June 2025
HCL TECH GRANT EDITION X
RUNNER UP – Health Category
Pallium India, for the first time, achieved a competitive grant – HCLTech Grant (India) – Edition X. The HCLTech Grant (India) is dedicated to strengthening the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), enabling them to play a decisive role in building an equitable, inclusive and future-ready India. We emerged as the HCLTech Grant Edition X runner-up in the Health category. We bagged ₹25 Lakh (~US$ 0.03 million) as the prize money. This year, HCL received 13,925 registrations across 3 themes- Health, Education and Environment. Our proposal was selected amongst 1,600+ submissions after various rounds of deliberations, field validation, and Sub Jury & Jury evaluation.
For Press Release and video, visit: HCL TECH Grant Edition X
Welcome to a new edition of Pallium India’s newsletter. Thank you for joining us. Here you can find updates from the palliative care world, upcoming events including training for professionals and volunteers, interesting articles, career opportunities and so on.
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Obituary
We mourn the passing of Dr. Anne Merriman (1935–2025), a true pioneer of palliative care & the visionary founder of Hospice Africa, Uganda. Her legacy of dignity, and care, will live on in every act of kindness inspired by her work. Rest well Dr. Merriman.
“He walked gently through the world,
And left soft foot prints that will never fade”
– Author Unknown.
In Loving Memory: P. Vijayakrishnan (1942- 2025):
With deep sorrow and heartfelt gratitude, we remember the life of Mr.P Vijayakrishnan – beloved husband, father, grandfather, colleague, mentor and friend – who passed away peacefully on May 2, 2025, at the age of 82. A Fellow Chartered Accountant of distinction, Mr. Vijayakrishnan began his career in public service with the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology, where he was known for his meticulous attention to financial details and unwavering integrity. In 2011, he began his association with Pallium India, marking the beginning of a transformative chapter in both his life and the organization’s journey.
As an expert in corporate finance, he was instrumental in helping Pallium India, explore and secure Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funding from several reputed companies. His guidance helped establish long – term relationships that sustained the organization’s mission to deliver compassionate palliative care across India. He also set up a transparent and efficient auditing system within Pallium India – laying the foundation for financial accountability and trust. Always a teacher at heart, he trained and mentored his subordinates with patience and precision, shaping an entire generation of professionals in the accounts department. He was deeply respected as a mentor to all who worked with him. Though he initially worked on a modest honorarium, he later rendered his services entirely voluntarily – a reflection of his selfless spirit and commitment to meaningful work.
Those who knew him speak of his humility, warmth, and quiet strength. He led by example -with grace, patience, and a deeply rooted sense of ethics. He was a devoted husband to his wife Geetha, a loving father to his daughter Parvati, and son Gopikrishnan and a proud grandfather who cherished time with his grandchildren. His family was his foundation and his joy. In his community, Mr. Vijayakrishnan was the heart and soul of the residents association. He played an active and inspiring role in making community life vibrant, inclusive and well organized. Whether it was coordinating initiatives, offering thoughtful suggestions or simply bringing people together with his warmth and wit, he remained a driving force well into his eighties. His sharp mind and proactive spirit made him a respected and much loved presence among neighbours of all ages. His legacy is one of kindness, integrity, and unwavering dedication – to his profession, to his family and to the betterment of the society. He will be deeply missed but lovingly remembered by all whose lives he touched . May his soul rest in peace.
– Prasanna R (Ex Colleague, Volunteer, Pallium India)
Celebrating the life of Ms. Rajeswari
Rajeswari was a fragrant flower in the garden of Pallium India. As a dedicated palliative care Volunteer, she selflessly devoted countless hours to providing emotional, spiritual and practical support to patients and families navigating their life’s most challenging moments. With a gentle touch and a listening ear. She brought comfort, peace and dignity to those she served. Her unwavering commitment to alleviating suffering and promoting quality of life of our beneficiaries, inspired countless others to follow in her footsteps. We remember Ms Rajeswari, for her empathetic heart and remarkable ability to connect with others in profound ways.
As a Volunteer, she was with Pallium India from 2013 onwards, soon after her retirement from Govt. service. Even before she was an ardent supporter of Pallium India. Her enthusiasm to participate in each and every activity of Pallium, like the food festival and Kuttikkoottam, which are annual affairs, was very contagious. Even after moving over to her native town Ernakulam, she would make it a point to attend the monthly Volunteer meeting and ‘Unarvu’ , a gathering of bereaved people. She was very eager to accompany our medical team for home care service, even in the remote area of Palodu and Vithura, and so happy to establish and maintain personal relations with the families.
Ms. Rajeswari was also engaged in the community services of her residential area and an inevitable member of their Cultural activities. She was very fond of touring and travelling and had visited many Countries with her friends. We always remember our beloved Rajeswari,for her generosity of spirit,her empathetic heart and her remarkable ability to connect with others in profound ways.Her sudden and unexpected demise has left a big void in us. May her soul rest in eternal bliss.
– Shanthi Sebastian (Volunteer, Pallium India & Close Friend of Rajeswari)
NURSES DAY CELEBRATION
Pallium India observed the International Nurses Day 2025 over a small celebration inside the BDTC hall in the facility. Organised by the clinical services team, the celebration was inaugurated by Dr. Rajagopal alongwith Dr. SunilKumar (Director, TIPS) and other doctors from the Clinical team.
Ms. Sherin Robinson, a dedicated nurse at the Trivandrum Instiute of Palliative Sciences, Pallium India, had been selected to to feature on the Academy of Palliative Medicine website. This honour comes as a part of IAPC-APM’s Call for Commendation Initiative recognising the exceptional nurse on the occasion of International Nurses Day, May 12, 2025
International
WALKATHON 2025: Pallium India USA
Pallium India Incorporation, also known as Pallium India USA conducted it’s Annual Walkathon over two consecutive days by the Seattle and Bay Area Chapters on 10th and 11th May, respectively. The Walkathon brought together families and individuals who walked not only to celebrate motherhood but also to champion dignity and support for those in need of palliative care. Through their participation, they reinforced the values of love, community, and care – principles that both mothers and palliative care embody.
Asia -Pacific Regional Conference 2025
The Asia Pacific Hospice Network (APHN) hosted the Asia Pacific Regional Conference between 23rd and 26th April in Sarawak, Malaysia.
The theme was ‘Embracing Diversity, Empowering Communities”.
Head of Strategic Programs and Partnerships, Smriti Rana, attended on Pallium India’s behalf.
She delivered a Plenary on the last day titled “It takes a village” emphasising the role of the community in care, while warning that a participatory community does not absolve accountability on the part of rhetorical healthcare system which must continue to be strengthened. And that medical professionals must see their role in the community as well. She also participated in 3 panel discussions, and presented on the colonial history of pain access issues, marginalised communities specifically migrant workers and slum dwellers, and the importance of patient narratives in healthcare.
The conference was wonderfully organised and showcased cutting edge research and excellent models of delivery that are culturally situated and sensitive to the varied needs of the people in the Asia Pacific region. It was attended by 1200 delegates from 30 countries.
National
A Learning Visit
Pallium India’s Facilitation Coordinator-South region, (second from right) Mr. John Surya visited Alpha Palliative Care to learn about their community initiatives.
Trivandrum Institute of Palliative Sciences (TIPS), Pallium India
| Beneficiaries reached till April 2025: | 28,441 | |
| Palliative Care centres / services catalysed: | 257 | |
| Stakeholders trained (virtual and onsite): | 11,424 |
Upcoming Events, Trainings & Conferences
What is to Become of Me?
Click to Register
Conference and Masterclass on the life and work of Dame Cicely Saunders
Openings
For more openings, visit our CAREERS page:
https://palliumindia.org/category/career
In case of queries, please write to us: career@palliumindia.org
Stay tuned for palliative care news, views and updates
Reports / News / Articles
World Hospice And Palliative Care Day Theme Announcement 2025:
The WHPCD Theme for 2025
Achieving the Promise: Universal Access to Palliative Care
The theme for 2025 is Achieving the Promise: Universal Access to Palliative Care. This theme builds on last year’s campaign, where we marked 10 years since the World Health Assembly (WHO’s Governing Body) passed the only stand-alone resolution on palliative care, calling for all countries to “strengthen palliative care as a component of comprehensive care throughout the life course.” The aim is to achieve this promise.
World Hospice and Palliative Care Day is an annual unified day of action to celebrate and support hospice and palliative care around the world.
WHPCD has been marked every year for the last 20 years. Join us on Saturday 11 October to advocate for better hospice and palliative care services around the world.
Volunteer Training Program (VTP)
The Volunteer Training Program (VTP) is a free, in-person training for anyone who is interested in learning about palliative care and joining our volunteer community. Through engaging sessions, real-life reflections, and shared experiences, the program aims to build awareness, compassion, and essential skills in providing quality palliative care.
Pallium India recently conducted a two-day Volunteer Training Program (VTP) for a diverse group of 17 participants — including new volunteers, interns, pharmacists, nurses, social officers, and caregiver of an inpatient. The Training Program took place on 24th & 25th May (Saturday-Sunday) 2025, at the Pallium India Facility in Trivandrum.
A world among the downtroddens
Dr. Ashwin T. receiving his certificate from Dr. M R Rajagopal (Founder, Chairman Emeritus, Pallium India)
“A break from the monotonous medical entrance preparation and also from the boredom that struck being at home for a considerable amount of time, a first after entry into the medical school, I decided to make this one productive. Intentions were many, but the main objective was to unlearn and try to learn the approach towards palliative patients or otherwise patients at their end of life stage.”
Where Happy Feet Find Ground: A Day at a Paediatric Palliative Care Centre
Ms. Varsha Panicker (VTP Participant, April 2025 Batch, Mumbai) writes:
I first met Rudra (name changed) by chance — a whirlwind of energy who darted into the staff room to fetch Zarna didi. I had an appointment with Mansi Shah, the founder of Happy Feet, and I met her with her colleague Zarna Jain. We had been speaking for nearly 45 minutes, and I was learning about their work in paediatric palliative care. Mansi had just stepped out for a quick lunch — a rather late one — and Zarna had momentarily stepped into the washroom.
Left alone, Rudra struck up a conversation, eager to tell me all about the dance practice he and his friends were busy with as I arrived. He couldn’t quite remember the song, “It’s my best friend’s favourite,” he said as he leaped from the diwan to a chair, brimming with animation. I smiled, watching him, unable to reconcile the reality I had been told: Rudra is HIV positive. And so are many of the 25 or more children I had seen playing, laughing, and dancing that afternoon.
What you can’t see from the outside is the grief many of them carry in their small frames — grief of being abandoned, or misunderstood, or simply not accepted. Rudra’s story, like many here, is tender and complicated. His mother passed away some years ago, and though she remarried, the stepfather rejected both Rudra and his older brother, who is also HIV affected. They now live full-time at Happy Feet.
For Rudra, the memory of a man he grew up calling ‘father’ now refusing to acknowledge him is confusing, perhaps even devastating. And like many children in pain, it surfaces not as sadness but as hyperactivity, aggressiveness, and restlessness
I had come to Happy Feet as part of my volunteer training in palliative care, facilitated by Pallium India. The centre, having recently shifted from Sion to a modest four-storey building in Chembur tucked at the end of a quiet lane, welcomed me with warmth — a gate opened by a smiling young girl, children practicing choreography under a shaded parking area that doubles up as an activity zone.
Video of the Month
‘Public Talk: Health, Dignity and the Ethics of Palliative Care’
Dr. Rajagopal on World Health Day: Panel Discussion
Click here to watch the video: Health, dignity & ethics of palliative care
Subscribe to Pallium India’s youtube channel for videos related to palliative care and our activities. You can watch previous webinars and training sessions, as well as listen to caregivers, survivors and others sharing their experiences.
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Book of the Month
‘Notes on Grief’ : Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
“Notes on Grief” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a poignant and deeply personal meditation on the loss of her father, James Nwoye Adichie, who passed away suddenly in 2020. Originally stemming from an essay published in The New Yorker, the book expands into a raw, lyrical reflection on mourning, memory, and the aching void that grief leaves behind.
Adichie explores the physical and emotional impact of bereavement, the cultural rituals around death (particularly within her Nigerian Igbo background), and the helplessness of being separated from loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic. She confronts the unpredictability of grief — its waves, its silence, its fury — with striking honesty and poetic restraint.At its heart, Notes on Grief is not just about death, but about love: the enduring bond between a daughter and her father, and the transformative pain of losing someone irreplaceable.
Walk with the Weary – by Dr M R Rajagopal
A masterclass in how to care for others deeply and compassionately no matter who they are, Walk with the Weary is simultaneously the story of Dr Rajagopal’s life and his calling and the world of Indian palliative care.
Palliative Care Telehealth
Call us: +91 964 588 4889 /
+91 860 688 4889
PARTING SHOT
‘Sometimes, more than a Bridge’
It’s not enough that we remember nurses on International Nurses Day, but at least on that day, let’s pause a moment to acknowledge, appreciate and thank them.
In the last one year I have had opportunities to interact closely with nurses. A total of seven and a half weeks were spent in hospitals, not counting other emergency visits in between. Everywhere nurses were bustling around, talking to people, responding to calls, checking up, asking questions, making notes, conveying information to doctors and back, skillfully executing procedures, and more.
I saw young nurses at the end of their night duty, sleep-deprived and ready to collapse, nursing students making mistakes and learning, experienced nurses looking as fresh and merry at the end of day-long or night-long duties as they were at the beginning.
I think of them often, many of whom I know the names of, some I don’t, both women and men.
When my mother passed away, we were numb, unable to process what had happened, and were focussing on what to do next: inform relatives, pay the hospital bills, make arrangements for the cremation, go home and face life, and who knows what else. But I remember the compassionate presence of nurses around us: pressing our hands, leading my father to a different room, making sure he was comfortable, asking if there was anything they could do, even as they were taking care of other patients in other rooms.
We often say that nurses are a bridge between the patient and the doctor. The doctors breeze in, ask a few questions (or not), give some instructions, to us or to their team, and then breeze out. But the nurses stay with us, they are in and out of the room throughout the day. They understand our distress or peace in the wake of the doctor’s visit; they see the patient’s pain and restlessness at night; they empathise; they stand with us and listen when we vent. I sometimes wonder if they are taught these skills, or do they pick them up as part of their work, or is it a testament to where they come from and what they have endured?
Their hand-over (shortened to ‘over’) during shift change is a lengthy process but flawless and effective. The incoming nurses know exactly what had happened in the previous shift, and the conversation with the family flows as though a shift change had not happened and new faces had not replaced the old ones.
Mistakes happen. Of course they do. In the context of health care, some mistakes are costly and unforgivable. But when minor and excusable, let us be kind. They are human too. Possibly overworked, as well.
Not all nurses are pleasant and friendly – some have cultivated the professional barrier which protects them from getting too emotionally attached. There may be others who are indifferent or even rude. The familiarity may take time to develop. Nobody is perfect. We don’t know their stories or where they come from, or what they suppress during their duty hours.
I once overheard a senior nurse on the phone: “I am at work, dear. Please resolve this between yourselves.” Mommy duties had interfered and she had handled it without losing her cool. Had she lost it, I wouldn’t have blamed her.
When my father was hospitalised, the nurses behaved as though they were his daughters and sons, making him feel comfortable, asking questions and listening to him patiently. And to us, family members, they enquired if we slept, we ate, we went home.
They are with us when the patient is discharged and goes home happily; they are with us when it is time to return without the patient.
On the day we lost our mother, in a daze, we somehow thanked the nurses and said goodbye to them, requesting them to pass on our thanks to the nurses in other shifts. As they came and pressed our hands, some were fighting back tears.
Not a day goes by without the scenes from the hospital flashing before my eyes. And these nurses stand out, hurrying, day or night, whenever we call, referring to our parents as ‘Father and Mother’ or ‘Uncle and Aunty’, being the bridge, and sometimes much more than a bridge.
It’s not enough that we remember nurses on International Nurses Day, but at least on that day, let’s pause a moment to acknowledge, appreciate and thank them.
When my father was discharged from the hospital, I said to the nurses, “see you later” and they smiled: “But not here in the hospital, perhaps somewhere outside.”
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