Srinagar, May 17: The Gauri Kaul Foundation (GKF), a trailblazing non-profit organization dedicated to expanding cardiac care access across Jammu & Kashmir, has been awarded the prestigious “Best NGO in Healthcare and Heart Disease” award.
“This coveted honour was bestowed by the Integrated Global Health Care Mission, in association with the Advanced Media Group and Med Gate Today magazine, in recognition of the foundation’s relentless efforts to democratize specialized healthcare in the region.” Dr Priyadarshini, Director of GKF received the award from Mr Afzal Kamal, editor-in Chief of MedGate Today, said.
Established in 2021 by a team of dedicated directors led by world-renowned cardiologist Prof. Upendra Kaul, the Gauri Kaul Foundation began its journey during the challenging days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The foundation initially focused on bridging critical healthcare gaps by organizing comprehensive cardiac screening camps across several districts of Kashmir.Building on the success of these camps, GKF has since scaled its infrastructure to include: Two State-of-the-Art Day Care Centres: Delivering high-quality cardiac evaluation and management.
Strategically locating one of its primary day care centres in a remote, underserved area of the Pulwama District to ensure rural populations are not left behind.In 2025, the foundation significantly amplified its reach through a landmark association with the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), acquiring a fully equipped “Heart Clinic on Wheels.”This specialized mobile unit functions as a rolling diagnostic hub, bringing advanced cardiac evaluation directly to the doorsteps of remote communities. The mobile clinic is outfitted with a comprehensive suite of investigating tools,
The Gauri Kaul Foundation continues to run two vital ongoing flagship programs:School Health Initiative: Actively evaluating and monitoring the heart health of school-aged children across the Valley to catch congenital and acquired cardiac issues early and Ayushman Aarogya Mandir Collaboration. This is done by routinely visiting Community Wellness Centres to audit, support, and optimize the ongoing treatments received by local patients, ensuring international standards of care at the grassroots level.
Leadership reflections
“This honour has been made possible by joint, relentless efforts that began during the dark days of the Covid era and have continued unabated till date,” said Prof. Upendra Kaul, Founder and Director of GKF.
“A special thanks goes to our co-directors, Dr. Priyadarshini Arambam and Mr. M. A. Pathan, who have been absolutely instrumental in driving this vision forward. We also owe immense gratitude to our panel of advisors, including Prof. N. K. Arora of the INCLEN Trust International, whose guidance has been invaluable to our mission.”
With this new accolade, the Gauri Kaul Foundation reaffirms its commitment to eliminating preventable cardiac deaths in Jammu & Kashmir through innovation, mobility, and community-first healthcare.
