ACTREC, Tata Memorial Centre break ground on new residence for students and doctors

Navi Mumbai: The Harish & Bina Shah Foundation, in partnership with the Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre (TMC), coinciding with the auspicious occasion of Shree Ram Navami, held the groundbreaking ceremony for a new student and doctor residential facility at its campus in Kharghar in the satellite township of Navi Mumbai.

The facility will provide accommodation for students, researchers, resident doctors and healthcare professionals undergoing advanced training at one of India’s foremost cancer care and research institutions.

The ceremony marks a significant investment in the human infrastructure of oncology, recognising that the quality of cancer care in India depends as much on the conditions in which its future specialists are trained.

The Harish & Bina Shah Foundation has been a committed partner in strengthening healthcare infrastructure across India. This groundbreaking reflects the Foundation’s broader approach; investing not just in facilities, but in the conditions that allow institutions and the people within them to do their best work.

ACTREC is one of the units of Tata Memorial Centre (TMC), which is the largest network of cancer centres in the country. TMC has grown from a single hospital to a national network serving over 130,000 new cancer patients annually, most of whom are from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. ACTREC, at its Kharghar campus, is a 500-bed facility which will expand in next 2 years. A

CTREC currently registers approximately 10,000 new cancer patients annually. ACTREC trains the next generation of oncology professionals across doctoral, postgraduate and fellowship programmes under the Homi Bhabha National Institute, a deemed university under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India.

The new residential facility is a 12-storey structure with a basement, comprising 352 hostel rooms and 16 two-bedroom flats, with a total capacity of approximately 784 residents. It will also include a multipurpose dining facility, gymnasium, yoga rooms, and a redesigned recreation ground as a Healing Garden.

Under the leadership of Dr. Sudeep Gupta, Director, Tata Memorial Centre, TMC has expanded its academic programmes significantly, offering a wide range of courses including MD, DM, MCh, fellowships, PhD and MSc, alongside specialised training in oncology technology and research.

“Providing a supportive academic and research environment is essential for nurturing the next generation of oncology professionals. The development of this facility will strengthen residential infrastructure at ACTREC and support students, researchers and healthcare professionals who come here for advanced training in cancer care,” said Dr. Sudeep Gupta, Director, TMC.

“Tata Memorial Centre has always been committed to developing skilled professionals in oncology. This new block will help create a conducive environment for students and trainees who travel from across the country to pursue education and training at ACTREC,” added Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, Director, ACTREC.

“We talk a great deal about hospitals and technology when we discuss healthcare in India. We talk less about the doctors, researchers and students who make it all work, many of whom spend years away from home, in demanding conditions, driven by a sense of purpose that is easy to overlook. This residence is the Harish & Bina Shah Foundation's way of investing in the people behind the work, not just the work itself,” noted Harish Shah, Chairperson, Harish & Bina Shah Foundation.