Hyderabad: Hyderabad-based Grace Cancer Foundation marked its listing on the National Stock Exchange’s Social Stock Exchange (NSE-SSE) on Thursday after its ₹1-crore public fundraising issue received over 100% subscription.
The ceremonial bell-ringing took place at the NSE headquarters in Mumbai on November 12. The funds will support 10,000 cancer screenings among underserved communities across North Telangana.
Grace Cancer Foundation’s listing marked the exchange’s 18th such ceremony and introduced a regulated fundraising channel for the charitable trust. Surgical oncologist Dr Chinnababu Sunkavalli established the foundation in 2013 to support cancer prevention, early detection and related healthcare initiatives.
The organisation raised funds through Zero Coupon Zero Principal (ZCZP) instruments. Its public issue opened on October 7 and closed on October 9, 2026. The ₹1-crore issue received subscriptions exceeding its target. EQUIPPP provided advisory and impact-assessment support for the fundraising exercise.
Grace Cancer Foundation’s listing supports rural cancer screening
The foundation intends to direct the proceeds towards cancer screening programmes serving underserved populations in North Telangana. Its fundraising initiative targets 10,000 screenings, with an emphasis on detecting cancer at an early stage.
The foundation also pledged to collaborate with EQUIPPP under its Constituency Development Framework. The proposed collaboration includes pilot projects in the Kodangal and Manthani Assembly constituencies.
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr Sunkavalli explained why he wanted to expand preventive healthcare beyond hospital treatment.
“Inside the operation theatre, as a surgeon, I can operate on only one patient at a time. But outside the operation theatre, through preventive healthcare, early detection and large-scale screening programmes, I can reach millions of people and help prevent them from ever having to enter an operation theatre. That is where I believe my impact as a doctor can be multiplied many times over,” he said.
Shailesh Pathak, Senior Advisor at the National Stock Exchange of India, also attended the ceremony. He highlighted the potential to mobilise similar resources for cancer screening across Telangana’s 119 Assembly constituencies.
“If you can raise ₹1 crore to screen people in just two Assembly constituencies, why can’t you raise ₹1 crore every month across Telangana?” Pathak said. He urged stakeholders to view the Social Stock Exchange as an opportunity to expand preventive healthcare initiatives statewide.
EQUIPPP representatives Lakshmi Narayana and Sai Kiran were also present at the bell-ringing ceremony. Grace Cancer Foundation’s listing involved a public issue of ZCZP instruments aggregating up to ₹1 crore.
Unlike conventional equity investments, these instruments carry neither interest payments nor repayment of principal. Instead, contributors provide funds for identified social objectives through a regulated platform.
According to the foundation’s Fund-Raising Document dated September 30, 2026, each instrument carried a face value of ₹10. The minimum application amount stood at ₹1,000, while the minimum subscription requirement was 75% of the issue size, or ₹75 lakh.
Retail contributors could participate through platforms including Zerodha and ICICI Direct, with contributions starting at ₹1,000. The Social Stock Exchange enables eligible non-profit organisations to access public contributions under prescribed disclosure, governance and impact-reporting requirements.
Consequently, the model differs from traditional charitable fundraising by placing formal reporting and institutional accountability at its centre. The foundation’s SSE registration number is NSESSENP000165.
Its fundraising document identifies the organisation as a Hyderabad-registered public charitable trust. It also records registrations under applicable provisions of the Income Tax Act and the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act.
Foundation plans expansion of preventive oncology services
Grace Cancer Foundation’s listing forms part of its broader effort to strengthen preventive healthcare and develop structured funding mechanisms. Since its establishment in 2013, the foundation has worked on cancer awareness, screening, early detection, treatment support, rehabilitation and research.
It has also undertaken cancer awareness and screening programmes across several regions of India. The organisation now plans to expand its preventive healthcare activities through new facilities and technology-based services.
Its proposed initiatives include a Centre of Excellence for Preventive Oncology and AI-enabled mobile cancer screening units. Additionally, the foundation plans to expand screening programmes for cancer and non-communicable diseases.
Other proposals include digital health platforms for rural communities and research collaborations in preventive oncology. The foundation’s proposed Preventive Health Mission aims to improve early detection and extend screening services to underserved populations.
Grace Cancer Foundation’s listing highlights social financing
The bell-ringing ceremony, titled “Celebrating a Milestone in Social Impact”, highlighted the foundation’s move towards institutional fundraising. India’s Social Stock Exchange provides an alternative financing channel for eligible non-profit organisations seeking contributions from a wider donor base.
The platform requires participating organisations to follow prescribed governance, financial disclosure and impact-reporting standards. These requirements are intended to provide contributors with information about organisations, their stated objectives and the use of funds.
The fundraising model is also relevant to India’s expanding corporate social responsibility ecosystem, where measurable outcomes and financial accountability remain important considerations. For Grace Cancer Foundation, the initiative represents a shift from conventional philanthropy towards a regulated system of mobilising social contributions.
The foundation intends to use this approach to support cancer prevention, early diagnosis and public healthcare programmes. Its latest fundraising exercise also brings together institutional oversight, public participation and healthcare philanthropy to finance cancer screening services in Telangana.