Hindumbi Kaurom Kakkada, an 80-year-old nurse from Lakshadweep, has spent over 53 years serving patients, supporting surgeries, handling emergencies, and strengthening healthcare delivery in one of India’s most remote regions. She currently serves at the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kavaratti and continues to work actively even after retirement.
Honoured by the President of India with the Florence Nightingale Award in 2023, Hindumbi is now among the Top 10 finalists globally, selected from participants across 214 countries, for one of the world’s most prestigious nursing recognitions, the $250,000 Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2026. The international award celebrates exceptional contributions made by nurses across the world.
A theatre-trained nurse, Hindumbi has supported over 20,000 surgeries and emergency cases during her decades-long career. She began her service at a time when Lakshadweep had limited electricity, minimal healthcare infrastructure, and extremely difficult inter-island connectivity. Emergency transportation depended largely on fishing boats and naval ships, while medicines and medical supplies had to be brought from Kochi.
During the early years of her career, surgeries and emergency procedures were often conducted under extremely challenging conditions. She recalls assisting doctors during operations under the light of kerosene lamps due to frequent power outages.
One of the most memorable incidents from her career involved a high-risk maternal emergency on Agatti Island. The patient had suffered severe bleeding and could not be treated there due to the lack of advanced medical facilities. Hindumbi and the medical team transported the patient back to Kavaratti on a fishing boat while conducting a blood transfusion during the journey. After reaching the hospital, a successful C-section was performed and both the mother and baby survived.
In another critical case during the monsoon season, she travelled overnight on a naval ship to Amini Island where a pregnant patient had already reached full dilation and could not be shifted back to Kavaratti. With limited equipment and infrastructure available, a forceps delivery was conducted on the island itself, resulting in the safe delivery of both the mother and child.
Apart from hospital duties, Hindumbi also played an important role in community healthcare and outbreak response efforts across Lakshadweep. Alongside medical officers, she travelled house-to-house carrying medicines and spreading awareness about hygiene, immunisation, institutional deliveries, and preventive healthcare. She was also actively involved in cholera containment efforts and continued serving during difficult periods including the 2004 tsunami and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite severe staff shortages during earlier decades, she often worked continuously for long hours managing hospital responsibilities alongside immunisation drives and community healthcare work. Following retirement at the age of 60, she rejoined service within three months as a contract nurse and continues to report for duty regularly.
Born and raised in Kavaratti, Hindumbi comes from a family deeply rooted in service. Her father was associated with India’s freedom movement and participated in the Dandi March alongside Mahatma Gandhi. She credits her family for continuously supporting her demanding profession throughout her career.
Even today, many residents across Lakshadweep recognise her as the nurse who helped deliver their children and supported families during some of their most critical medical emergencies. Her journey reflects decades of resilience, compassion, and commitment towards strengthening healthcare access in one of India’s most geographically isolated regions.
Speaking about nursing, she says, “Nursing is great work. We care for bedridden patients as if they were our own parents. There is empathy and dignity in this profession.”
