Hyderabad: Grace Cancer Foundation has announced plans to list on the Social Stock Exchange (SSE) while unveiling an ambitious expansion strategy that includes establishing a Centre of Excellence for Preventive Oncology, deploying 100 percent AI-enabled mobile cancer screening units, and scaling cancer and non-communicable disease (NCD) screening programmes across India.
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, on Wednesday.
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 representatives from the CSR ecosystem, including corporate leaders, NGOs, philanthropists, impact investors, academicians and development professionals, attended the programme.
CSR ecosystem likely to cross ₹1 lakh crore
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Bhaskar Chatterjee said the primary objective of CSR is “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 said.
He noted that when the CSR provisions under the Companies Act, 2013, came into force, nearly 8,000 companies were expected to fall under the mandatory CSR framework, generating about ₹9,000 crore annually for social development. Today, more than 30,000 companies contribute over ₹40,000 crore every year.
Dr. Chatterjee projected that the CSR ecosystem would expand to ₹75,000 crore within the next three years and eventually exceed ₹1 lakh crore, driven by India’s economic growth and increasing corporate profitability.
Highlighting the country’s strong voluntary sector, he said India has nearly 3.3 million registered NGOs, creating significant opportunities for collaboration between corporates and civil society organisations.
He also pointed out that the Ministry of Corporate Affairs has simplified CSR registration for eligible non-profits. Companies are now permitted to invest up to 10 percent of their annual CSR spending in Zero Coupon Zero Principal (ZCZP) instruments listed on the Social Stock Exchange, creating a transparent funding avenue for social initiatives.
Grace Cancer Foundation outlines expansion roadmap
Speaking at the event, Dr. Chinnababu Sunkavalli, Founder of Grace Cancer Foundation, said the proposed SSE listing is aimed at strengthening governance, transparency, compliance and measurable social impact rather than merely raising funds.
“Our objective is to ensure that every rupee entrusted to us delivers measurable outcomes,” he said.
He announced plans to launch a Preventive Health Mission focused on AI-driven early cancer detection and preventive healthcare. The Foundation also plans to expand its fleet of mobile screening units, improve last-mile healthcare delivery, develop digital health platforms for rural communities, establish a Centre of Excellence for Preventive Oncology, and undertake collaborative research while expanding cancer and NCD screening programmes nationwide.
Sai Kiran of EQUIPPP explained that the session was designed to familiarise stakeholders with the growing role of CSR, philanthropy and the Social Stock Exchange in promoting sustainable social impact.
He said the SEBI-regulated Social Stock Exchange 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.
The session also provided participants with practical insights into the listing process, compliance requirements and opportunities available through the Social Stock Exchange.
