IIT Madras, Hyundai Launches 'Hyundai Hope for Cancer' Initiative

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras, and Hyundai Motor India Foundation on Wednesday launched Hyundai Hope for Cancer to transform paediatric cancer care in India, according to officials.

Hyundai Motor India Foundation (HMIF), the CSR arm of Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL), has allocated a social impact investment of ₹56 crore towards the project.

At the heart of this initiative is the Hyundai Centre for Cancer Genomics, housed at IIT Madras' main campus in Chennai.

"The Hyundai Hope for Cancer initiative advances the goals of National Education Policy - 2020 by fostering deep industry-academia partnership, translational research, and talent development in frontier areas of healthcare and genomics.

"By building an Indian childhood cancer genomic database, strengthening early detection and screening, and expanding access for underserved communities," Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said.

The Centre will focus on genomic sequencing to identify genetic mutations, laying the foundation for a national paediatric cancer genome database and personalised treatment protocols.

It will also serve as a collaborative hub for clinicians, researchers, pharmaceutical scientists, and global partners, contributing to international efforts such as the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) and the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

"Hyundai Hope for Cancer is not just about building infrastructure - it is about healing, resilience, and hope. Every child deserves the chance to live a healthier, brighter tomorrow," said Unsoo Kim, Managing Director - HMIL.

With a total sum of ₹56 Crore committed towards this initiative, HMIF has also established a dedicated ₹3 crore Cancer Care Fund to ensure equitable access to treatment for economically disadvantaged patients.

Over the next four years, the Centre will conduct over 225 cancer awareness and screening camps across Tamil Nadu, Haryana and Maharashtra, reaching out to 1.27 lakh individuals and vaccinating over 5,000 girl children against HPV.