RACP International Medal
Nominations for 2026 open 15 May to 31 August 2025.
The RACP International Medal recognises a member of the College who has provided outstanding service in developing countries.
This prestigious prize is awarded annually at the RACP College Ceremony.
Dr R. Kishore Kumar | 2025 recipient
Dr Kishore Kumar has made significant contributions to the healthcare of pregnant women, premature babies, and children in India. After earning his MD in Paediatrics with a Gold Medal from the prestigious Mysore University in 1989, he went on to obtain MRCP (Paed), FRCPCH, and FRACP, and worked across India, the UK, and Australia.
In Australia, Dr Kumar served as a neonatologist at the remote North West Regional Hospital in Burnie, Tasmania (1997–2001). During this time, he played a crucial role in establishing the Rural Medical School and contributed to the Commonwealth’s pilot project on rural medical student placements, alongside the late Professor Alan Carmichael.
In 2006, Dr Kumar returned to India with a mission to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality. He founded Cloudnine Hospitals, which has since expanded into a trusted network of 40 hospitals across the country. Cloudnine is renowned for its excellence in maternal and newborn healthcare, clinical governance, education, and research. Under Dr Kumar’s leadership, the network has achieved remarkable outcomes, including a maternal mortality rate of less than 3 per 100,000 over the past 18 years, despite delivering more than 300,000 babies. It also boasts the highest intact survival rates for preterm infants in India.
Dr Kumar has pioneered the implementation of holistic care models for pregnant women, leading to a 95% breastfeeding initiation rate across Cloudnine hospitals.
He is now focused on improving healthcare access for disadvantaged communities in India through the Cloudnine Foundation.
See our past RACP International Medal recipients.
Eligibility
A nominee must be a Fellow of an RACP Division, Faculty and/or Chapter and be:
- a resident or undertaking significant work in 1 or more developing countries*
OR
- working for an international aid organisation, providing assistance to those deemed in crisis.
A nominee must not:
- submit a nomination on their own behalf
- be a current RACP Board member
- be a current RACP staff member
- have held the office of President of the RACP
- be a past recipient of the RACP International Medal
All RACP Fellows or trainees can nominate an eligible Fellow.
* The term ‘developing countries’ includes those identified by the United Nations Human Development Index.
Nominate
Read the Terms and Conditions for College meritorious awards and prizes by nomination before submitting a nomination.
Inform the nominee of your intent to submit a nomination.
Email a completed nomination form addressing the selection criteria to foundation@racp.edu.au together with:
- CV of the nominee
- 2 letters of support
- other relevant supporting documentation (optional)
Note: a nomination isn't complete and can't be progressed unless all required documentation is received.
Download nomination form (DOC)
The College Conflicts Of Interest Policy (PDF) and Privacy Policy apply to the prize nominees and recipient.
Selection criteria
The assessment of the nominee's contribution in relation to others is an essential part of nomination. Please detail how your nominee has addressed all of the selection criteria:
1. Contribution to clinical and public service
How has the nominee made a significant and sustained contribution to clinical and public service?
2. Professional leadership
Demonstrate the nominee's outstanding leadership in developing and promoting initiatives to improve available clinical service available.
3. Advocacy
What significant advocacy has the nominee performed on behalf of international communities in health policy, health research or other areas of health importance?
4. Mentoring and training
How has the nominee proven their commitment to mentoring and training future and current physicians, medical graduates, and health practitioners?
Selection process
The RACP Fellowship Committee will review all eligible nominations received and select an RACP International Medal recipient.
The Fellowship Committee reserves the right not to select a recipient if all nominations received don't meet the high standards required for this award.
For more information about the RACP International Medal, contact the RACP Foundation.
Related content
Terms and conditions
College and Congress prize recipients
College and Congress prizes
International grants