Mr. JP Rai Director General National Skill Development Agency Government of India

Mr JP Rai worked as Executive Director, Prime Minister’s National Council on Skill Development in the Office of the Advisor to the Prime Minister on Skill development since January 2012. He is the Director General of National Skill Development Agency. He has had a long career spanning over 35 years, including in banking, the civil services and the private sector. After six years in the State Bank of India, he joined the Indian Administrative Service, Madhya Pradesh cadre, in 1983. This stint saw him serve at various locations in the then undivided Madhya Pradesh, including as District Magistrate of Seoni district, and Raigarh districts, Deputy Secretary Finance in the Government of MP, Additional Secretary Environment etc. He also served with the United Nations Transitional authority for Cambodia as an electoral expert during the UN supervised elections in 1993. In 1997, he resigned from the IAS to join the private sector. His work in the private sector was in leadership positions in major infrastructure projects, including India’s first private sector port, LNG project, and modern shipyards. He also spent a stint with one of the Big 4 firms in a consultancy assignment. Mr Rai has a Bachelors degree in Science from Banaras Hindu University, followed by an MBA. He later completed his LLB from Government Law College, Mumbai.

Lava Mobiles / Hari Om Rai ; Shailendra Nath Rai

Lava International Ltd is an Indian mobile handset company with its headquarters in Noida, New Delhi and regional offices across India. Lava's product portfolio includes smartphones, tablets, feature phones and IT accessories. Lava Mobiles was co-founded by Hari Om Rai, Sunil Bhalla, Shailendra Nath Rai and Vishal Sehgal in 2009.

In 2012, microchip maker Intel tied up with Lava International to announce the first Intel powered smart phone under a new brand name XOLO, in India. It is also in 2012 that LAVA also entered the tablet business with E-Tab Z7H. In 2014, Lava launched its flagship Iris Pro 30 smartphone, the first one in the Iris Pro series. The Iris Pro 30 is the most expensive phone in the brand's portfolio currently. Lava Iris X1 was among the first smartphones running Android Kitkat in India. In December 2014, the company launched its first Windows Phone smartphone, Iris Win1.

About Lava Mobile

Lava International was established in the year 2003 and was originally named ’Pacetel Communications’. The company is credited with launching the world’s first Intel chip based smartphone.

Marketing campaigns

Lava joined hands with Interbrand in early 2012, firm to undergo a visual identity change. This exercise gave Lava a new logo, brand & visual identity based on the core thought of ‘Create Possibilities’. For the Iris Pro Series Lava launched the ‘Art Meets Smart’ campaign in 2013. The brand also tied up with KBC and IIFA Awards to promote the Iris Pro Series.

Lava joined hands with Interbrand in early 2012 to undergo a visual identity change. This exercise gave the company a new logo, brand & visual identity based on the core thought of ‘Create Possibilities’. For the financial year of 2014, the company has planned to invest more than Rs. 220 crores  for its marketing activities.

Market share and revenue

According to IDC Asia Pacific Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker 2014, Lava Mobiles has a 8% market share  in the Indian mobile phone market. In 2013, the company reported close to 30 billion rupees ($500 million)  in turnover and in 2014 they aim to achieve more than $1 billion in revenue. On a monthly basis, the company currently produces about 1.5 million units. Lava Mobiles has also said it expects to doublt revenues from tablets and IT products in FY 2014 from FY 2013.

Lava ranked as India’s 5th most trusted mobile handset brand in the 2014 Brand Trust Report. 2014. The company was ranked as 4th largest smartphone brand in India by IDC.

Research and development

For designing and developing its wide range of products, the company has a complete in-house R&D set-up in China. This facility has produced phones such as Lava ‘Iris Pro 30’ as well as the ‘Fusion App’ which is currently available on the Google play store.

Distribution 

In terms of distribution channels, Lava Mobiles has a single-layer distribution model, wherein over 900 distributors  pan-India are directly managed and controlled by the company itself.

Target Audience

The target audience that Lava is currently eyeing is the youth, particularly, entry level professionals as well as students. With respect to the target market, the company will focus on tier 1 & tier 2 markets as there is huge potential for growth in the smartphone category. It is also focusing on the rural markets for its feature phone category.