November 2025
November is a month to celebrate the spirit of childhood — its resilience, innocence, and boundless hope. As we mark Children’s Day (Nov 14) and World Children’s Day (Nov 20), we are reminded that every child, especially those living with serious illnesses, deserves not just medical care, but comfort, dignity, and joy.
At Pallium India, we believe that palliative care for children is about more than easing pain — it’s about helping them dream, play, laugh, and live fully, no matter their circumstances. Throughout this month, we honour the courage of these young warriors, the love of their families, and the compassion of the care teams who walk beside them.
Together, let’s celebrate childhood — by nurturing smiles, spreading kindness, and reaffirming that every child deserves a chance to live with comfort, care, and hope.
Honouring the Wisdom of Children: Tagore’s The Post Office
We are honoured to share a deeply evocative piece on Rabindranath Tagore’s timeless play, ‘The Post Office’ (Dak Ghar), by Indira Chowdhury, noted oral historian and founding member of the Oral History Association of India. Through the story of young Amal, whose illness confines him indoors even as his imagination soars beyond walls, Tagore captures the very essence of what palliative care strives for—to bring meaning, connection, and peace even in the face of life’s finitude. We welcome this reflection as part of our November 2025 Newsletter theme, where art, literature, and care intersect to remind us that healing often transcends cure, and that the human spirit, like Amal’s, continues to seek light beyond the window.
Rabindranath Tagore’s Dak Ghar (The Post Office) was originally written in 1912, a year before he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. The following year, the play was translated into English and performed at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin directed by W.B. Yeats and Lady Gregory. It was performed in London that same year. Five years later, the play was performed in Bengali in Calcutta in 1917. Mahatma Gandhi had watched the play and was moved by it
Play Heals: Nurturing Hope and Joy Through Learn To Play
While attending the African Palliative Care Association Conference in Botswana in September this year, Pallium India’s Head of Strategic programs and Partnerships, Smriti Rana had the opportunity to discover the remarkable work being done by Learn To Play.
Moved by the thoughtfulness of the program, she invited the co-founder Priyanka Handa to share with our readers what the organisation does. We hope that you will be as inspired as we were.
Every day across Africa, mothers are forced to choose between earning a living and providing nurturing care for their children. For families living in poverty, this choice can feel impossible. Research shows that children raised in hardship — especially those whose caregivers face mental health challenges — are up to four times more likely to experience socioemotional and cognitive delays.
In Botswana, where more than half of all children live in poverty, many grow up without access to quality early learning or safe spaces to simply be children. But it doesn’t have to be this way. At Learn To Play, we believe that play is not a luxury — it’s a lifeline. Play helps children heal, connect, and grow. It sparks resilience, confidence, and joy — even in the most challenging circumstances.
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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Healing Hands, Hopeful Hearts — Celebrating the Art of Our Little Creators
Annadanam: Meals Full of Love
Celebrate your birthday, anniversary, or honour the memory of a loved one by sharing a warm meal with patients and caregivers at Pallium India’s In-Patient Unit. Your gesture will nourish 20 patients and 20 caregivers (40 beneficiaries) with love and care. Each meal you sponsor is a gift of care, love, and nourishment for patients and their families.
Education Support
Let’s celebrate children every day. Your steady monthly gift helps provide books, uniforms, and opportunities for children who need them most. Make your kindness count — month after month.
Special Mention: Ved’s Birthday Gift of Compassion
For his 10th birthday on 29th September, Ved Rakesh Nair from Bengaluru chose to celebrate in a truly special way. Instead of receiving presents, he encouraged his parents, friends, and relatives to contribute to a cause close to his heart.
Ved learned about Pallium India from one of our long-time supporters, Smt. Deepa Saji, and was deeply moved by our work. He decided to dedicate his birthday to supporting our pediatric palliative care patients, with wholehearted encouragement from his parents, Mr. Rakesh Nair and Dr. Dhanya.
Ved’s thoughtful gesture reminds us that compassion knows no age. His kindness will bring comfort and care to children like him — and inspire many young hearts to give with love.
World Hospice and Palliative Care Day Celebrations 2025
A Day When Pain Took a Backseat
By the time the first auto ferrying a patient and their caregiver pulls up at the International Convention Centre at Veli Tourist Village, the sun is already high — and so is the pulse of the Pallium India team. They have all been praying for a respite from the unexpected rains that could spell chaos for the events planned to celebrate World Hospice and Palliative Care Day. But as luck — and perhaps faith — would have it, the morning dawns bright and clear. A collective sigh of relief passes through the team.
The patients, their caregivers, and families have travelled from across Thiruvananthapuram — some from Kanyakumari and a few others from different parts of Kerala. For many, it’s a long and difficult journey, made harder by illness and physical limitations. Yet, they come — driven by hope, connection, and the promise of a day that celebrates life beyond suffering. The Pallium India team understands the weight of that trust. Every arrival is more than just a registration; it’s a quiet reminder of the responsibility they carry — to care, to comfort, and to make every moment of the day safe and joyful for those who have placed their faith in them.
Celebrating Compassion: WHPCD Celebrations from Around the Country
This year on World Hospice and Palliative Care Day, Pallium India’s facilitation team collaborated with hospitals, universities, community organizations, and volunteers nationwide to raise awareness and emphasize the importance of accessible palliative care.
Nagaland: Voices of Compassion
In Nagaland, WHPCD was marked by a heartfelt event championing community-led palliative care. Representing Pallium India, Regional Facilitator, Rontu Sangma highlighted the critical role of compassion in healthcare and applauded the progress of local initiatives.
My Experience at Snehanchal Hospice, Nagpur
By Dr. Manasi Joshi
I was deeply honoured to be invited as a speaker for World Hospice and Palliative Care Day 2025 at Snehanchal Hospice, Nagpur. My sincere gratitude goes to Ms. Sunanda, Regional Facilitator, Pallium India, for introducing me to this remarkable institution.
Visiting Snehanchal was truly a heart-warming and life-changing experience. I joined their home care team during visits in underprivileged localities and witnessed their compassionate service to terminally ill cancer patients. At the satellite OPD, I observed the high prevalence of head and neck cancers among young individuals and learned about Snehanchal’s impressive door-to-door cancer survey initiative aimed at identifying and supporting patients in need.
Compassion in Action: Nagaland WHPCD Celebrations
Nagaland joined the global observance of World Hospice and Palliative Care Day with a heartfelt program that emphasized the power of compassion in healthcare. The event was hosted at AIDA, Don Bosco School, Dimapur, and organized by Serene Palliative Care, Eden Medical Centre, St. Joseph’s Pain and Palliative Care Home, and CIHSR. Healthcare professionals, community leaders, and advocates gathered to highlight the growing importance of palliative care in the state, an approach that prioritizes comfort, dignity, and emotional well-being for patients facing serious illnesses.
Beyond the Sessions: Reflections from the Field
Four Years of Learning, Growth and Service with Pallium India
This month, we celebrate Sunanda Samal, Regional Facilitator at Pallium India, as she completes four remarkable years of learning, growth, and service. From introducing palliative care in remote districts of Odisha to forging partnerships with government systems in Goa and Maharashtra, Sunanda’s journey reflects the essence of Pallium India’s mission — to make compassionate care accessible to all. Read her inspiring story in her own words below.
As I complete four meaningful years with Pallium India, I feel immense gratitude for the journey that has shaped my professional outlook. My role as a Regional Facilitator has given me the opportunity to work closely with diverse communities, government systems and health care professionals across Odisha, Goa and Maharashtra – each experience adding a unique dimension to my understanding of palliative care.
In Odisha, my journey began with the challenge of introducing the concept of palliative care in new districts. Meeting patients in remote areas, where pain relief and home-based support were unheard of, deeply moved me. Through collaboration with district health authorities and local champions, we initiated the first steps towards creating a network of palliative care providers who could extend care and compassion to those in need.
When a Community Came Together to Care
A Personal Reflection on WHPCD 2025
In late August, when Dr. M.R. Rajagopal told us he wished for every one of our care seekers to be invited to this year’s World Hospice and Palliative Care Day celebrations, not just a few; the invitation committee meeting suddenly felt much larger than the four walls it was held in. We were looking at nearly 4,000 care seekers in our database, each deserving of that personal touch, that warm acknowledgement that said, you belong with us.
In the weeks leading up to the big day, the entire Pallium India family came alive with a shared purpose. Planning meetings stretched into evenings, phone calls multiplied, and to-do lists seemed endless.
Trivandrum Institute of Palliative Sciences (TIPS), Pallium India
| Beneficiaries reached till August 2025: | 29,416 | |
| Palliative Care centres / services catalysed: | 226 | |
| Stakeholders trained (virtual and onsite): | 12,615 |
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Reports / News / Articles
CME on Palliative Care at SKIMS, Srinagar
On 11th October 2025, the Department of Radiation Oncology at SKIMS, Srinagar, organized the first-of-its-kind CME on Palliative Care in Kashmir to mark World Hospice and Palliative Care Day. The event aimed to raise awareness among clinicians and healthcare professionals about integrating palliative care into routine healthcare, particularly in tertiary cancer centers.
The scientific program featured expert talks on clinical, psychosocial, and community-based palliative care. Dr. Hashmath Farhana from Pallium India presented on home-based palliative care, sharing insights into delivering compassionate care where it matters most. Dr. Arjun Devarajan, also from Pallium India, spoke on mitigating serious health-related suffering in India, emphasizing the Total Pain model, challenges in access and opioid availability, and the importance of early integration of palliative care in tertiary settings.
Leave No One Behind: The Roadmap to Health Equity in India’s NCD Response
New Delhi, September 12, 2025 — The vital discussion on strengthening India’s battle against Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) took a critical turn towards social justice at the 9th National Consultation on Non-Communicable Diseases and Health Equity. Held at the India International Centre Annexe, the flagship event, organized by the Healthy India Alliance (HIA) and the Indian Institute of Public Health, Hyderabad (IIPH-H), focused on the theme: #LeadOnNCDs to leave no one behind.
The consultation brought together over 50 key stakeholders, including policymakers, civil society leaders, researchers, and lived experience champions.
Sensitisation Sessions at Neyyar & Loka Medicity
Pallium India conducted sensitisation sessions at Neyyar Medicity (1st Oct 2025) and Loka Medicity (2nd Oct 2025) as part of the initial phase of our collaboration with their management.
- Both sessions were well attended by doctors, nurses, and senior leadership.
- The response was very positive, with strong interest in establishing comprehensive palliative care services at both hospitals.
- Management has committed to nominating a core team (2 doctors, 4 nurses, 1 MSW, and 1 physiotherapist) for structured training.
- They also expressed interest in linking their existing homecare services with palliative care.
- Importantly, they have agreed to propose special discounted rates for Pallium India patients.
Overall, both sessions were very fruitful, and the hospitals are enthusiastic about moving to the next steps of implementation and formal declaration during World Hospice & Palliative Care Day on 11th Oct 2025.
Video of the Month
Pallium India’s call to action on WHPC Day 2025 by Founder & Chairman Emeritus, Dr. M.R Rajagopal
Click here to watch the video:
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
An Elephant’s Tale
An Elephant’s Tale by Priyanka Handa Ram is an African adventure with delightfully charming illustrations by Sumedha Sah, a playful yet important read in the current race against elephant and rhino extinction. It is the first in a series of books about animal conservation for young children.
An orphaned elephant, Tusky, battles through real-life dangers of surviving poachers in the wild. Armed with the virtues of courage, friendship and clever wit, this is an adventure that will inspire young readers to consider the plight of endangered animals in a whimsical and delightful rhyme. It is a tale about making unusual friends such as the terrific trio of Jinga, the giraffe, Rhino, the rhinoceros and Tusky, the elephant as well as how human rangers can work together towards animal conservation.
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
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PARTING SHOT
When Courage Sits in Small Bodies
Lessons from Pediatric Palliative Care that Society is Not Yet Brave Enough to Face
I stepped into pediatric palliative care thinking I was entering a field of service. I did not know I was entering a field of truth. Here, children become philosophers without ever intending to, and parents become warriors without ever receiving armour. Every visit alters me a little, the way I listen, the way I notice pain, the way I measure strength. I came prepared to offer support, but no one told me I would be taught how to feel more deeply, not less. The world often assumes that illness makes a child fragile, but I have learned that it is society, not their bodies, that most often fails them. As Kahlil Gibran wrote, “Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.” I see those souls every day.
I saw one of them in Prerana (name changed), a 15-year-old girl with a spine of courage and a heart still learning how to carry rejection. When she told me that she has only one friend, she didn’t say it with anger or resentment, only quiet acceptance, as though she had slowly taught herself not to expect more. When I asked her why she thought others kept their distance, she said, “maybe because of my tongue.” That sentence sat heavy on my chest.
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