Telangana is our base, says Akriti Ophthalmic Chairman Kuldeep Raizada

Akriti Ophthalmic Private Limited Chairman and Managing Director Kuldeep Raizada shares his experiences of working with the Telangana government

Hyderabad: Akriti Ophthalmic Private Limited, which has its unit at the Medical Devices Park, Sultanpur, hit headlines when it supplied over 10 lakh spectacle units to the government for the Kanti Velugu programme in a record time of 90 days. Akriti Ophthalmic Private Limited Chairman and Managing Director Kuldeep Raizada shares his experiences of working with the Telangana government with S Sandeep Kumar.

Q: What was the response from the Telangana government for setting up Akriti unit at Medical Devices Park?

A: Initially, we inspected the Medical Devices Park in 2014 and it was all hilly and barren. In 2018, after interacting with Industries Minister KT Rama Rao, I got a call from TSIIC within 24 hours, saying the plot was ready to set up the unit. The entire infrastructure at the park was developed in August 2018, we started manufacturing the products.

Q: On bagging the Kanti Velugu spectacles contract?

A: Initially the terms and conditions set for the tender were not favourable for a startup like Akriti. When Health Minister T Harish Rao was briefed about the terms, after six hours, I got a call from TSMIDC stating they wanted to visit our unit. After the meeting, the Health Minister insisted on the quality of the product. Because of Akriti, the Telangana government saved about Rs 50 crore due to the price difference. A leading multinational optical prescription eyewear retail chain quoted Rs 380 per lens and our price was Rs 240. Similarly, for reading glasses, the eyewear retail chain quoted Rs 140 per piece and we supplied for Rs 72 per piece. The point here is when Made in Telangana products are used for a programme, it helps the government in saving money and promotes the work of a startup company. In that sense, the Telangana government stands top.

Q: Impact of the Kanti Velugu contract?

A: We are in touch with Delhi, Punjab, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Odisha governments. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann inspected the Kanti Velugu programme and announced that they would replicate the programme in their States. Mostly, we are hoping for orders next financial year.

Q: What were the challenges faced in delivering the spectacles?

A: The only challenge was to deliver top-quality spectacles as the Telangana government insisted on quality. In five weeks, we supplied two million spectacles and everything was manufactured at Medical Devices Park, Sultanpur. The lens-cutting facility at our plant delivers one lens in three seconds and it is first-of-its-kind technology brought into India. The biggest game changer was manufacturing single-piece reading glasses for the Kanti Velugu programme. If we had to manufacture different lenses, it would have taken a long time and the government does not have such time to wait.

Q: Future expansion plans?

A: We planning to manufacture ophthalmic lenses, which are currently being procured from other countries. With an investment of Rs 160 crore, we are planning to set up a unit, which manufactures one million lenses a day at Sultanpur. We need 10 to 15 acres of land and by 2024, we want to commence operations. We are not going anywhere other than Telangana, it is our base.

Q: On the significance of BioAsia 2023?

A: It is very important as it helps in bridging connectivity with different companies. All the new technologies are displayed and companies’ representatives are here. If a company wants to manufacture a new product, all the support is under one roof, which is very crucial.