-of-life care
- Home-Based Palliative Care: Ensures continuity of care
In addition to these core services, the department provides a range of supportive and specialised services, including counselling, advance care planning, bereavement support, paediatric palliative care services, a dedicated lymphedema clinic, and physiotherapy services. An active volunteers’ group provides additional support to patients and their families. The department also plays a key role in education and training in palliative and end-of-life care for doctors, nurses, and allied healthcare professionals.
IAPC extends its best wishes to the Palliative Care Team at KMIO, Bengaluru, for the successful rollout of the new project.
Dr. Chitra Venkateswaran Honoured with the Padmini Varkey Memorial Award 2025
We are delighted to share that Dr. Chitra Venkateswaran, Founder and Managing Trustee of Mental Health Care and Research Foundation (Mehac) has been conferred the Padmini Varkey Memorial Award 2025 in recognition of her remarkable and sustained contributions to the fields of mental health and palliative care. The award was presented to Dr. Chitra Venkateswaran on 12th December 2025 at a function organised in memory of Ms. Padmini Varkey, noted social activist and politician, marking her 10th death anniversary in Kochi, Kerala.
Dr Chitra Venkateswaran has been actively contributing to the mental health and palliative care landscape in Kerala for the past 25 years. Mehac Foundation founded by her, is a not-for-profit organization providing comprehensive mental health services incorporating palliative care principles since 2008. Mehac strives to deliver exceptional care to improve the quality of life of people with mental illnesses in the community. The goal is to improve the psychosocial component in vulnerable people with a special interest to facilitate integration of psychological issues in palliative care. Over the past 17 years, the foundation has provided mental health care to over 10,000 beneficiaries across 6 districts in Kerala, with 98 percent of them coming from low-income families.
Dr. Chitra Venkateswaran has been active in the realm of Psycho oncology initiating clinical services, education and research. She has made significant contributions to the advancement of palliative care services in Kerala. She also serves as a National Faculty of the Indian Association of Palliative Care, and was instrumental in the design and successful implementation of IAPC’s Compassionate Leadership Fellowship programme during 2024–25, in collaboration with the partner organisations.
The IAPC extends its warmest congratulations to Dr. Chitra Venkateswaran on this well-deserved honour.
MOHURA Project: Phase II Successfully Completed at Mayong, Assam
We are delighted to share the successful completion of Phase II of the project “MOHURA”, a livelihood project implemented at the Model Village of Palliative Care, Mayong, Assam. The project is a collaborative initiative of the Department of Palliative Medicine, at Dr. B. Borooah Cancer Institute (BBCI), Guwahati, and the Department of Medico-Social Work, BBCI, in association with Fahmida Yesmin Rahman Memorial Cancer Trust (FYRMCT).
As part of the transition to Phase III, raw materials were distributed to women weavers, enabling them to continue producing traditional Assamese Gamocha.
The MOHURA project is a community-based livelihood initiative that complements palliative care services by focusing on women’s empowerment, community engagement, and sustainable income generation for individuals receiving care, their family members, and villagers in and around Mayong, in Assam. By integrating skill-based economic support with palliative care outreach, the project seeks to enhance dignity, self-reliance, and social well-being.
The team from BBCI attended a humble function held in the village on 6th December 2025 to receive the products from the weavers.
The IAPC deeply appreciates this initiative by BBCI, as well as the enthusiasm and dedication of the participating weavers and community members, and looks forward to witnessing the positive impact of Phase III of the project.