In a historic display of corporate philanthropy, India’s most influential business leaders have come together to fund a ₹50 crore group health insurance scheme for members of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA). The scheme, unveiled during the 75th anniversary celebrations of the Supreme Court of India, is the first of its kind to be directly funded by India Inc. The initiative saw prominent industrialists and conglomerates, including the Vedanta Group, Anil Ambani, Gautam Adani, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Lakshmi Mittal, the Dhirubhai Ambani family, and the Torrent Group, contribute between ₹5 crore and ₹10 crore.
According to SCBA President and senior advocate Kapil Sibal, the scheme is a “lifeline” for young lawyers who often come to the court with dreams but no safety net. The comprehensive health plan, administered by United India Insurance, offers ₹2 lakh annual coverage per family, includes parents and in-laws of the insured lawyer, and covers pre-existing conditions from Day 1. It also provides cashless treatment access in over 15,000 hospitals nationwide, ₹50,000 maternity benefit for both normal and caesarean deliveries, and coverage for congenital conditions, LASIK, and ambulance services.
Sibal personally reached out to each of the business leaders to secure their contributions, with the Ambani family donating ₹10 crore and the others contributing ₹5 crore each. The scheme is now fully available to thousands of SCBA members free of cost. In addition to the insurance launch, the SCBA released a scholarly volume, Pillars of Justice, featuring critical essays on landmark judgments. The book aims to nurture young legal minds and includes contributions from noted legal thinkers.
The dual announcement marks a significant convergence of legal, corporate, and intellectual commitment to strengthening India’s judicial ecosystem and supporting the community that sustains it. The initiative demonstrates the power of collaboration between business leaders and the legal community to create a positive impact on the lives of lawyers and their families. As Sibal emphasized, the scheme and the academic anthology are designed to support the growth and development of young legal minds, ensuring that legal thinking evolves and is not just followed blindly.