The Tata Memorial Centre in Mumbai has won the 2006 global award as the "Outstanding Cancer Organisation" for its excellence in cancer control within and beyond India's borders.

The award for the Tata Memorial Centre was presented during the annual meeting of the International Union for Cancer Control in Washington DC.

The Tata Memorial Hospital was initially set up by the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust in February 1941.

In 1952, the Indian Cancer Research Centre was established as a pioneer institute for basic research on the disease.

The Tata Memorial Hospital and Cancer Research Institute merged as the two arms of the Tata Memorial Centre in 1966 as a classic example of private philanthropy augmented by government support.

The Centre has functioned as an organization of the Department of Atomic Energy since 1962.

Accepting the honour, Ketayun A Dinshaw, Director of the Tata Memorial Centre, said it was a recognition of the outstanding commitment, team-work and dedication of all staff members of the Centre to remove the shadow of cancer from many lives for over six and half decades.

India could well be considered as a role model in cancer control for many other countries, he said.

In a message, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh congratulated the centre for the honour.

(Source:PTI News)

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