Dr Armida Fernandez, a senior neonatologist who set up Asia's first human milk bank and went on to found one of Mumbai's best known community health organisations, has been conferred the Padma Shri for 2026 in the field of medicine.
The Armida Fernandez Padma Shri honour recognises a lifetime spent improving the survival of newborns and the health of mothers and children in some of the country's poorest urban neighbourhoods.
At 83, she has called the award a recognition of the teams and volunteers she has worked with rather than of herself alone.
Her career is a reminder that public health, built patiently over decades, can save lives at scale.
A pioneer of newborn care
