A daily wage labourer from Odisha, B Ramarao Naidu faced cancer with limited means and uncertainty that lay ahead. The Tata Trusts' Individual Grants Programme ensured his treatment never had to stop.
Ramarao is thirty-seven years old and earns a daily wage in Odisha. He is a husband and a father of two daughters. Despite limited income, he was
happily leading his family life.
In October 2024, he developed a small wound on his tongue which was ignored initially. For some time, he continued eating and swallowing through the discomfort until the pain became unbearable and the condition far worse. When he finally saw a doctor, he was referred straight to a cancer hospital in Visakhapatnam for further evaluation as the wound was beyond what a local hospital could treat.
By the time he reached the hospital, what he had assumed was a minor ailment had already progressed further than he realised. The biopsy report confirmed cancer, a word that changed everything for a man who could not afford for anything to change. Undeterred, he began treatment and underwent chemotherapy and radiation. However, after nearly a year, there was little improvement in his condition.
In October 2024, he developed a small wound on his tongue which was ignored initially. For some time, he continued eating and swallowing through the discomfort until the pain became unbearable and the condition far worse. When he finally saw a doctor, he was referred straight to a cancer hospital in Visakhapatnam for further evaluation as the wound was beyond what a local hospital could treat.
By the time he reached the hospital, what he had assumed was a minor ailment had already progressed further than he realised. The biopsy report confirmed cancer, a word that changed everything for a man who could not afford for anything to change. Undeterred, he began treatment and underwent chemotherapy and radiation. However, after nearly a year, there was little improvement in his condition.
It was then that a family member suggested that he visit the Sri Venkateswara Institute of Cancer Care & Advanced Research (SVICCAR). Located in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, it is a modern oncology centre, and part of the Tata Trusts' vision to address the cancer care gap in India by facilitating affordable and accessible course of care to patients, closer to their homes.
In November 2025, he travelled to SVICCAR, supported by the fact that his sister lived nearby. He consulted Dr Sandhya, who, after a detailed evaluation,
recommended a revised care plan. The estimated cost was around ₹10 lakh. For his family, that figure might as well have been a closed door.
It was during this difficult period that the hospital team stepped in to introduce the family to the Tata Trusts' Individual Grants Programme for medical necessities and helped them through the application process. Through this support, Ramarao received ₹8.18 lakh towards his treatment, allowing him to continue care without interruption.
Today, he has recovered well. The wound on his tongue has healed. He has returned to his family and daily life after a long period of medical and financial uncertainty.
It was during this difficult period that the hospital team stepped in to introduce the family to the Tata Trusts' Individual Grants Programme for medical necessities and helped them through the application process. Through this support, Ramarao received ₹8.18 lakh towards his treatment, allowing him to continue care without interruption.
Today, he has recovered well. The wound on his tongue has healed. He has returned to his family and daily life after a long period of medical and financial uncertainty.
Ramarao is one of thousands of patients supported by SVICCAR and the Tata Trusts in accessing
quality cancer treatment that is both affordable and closer to home, ensuring that the opportunity
for recovery is not determined by geography or income.
For many like Ramarao, this support meant more than medical care, it gave them their life back.
For many like Ramarao, this support meant more than medical care, it gave them their life back.
