Hyundai Motor India & IIT Madras launch ‘Hyundai Hope for Cancer’

New Delhi: Hyundai Motor India Foundation (HMIF), the CSR arm of Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL), in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), launched ‘Hyundai Hope for Cancer’ – a pioneering initiative dedicated to transforming paediatric cancer care in India.

As part of its multi-year commitment towards this cause, HMIF has allocated a social impact investment of INR 56 Crore towards this landmark project.

At the heart of this initiative is the Hyundai Centre for Cancer Genomics, housed at IIT Madras’ main campus in Chennai. The Centre, unveiled by Shri. Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon’ble Minister of Education – Government of India, features India’s first community-based Cancer Tissue Biobank, enabling advanced genomic research in paediatric leukaemia and lymphoma

Addressing guests at the launch event, Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Education – Government of India, said, “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, the programme exemplifies “Sabka Prayas” in action and reaffirms our commitment to equitable, technology-enabled healthcare. I congratulate IIT Madras and Hyundai Motor India Foundation for this timely, outcomes-focused effort and call upon researchers, clinicians, and innovators across the country to collaborate through this platform to bring hope, precision care, and better survival outcomes to every child in need.”

The Centre will focus on genomic sequencing to identify genetic mutations, laying the foundation for a national paediatric cancer genome database and personalized 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 WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

 Highlighting the significance of this project, Mr. Unsoo Kim, Managing Director – HMIL, said, “Guided by our global vision of ‘Progress for Humanity’, Hyundai Motor India is proud to collaborate with IIT Madras on this transformative initiative. ‘Hyundai Hope for Cancer’ is not just about building infrastructure – it’s about healing, resilience, and hope. Every child deserves the chance to live a healthier, brighter tomorrow.”

 Looking forward to this collaboration, Prof. V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said, “We are delighted to partner with Hyundai Motor India for a project of such National importance. This research centre will catalyse breakthrough studies in paediatric oncology, resulting in improved diagnostics and targeted treatments. We thank Hyundai for trusting us to spearhead this mission.”

The inauguration ceremony was graced by Shri. Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon’ble Minister of Education – Government of India; Shri. Harsh Malhotra, Union Minister of State for Corporate Affairs and Road Transport & Highways; Dr. Laxmikant Bajpai, Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha; Mr. Unsoo Kim, Managing Director – HMIL; Mr. Gopalakrishnan CS, Trustee – HMIF, Mr. Jeongick Lee, Function Head, Corporate Affairs – HMIL; Mr. Puneet Anand, AVP & Vertical Head – Corporate Affairs, Corporate Communication and Social – HMIL; Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director – IIT Madras; and principal investigator Prof. S. Mahalingam, Department of Biotechnology – IIT Madras, along with other key stakeholders.

With a total sum of INR 56 Crore committed towards this initiative, HMIF has also established a dedicated INR 3 Crore Cancer Care Fund to ensure equitable access to treatment for economically disadvantaged patients.  Over the next four years, the Centre will conduct 225+ cancer awareness and screening camps across Tamil Nadu, Haryana, and Maharashtra, reaching out to 1.27 Lakh individuals and vaccinating 5,000+ girl children against HPV.

The Centre will further Collect and sequence 1,600+ samples for research; provide free treatment to 30-50 children; upskill 100+ technicians in genomics; and deploy Mobile Medical Units to expand healthcare access in underserved regions.

This initiative aligns with Hyundai’s global ‘Hope on Wheels’ program, reinforcing the brand’s longstanding commitment to supporting children battling cancer worldwide.