MAM
Federal Bank, News18, Tata Trusts launch ‘Sanjeevani’ Cancer awareness movement
Mumbai: Federal Bank Hormis Memorial Foundation and News18 Network, with Tata Trusts as a knowledge partner, unveiled a collaborative initiative ‘Sanjeevani – United against cancer’ in an event in New Delhi. ‘Sanjeevani’ seeks to combat the pervasive fears associated with cancer while emphasising the significance of early detection as a key factor in successfully overcoming the disease.
At the inaugural event of ‘Sanjeevani’, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr Mansukh L Mandaviya emphasised India’s commitment to affordable cancer treatment. He stated, “Out of the 90 medicines for cancer, India offers 42 at the most affordable rates. Our approach is holistic and multi-pronged – focussing on expanding cancer hospitals, and tertiary care facilities, enhancing medical education and bolstering health infrastructure through initiatives like Ayushman Bharat. This initiative will lead to discussions and deliberations. Send a note on it to us, so we can track the suggestions coming from people. Public partnership is integral to India’s health model. Share your ideas with us, so we can fight the diseases in the nation.”
Federal Bank MD and CEO Shyam Srinivasan emphasised, “Our commitment to the Sanjeevani initiative goes beyond awareness. We are dedicated to providing on-ground support to caregivers who often bear the brunt of consequent economic and physical pressure. Many caregivers, unfortunately, lack access to proper facilities, and we are keen to take concrete steps to help change this. We have initiated an employee program where our employees actively engage with local communities to spread awareness and encourage testing. Additionally, we are keen to work on AI-based solutions to simplify detection, especially in remote parts of the country, as a part of this CSR initiative. We are dedicated to this long-term mission to raise awareness, reach grassroots communities, and leverage technology for early detection in our nationwide fight against cancer.”
Tata Trusts CEO Siddharth Sharma added, “We remain steadfast in our commitment to combating cancer and making quality cancer care treatment available at affordable prices. The Trusts are dedicated to shaping a healthier future, where timely screening and early detection are paramount. Through continued collaboration and a shared vision, we aim to break down social and economic barriers, making progress in our fight against cancer.”
Network18 Media & Investments Ltd. CEO – digital & president – Corporate Strategy Puneet Singhvi stated, “As a responsible news network, we are unwavering in our commitment to shine a spotlight on issues of significance. Our campaign, Sanjeevani, strengthens the fight against cancer by emphasising the critical importance of early detection and timely tests in saving lives. Through awareness, education, and collaboration with institutions like the ‘Federal Bank Hormis Memorial’ and ‘Tata Trusts’, we aim to take this message effectively across the length and breadth of the country and underscore the value of good health and the vital role of regular health check-ups.”
The event witnessed the participation of prominent personalities, including Padma Shri Dr Rajendra Badwe, director of Tata Memorial Centre, Amitabh Dube, MD of Novartis India, and esteemed oncologists such as Dr Shyam Agarwal from Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Dr Vineet Talwar from Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute, Dr Sharmila Pimple from Centre for Cancer Epidemiology (CCE) at Tata Memorial Centre, Dr Harsh Mahajan of Mahajan Imaging & Labs, Dr Vinod Raina from Fortis Healthcare, and Dr Suversha Khanna from Dharamshila Cancer Foundation and Research Centre. In addition, the event featured inspirational figures like renowned actress Lisa Ray, cricketer Yuvraj Singh, and film director Anurag Basu, all cancer survivors themselves.
During a panel discussion themed, ‘Courage Beyond The Spotlight’, Lisa, Anurag, and Yuvraj reflected on their arduous journeys of fighting and overcoming cancer. Lisa Ray recounted her multiple myeloma diagnosis and her decision to use the red carpet to raise awareness about the disease. Anurag Basu spoke about his unexpected cancer journey at the height of his career. At the same time, Yuvraj Singh discussed his initial disbelief upon receiving his cancer diagnosis and how it reshaped his perspective of life.
MAM
Brands push beyond compliance as trust takes centre stage
ASCI AdTrust Summit 2026 spotlights shift from legal checks to credibility.
MUMBAI: In a world where a disclaimer can be legally sound yet socially suspect, brands are learning that compliance may tick boxes but trust wins markets. At the inaugural ASCI AdTrust Summit 2026, a panel on “Beyond Compliance: The New Currency of Trust” unpacked a growing industry reality: the gap between what the law permits and what consumers accept is widening and fast.
Moderated by Meenakshi Ramkumar of National Law School of India University, the discussion brought together leaders across law, marketing and academia to examine how brands must evolve in a digital ecosystem increasingly shaped by scrutiny, scepticism and speed.
Ramkumar set the tone by highlighting a critical shift, advertising today operates in the same digital space that fuels misinformation, scams and fake news, making credibility harder to establish. “The challenge is not just about what brands do, but the broader context of low institutional trust,” she noted, adding that when violations go unchecked, trust erodes not just in brands but in the regulatory system itself.
This vacuum, she said, has given rise to consumer activism from boycotts to social media backlash as a parallel accountability mechanism.
For Amit Bhasin, Chief Legal Officer at Marico, the distinction was clear, legal compliance is non negotiable, but insufficient. “Compliance is the minimum threshold. The real challenge is staying aligned with changing consumer expectations,” he said.
He pointed to how advertising narratives have evolved from traditional depictions of gender roles to more shared responsibilities reflecting a broader societal shift. “Earlier, it was fine to show one person doing the household work. Today, that may not land well. Consumers expect brands to reflect reality,” Bhasin observed.
He also highlighted internal debates where campaigns that may be legally permissible are still rejected for being culturally insensitive, noting that responsible advertising often requires asking uncomfortable questions before the public does.
If compliance is the baseline, reputation is the battlefield.
Bhasin noted that reputational risk has become a far greater concern than legal exposure, particularly in an era where campaigns can be dissected within hours online. “Earlier, a controversial ad might invite a newspaper editorial. Today, within hours, you’re at the centre of a storm,” he said.
Brands, he added, now evaluate campaigns through a dual lens legal viability and reputational vulnerability with the latter often proving more decisive.
From a healthcare perspective, Satish Sahoo of Cipla Health underscored the complexity of operating within fragmented yet stringent regulatory frameworks, spanning drugs, food, cosmetics and Ayush. “Anything under a drug licence is the most tightly regulated,” he said, adding that this necessitates proactive, not reactive, compliance.
He shared an example from the oral rehydration salts (ORS) category, where Cipla resisted the temptation to position products aggressively despite competitive pressure. “Our product is WHO compliant, and our communication reflects that. We chose not to blur the lines, even if others did,” he noted.
The long term payoff, he suggested, lies in credibility built over consistency, not quick wins.
Yet, as Harsha N of National Law School of India University pointed out, even perfect compliance does not guarantee trust. Drawing from historical and modern examples from exaggerated product claims in the 1800s to contemporary environmental and health advertising, he argued that legal frameworks often lag behind consumer expectations. “A brand can be fully compliant and still be perceived as misleading,” he said, citing instances where fine print disclosures fail to reach or convince the average consumer. He added that larger companies carry a disproportionate responsibility to set ethical benchmarks, even in areas where the law remains silent.
The conversation also turned to digital advertising, where the challenge extends beyond content to how ads are experienced. From algorithmic targeting to personalised messaging, brands now operate in an environment where regulation struggles to keep pace with technology.
Sahoo noted that social media has amplified awareness, with influencers and consumers increasingly scrutinising product claims and calling out inconsistencies. “Awareness has gone up dramatically. People are questioning what goes into products and what brands are saying,” he said.
The role of self regulatory bodies such as Advertising Standards Council of India also came under the spotlight.
Harsha acknowledged that while SROs play a crucial role, they are not immune to criticism, particularly around perceived conflicts of interest and enforcement gaps. “SROs have a higher threshold of responsibility not just to interpret the law, but to anticipate societal expectations,” he said.
He added that failures in self regulation often push the burden back onto government intervention, underscoring the need for stronger, more proactive oversight.
One of the more nuanced debates centred on whether building trust comes at a cost. While Sahoo acknowledged that quality and compliance can increase costs, he argued that companies must absorb them as part of their long term strategy.
Bhasin, however, framed the challenge differently not as cost, but as competitiveness in a market where not all players play by the same rules. “The real tension is when others cut corners and you choose not to,” he said.
The panel concluded with a call to embed trust into business metrics.
Sahoo suggested that organisations must go beyond revenue targets to include consumer equity and trust based KPIs, ensuring that ethical considerations are not sidelined in the pursuit of growth. “Trust sounds abstract, but it can translate into measurable consumer equity,” he said.
As the discussion wrapped up, one message stood out: the rules of advertising are being rewritten not just by regulators, but by consumers themselves. In an ecosystem where attention is fleeting and scepticism is high, brands that merely comply may survive, but those that build trust are the ones that endure.
