New Delhi, Sep 20 (IANS): The Deputy Director General of Military Nursing Service, Brigadier S.V. Saraswati, was honoured with the National Florence Nightingale Award 2020 on Monday.

President Ram Nath Kovind conferred the award to Saraswati in a virtual ceremony for her contribution to the military nursing service as nurse administrator.

The Florence Nightingale Award is the highest national distinction a nurse can achieve for selfless devotion and exceptional professionalism.

Brigadier Saraswati hails from Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh. She was commissioned into the Military Nursing Service on December 28, 1983.

As an experienced operation theatre nurse, she has assisted in more than 3,000 emergency surgeries besides training residents, operation room nursing trainees and auxiliary staff during her long career.

She has rendered her services at various army hospitals, as also the United Nations Peace Keeping Force in Congo. She has held various levels of clinical and administrative appointments prior to assuming the present appointment as Deputy Director General of Military Nursing Service.

In recognition of her service in the nursing profession, she was awarded General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Commendation (2005), United Nations Medal (2007) and Chief of the Army Staff Commendation (2015).