Actor Vidya Balan Champions Sanjeevani, Inspiring Millions to Embrace Early Cancer Screening

Business Wire India

The third edition of the Sanjeevani National Convention, jointly organized by Federal Bank Hormis Memorial Foundation, News18 Network, and knowledge partner Tata Trusts, brought together key voices from healthcare, government, civil society, and the private sector to confront India’s escalating cancer burden. With annual cancer cases projected to reach 1.57 million by the end of 2025, and over 70% of these still diagnosed at late stages, the convention focused on shifting the national response from awareness to timely action.

 

Over 700 days, the Sanjeevani campaign has evolved into a high-impact, multi-platform initiative, reaching more than 600 million people through News18’s TV network and generating over 13 million digital engagements. Ground-level interventions have included cancer screening camps, school workshops, corporate health programs, and storytelling that centers the lived experiences of survivors.

 

For Vidya Balan, Renowned actor and Sanjeevani ambassador, the mission is deeply personal. “We must stop waiting for a crisis to prioritise ourselves,” she said on stage, standing beside survivors of all ages. “Cancer doesn’t just affect the body - it shakes identity, confidence, and family. But early detection gives us power. It gives us time. And it gives us hope.” She spoke of the transformative power that comes from self-acceptance and community.

 

One of the most striking moments of the convention was ‘Antaratma’, a survivor-starring ramp segment showcasing individuals who have not only survived cancer but have resumed life as professionals, parents, educators, and creators. Their presence sent a clear message—that cancer survival is not the end of the story but a powerful continuation. Their voices framed the importance of dignity, access, and follow-up care as essential elements of cancer response.

 

Speaking at the convention, Shri Prakash Abitkar, Honorable Minister for Public Health and Family Welfare, Maharashtra, said, "the partnership between Federal Bank, News18 Network, and Tata Trust is commendable, and I express my sincere gratitude to them for their support. The rising cancer cases in Maharashtra and India urgently requires united action. Government and society working together, as seen in initiatives like Sanjeevani, delivers remarkable results. The central and Maharashtra governments are committed to cancer prevention and treatment, with 8-day care centers already offering radiation and chemotherapy, and plans for 26 more in civil hospitals. Since launching the Mahatma Phule Arogya Campaign on February 4, over 2.5 crore rural women have been screened for breast, oral, and cervical cancers, enabling early detection and timely treatment. Public awareness and community participation are vital. I urge everyone to join this fight, promote screening, and save lives." 

 

“Through Sanjeevani, we have been blessed with the opportunity to touch over 20,000 lives in the past few years, and we are determined to reach another 20,000 this year. What began as an awareness and action campaign which supported patients and their families, has continually grown by adding more hospitals, oncology departments, mental health practioners, etc. to support patients and push back onset by early detection amongst the healthy. We are also wanting to work on offering not just medical support but easing the unseen burdens of travel, stay, and daily survival. At Federal Bank Hormis Foundation, we believe health is not an expense but an investment in the nation’s balance sheet. The Bank through its CSR Foundation is humbled to see its tagline Rishta Aap Se Hai. Sirf App Se Nahi.™ live through so many families we attempt to impact. It is actually our promise to blend innovation with compassion, partnerships with impact, and optimism with action for a healthier, stronger India. I am deeply optimistic, because when a nation commits to both growth and compassion, there is no limit to the lives we can save and the futures we can protect,” said KVS Manian, CEO, Federal Bank.

 

Siddharth Sharma, CEO, Tata Trusts, added, "For decades, Tata Trusts has been an instrumental part of the nation’s fight against cancer with a clear commitment to make accessible, quality, and compassionate care a right for every patient, not a privilege.  This partnership with the Federal Bank Hormis Memorial Foundation and the News18 Network exemplifies what is possible when diverse but like-minded stakeholders unite with purpose, to change lives at scale. With over 70% of cancer cases still detected too late, early screening is not just a medical necessity, it is a moral imperative that demands our collective resolve. By spearheading awareness and building sustainable healthcare systems, we have the power to rewrite India’s healthcare story. This is not merely a campaign; it is a bold national pledge to save lives and rebuild futures.”

 

Avinash Kaul, Chief Executive Officer - Network18 (Broadcast) & Managing Director A+E Networks, said, "At Network18, our role is to amplify courage and create conversations that matter. With the support of Federal Bank Hormis Memorial Foundation, Tata Trusts, and our initiative ambassador Vidya Balan, the Sanjeevani movement is putting survivors and communities at the heart of India’s cancer narrative. By breaking myths, promoting early detection, and making screening a shared responsibility, we are turning awareness into action. This is not just charity — it is justice, solidarity, and collective resolve to redefine cancer care, one courageous conversation at a time."

 

This year, Sanjeevani will make cancer screening and prevention routine across India by expanding into rural and under-served areas through community partnerships and on-ground mobilization. The program focuses on driving behavioral change, destigmatizing fear around cancer, normalizing conversations, and encouraging early detection through regular screening. Targeting schoolgirls, daily wage workers, and women in informal sectors, Sanjeevani’s clear mission is to make early detection a norm and create a stigma-free environment, ultimately saving lives nationwide. Partnerships are focused solely on expanding reach and supporting grassroots engagement.

 

As India stands united against cancer through Sanjeevani, the movement calls upon every citizen to embrace screening as a vital part of life, shaping a future where early detection is the norm and lives are saved every day. The legacy of Sanjeevani is not just in statistics or slogans but in forging a new social contract, a promise that through awareness, action, empathy, and partnership, India can transform the story of cancer from one of fear and loss to one of dignity, survival, and renewed hope. Every voice matters, every story counts, and every screening is a chance to save a life.

The Third Edition of the Sanjeevani National Convention

About Federal Bank

 

Federal Bank (NSE: FEDERALBNK) is a leading Indian private sector bank with a network of around 1591 banking outlets and 2093 ATMs/Recyclers spread across the country, and the Bank’s total business mix (deposits + advances) stood at Rs. 5.29 Lakh Crore as on 30th June 2025. Capital Adequacy Ratio (CRAR) of the Bank, computed as per Basel III guidelines, stood at 16.03 % as on 30th June 2025. Federal Bank has Representative Offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi that serve as a nerve centre for Non-Resident Indian customers in the UAE. The Bank also has an IFSC Banking Unit (IBU) in Gujarat International Finance TecCity (GIFT City). Federal Bank is transforming itself, keeping its principles intact, into an organisation that offers services beyond par. It has a well-defined vision for the future as a guidepost to its progress.

 

About Tata Trusts

 

Since its inception in 1892, Tata Trusts, India's oldest philanthropic organisation, has played a pioneering role in bringing about an enduring difference in the lives of the communities it serves. Guided by the principles and the vision of proactive philanthropy of the Founder, Jamsetji Tata, the Trusts' purpose is to catalyse development in the areas of health, education, nutrition, water, sanitation, hygiene, and livelihoods among others.

 

The Trusts have pioneered efforts in the field of cancer care since the inception of the Tata Memorial Hospital in 1941. In 2017, Tata Trusts established a Tata Cancer Care Foundation (formerly known as Alamelu Charitable Foundation) to implement its comprehensive Cancer Care Programme, based on the four pillars of access, affordability, quality, and awareness. Through its efforts, over 20 facilities across six states- Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka - have been developed and augmented through collaborations with state governments and like-minded organisations. The Trusts are committed to downstaging the impact of cancer by flipping the ratio of early to late detection through increased awareness and screening while improving the quality of life of patients and their families.