Lava Announces “Design in India” Contest – An Attempt at Resurrection

Lava Announces “Design in India” Contest – An Attempt at Resurrection

While anti-China sentiment is growing in the country, domestic brands like Micromax, Intex and Lava etc. He went into action. While Micromax has announced that it will launch not one but three smartphones to mark its comeback, Lava has also launched to announce that the company will move its R&D center from China to India. Building on this momentum, Lava announced a "Design in India" contest where the company calls on students and professionals to design its next smartphone. The competition, which is open to students and professionals from various backgrounds such as B.Tech, BE, B.Des, M.Des, etc. It will also award the top three winning teams with a cash prize of Rs. 50,000, Rs. 25,000 and Rs. 15,000, respectively, and the opportunity to work with the company. Lava provided a contest entry form amid reports that the company may prepare two smartphones for launch in India. The company says these phones were ideal before the Covid-19 pandemic broke out and is targeting the sub-Rs 10,000 price range. The competition registration window is open until July 9, after which the company will offer winning teams pre-placement interview opportunities as well as cash prizes, the company said in a statement.

Only for the local?

While the domestic smartphone maker aims to nurture untapped talent based on its designs and concepts, the timing of this contest gives the impression that the brand remains relevant as users actively search for non-Chinese smartphones. This strong desire to go with local brands has led smartphone manufacturers like Xiaomi, Poco and Realme etc. to make desperate attempts to get away from the "Chinese" label. Madhav Sheth of Realme has officially stated that the company is an Indian startup and its phones are manufactured in India. This statement was not called, is incorrect, and could have been avoided. Although the government has been "vocal for the locals", 100% made-in-India smartphones are a distant dream. Indian companies are not only lacking in R&D compared to major smartphone makers, but will have to source components like chipsets, screens, etc. from suppliers based outside of India. What consumers want today are Indian brands that, instead of overcoming hypernationalist sentiment, end up selling inferior products, focus on offering better value for money products and better after-sales service.