Hyderabad, July 30: Grace Cancer Foundation announced that it is preparing to be listed on the Social Stock Exchange (SSE) and unveiled ambitious expansion plans that include establishing a Centre of Excellence for Preventive Oncology, deploying 100% AI-enabled mobile cancer screening units, and taking cancer and non-communicable disease (NCD) screening to the national level.
The announcement was made during a knowledge session titled “CSR Meets the Social Stock Exchange: A Journey Ahead”, organised by Equippp Social Impact Technologies Limited (EQUIPPP) at Yashoda Hospitals, Hitec City, Hyderabad, on Wednesday late evening.
The session featured Dr. Bhaskar Chatterjee, IAS (Retd.), widely regarded as one of the principal architects of India’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) framework, as the chief guest. More than 100 participants representing the CSR ecosystem, including corporate leaders, NGOs, philanthropists, impact investors, academicians and development professionals, attended the programme.
Among those present were Mr. Lakshmi Narayana, Founder of EQUIPPP; Dr. Chinnababu Sunkavalli, Founder of Grace Cancer Foundation; and Prof. Arun Tiwari, eminent scientist and co-author of former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s autobiography Wings of Fire.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Bhaskar Chatterjee said the fundamental objective of CSR was “to serve the underserved.”
“When I drafted the CSR provisions in the Companies Act, I never imagined the sector would grow to its present scale. Today, CSR has evolved into a significant development sector that is transforming lives across the country,” he observed.
He noted that when the CSR provisions under the Companies Act, 2013 came into force, about 8,000 companies were expected to come under the mandatory CSR framework, generating approximately ₹9,000 crore annually for social development. Today, he said, more than 30,000 companies fall within the CSR ambit, contributing over ₹40,000 crore annually.
“The CSR ecosystem is expected to grow to ₹75,000 crore within the next three years and eventually cross ₹1 lakh crore, driven by India’s rapid economic growth and increasing corporate profitability,” he said.
Highlighting India’s vibrant voluntary sector, Dr. Chatterjee said the country has nearly 3.3 million registered NGOs, creating enormous opportunities for collaboration between corporates and civil society organisations.
Speaking on recent policy developments, he said the Ministry of Corporate Affairs has simplified the registration process for eligible non-profits seeking CSR support. He also pointed out that companies are now permitted to invest up to 10% of their annual CSR expenditure in Zero Coupon Zero Principal (ZCZP) instruments listed on the Social Stock Exchange, opening a new avenue for transparent and accountable social financing.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Chinnababu Sunkavalli said Grace Cancer Foundation’s decision to pursue listing on the Social Stock Exchange is not merely to raise funds but to build a stronger institution with robust governance, greater transparency, stronger compliance systems and measurable social impact.
“Our objective is to ensure that every rupee entrusted to us delivers measurable outcomes,” he said.
Sharing the Foundation’s future roadmap, Dr. Sunkavalli announced plans to launch a Preventive Health Mission focusing on AI-driven early cancer detection and preventive healthcare. The Foundation plans to expand its fleet of mobile screening units, strengthen last-mile healthcare delivery, develop digital health platforms for rural communities, establish a Centre of Excellence for Preventive Oncology, and undertake collaborative research in preventive oncology while scaling up cancer and NCD screening programmes across India.
Delivering the context-setting address, Sai Kiran of EQUIPPP said the session aimed to familiarise stakeholders with the evolving role of CSR, philanthropy and the Social Stock Exchange in creating sustainable social impact.
He explained that, unlike conventional stock exchanges where companies raise capital from investors, the Social Stock Exchange is a SEBI-regulated platform that enables eligible non-profit organisations and social enterprises to mobilise funds transparently from donors and impact investors while ensuring high standards of governance, accountability and impact reporting.
“EQUIPPP is committed to building technology-enabled platforms that connect governments, corporates, NGOs, philanthropists and impact investors, making social finance more transparent, measurable and effective,” he said.
The session also provided practical insights into the opportunities, compliance requirements and processes involved in listing on the Social Stock Exchange, helping participants better understand how innovative financing mechanisms can strengthen India’s social development ecosystem.