The seven decades of the lighting
industry in India has been a period of transition and growth.
Its development from the status of an importer of finished products
to assembling components and finally to a largely indigenous
and self sufficient producer of lighting systems has been a
gradual and revolutionary process, producing today General Service
Lamps, Fluorescent Tubes, High Intensity Discharge Lamps, Halogen,
Dichroic and Compact Fluorescent Lamps.
The emphasis on the power sector
and its phenomenal growth and distribution laid the foundation
for the lighting industry in India. In the sixties, serious
foreign exchange problem in the country encouraged production
of vital lamp components in India. In the nineties, the government
liberalisation policies saw international players in the lighting
field participate actively in the Indian market as well as in
exports.
Keeping in mind the massive rural
electrification programme and the emergence of strong middle
class, a demand explosion both in quantity and types is likely
to occur in near future with emphasis on energy saving light
sources.
Lack of economies of scale coupled
with high input costs of raw material and components result
in uncompetitive prices impeding export efforts. The trend has
however started changing with companies paying serious attention
to bettering organisational efficiencies and participating competitively
in the vast international market for lamps as well as components.
There has been effective widening
of locally produced range of lamps along with serious advent
of electronics in lighting, thereby supplying better, more efficient
and cheaper lighting systems with improved aesthetics. The future
of the industry envisages immense prospects of growth and development
for technologically advanced and cost effective organisation.
Miniaturisation, electronic circuitry,
newer chemicals, better luminaires are all providing the world
with products of larger light output at minimum cost helping
energy conservation. |