In FY25 – 26 ‘Caring Hands’ helped screen 50,000+ underprivileged students across
municipal and government schools with participation of 4,000 employees of ICICI Lombard
ICICI Lombard, one of India’s leading private general
insurers, announced the 14-year milestone of its flagship CSR programme, Caring Hands, reaffirming the Company’s commitment to improving child eye health in underserved communities. Since its inception in 2011, the initiative has grown into one of India’s most meaningful employee-led health interventions, providing free eye screenings and corrective spectacles to schoolchildren across the country. Over the years, Caring Hands has screenedmore than 5.5 Lakh children and distributed over 50,000 spectacles, significantly contributing to early detection of refractive errors and preventing avoidable visual impairment. An estimated 3.4 million schoolchildren in India attend classes each day with uncorrected vision issues, significantly hindering their learning—studies show they learn only about half as much as children with clear or corrected eyesight. For many of these children, a simple pair of spectacles can mean the difference between falling behind and finally seeing the blackboard clearly for the first time. This year’s edition of Caring Hands reached another milestone as employees came together nationwide to screen over 50,000 children across
275+ camps. Through Caring Hands, countless young students—who once struggled to read, write, or even recognise faces from a distance—have experienced life-changing moments of clarity.
Ms. Sheena Kapoor, Head – Marketing, Corporate Communications & CSR, ICICI Lombard, said, “As we mark 14 years of Caring Hands, we are reminded that this initiative is far more than a CSR programme—it is a collective mission shaped by the compassion and dedication of our employees. Each camp brings back stories that reaffirm why this work matters: a child who finally sees the blackboard clearly, a teacher who notices renewed confidence, a family that finds hope in something as simple as a pair of spectacles. This year, as we commemorate 25 years of ICICI Lombard, we have further strengthened this impact by extending Caring Hands to a few of our top partners as well—broadening the circle of care and collaboration. With millions of children in India still attending school with uncorrected vision, the need remains urgent. Caring Hands allows us to shine a light on these silent struggles while empowering our people to be part of the solution. Together, we are not just correcting eyesight; we are opening doors to learning, opportunity, and a brighter future.” Caring Hands has become an integral part of ICICI Lombard’s organisational culture, distinguished by its fully employee-driven model. The programme is executed end-to-end by volunteers who take ownership of every stage—from coordinating with schools and ophthalmologists to managing logistics and follow-ups. Beyond strengthening teamwork, the initiative enables employees to develop leadership and project management skills through real on-ground responsibility. Though planned over two months, all eye check-up camps are carried out nationwide on a single day, reflecting the organisation’s unified commitment and exceptional operational coordination.
About ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Limited
ICICI Lombard is the leading private general insurance company in the country. The Company offers a comprehensive and well-diversified range of products through multiple distribution channels, including motor, health, crop, fire, personal accident, marine, engineering, and liability insurance. With a legacy of over 2 decades, ICICI Lombard is committed to customer centricity with its brand philosophy of ‘Nibhaye Vaade’. The company has issued over 37.6 million policies, over 3.2 million claims processed and has a Gross Written Premium (GWP) of ₹ 282.58 billion for the year ended March 31, 2025. ICICI Lombard has 328 branches and 15,123 employees, as on March 31, 2025. ICICI Lombard has been a pioneer in the industry, being the first large-scale insurance company in India to migrate its entire core systems to the cloud. With a strong focus on being digitally-led and agile, the company has introduced multiple AI-powered insurance solutions. The company’s flagship insurance and wellness app, IL TakeCare, which has received over 18.4 million downloads, also offers the industry’s first Face Scan feature. The company has won several prestigious awards- including the Insurance Asia, ICC Emerging Asia Insurance, ET BFSI Exceller, ET Corporate Excellence, Golden Peacock, FICCI Insurance, Assocham, Stevie Asia Pacific, and National CSR in recognition of its various initiatives.
