New Delhi: Hyundai Motor India has just proved that its “Progress for Humanity” tagline isn’t just about futuristic cars with panoramic sunroofs—it now extends to saving lives. In a landmark initiative with IIT Madras, Hyundai Motor India Foundation (HMIF) has launched ‘Hyundai Hope for Cancer’, a project that shifts gears from turbochargers to tumour-fighters.
The centrepiece of this collaboration is the Hyundai Centre for Cancer Genomics, proudly housed at IIT Madras’ main campus. Think of it as the Nürburgring for cancer research, except instead of lap times, the race is against childhood cancer. India’s first Cancer Tissue Biobank was also inaugurated by Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon’ble Minister of Education, who looked suitably proud while unveiling a research lab that promises more horsepower in healthcare than in hatchbacks.
Hyundai has pledged INR 56 Crore to this mission, including a Cancer Care Fund of INR 3 Crore, ensuring that children from economically disadvantaged families don’t get left stranded on life’s roadside. If you thought Hyundai’s extended warranty was generous, this initiative promises hope, healing, and a genomic pit stop for personalized treatments.
The centre will dive deep into genomic sequencing for paediatric leukaemia and lymphoma, laying the foundation for a national childhood cancer genome database. In car terms, imagine your service centre knowing exactly why your check-engine light is on before you even roll in—only here, the stakes are infinitely higher.
Over the next four years, the project will:
- Conduct 225+ cancer awareness and screening camps across Tamil Nadu, Haryana, and Maharashtra.
- Screen 1.27 lakh individuals—that’s almost as many as a mid-sized town in India waiting at an RTO office.
- Vaccinate 5,000+ girl children against HPV—because prevention, like ABS in cars, is better than crash protection.
- Provide free treatment to 30-50 children, proving that sometimes the best upgrade isn’t a bigger infotainment screen but a healthier tomorrow.
Unsoo Kim, Managing Director of Hyundai Motor India, put it simply: “It’s not just about building cars, it’s about building hope.” Meanwhile, Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, called it a partnership of “national importance”—translation: a collab bigger than Hyundai + Bose speakers.
By bringing together clinicians, researchers, pharma experts, and international agencies like WHO’s IARC, the Hyundai Hope for Cancer initiative aims to turbocharge India’s cancer research ecosystem. And for once, when Hyundai says “Future Ready”, it’s not about facelifts or ADAS—it’s about giving every child a fighting chance.
