More than 150 years ago, inventors created something that increased the length of the average workday. Imagine a day in the current setting of the corporate world where you just log off and go home the moment sight gets dim at dusk. The Light bulb changed the way we see things, do business, and lead our daily lives. Having impacted several generations of people across the globe, the light bulb is still evolving, and this evolution is constantly getting its fuel from the rising energy and cost conservation. For example, the classic incandescent tungsten filament bulb that powered homes for over a century was replaced by compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs, to conserve more energy during the 1970s oil crisis. Though CFLs saved the day, they were bulky, did not fit well into fixtures, and had

inconsistent performance and a low light output. CFL gradually, like every new technology, started phasing out at the dawn of the new century as people turned towards light emitting diodes (LEDs) as the perfect technological and economical solution for illumination.

LEDs were the thing when it entered the market. The LED substitute for CFLs was further pushed to stardom with multiple applications that few bright minds came up with. From streetlights to smart home's Smart bathroom. LEDs took a steep take off and are still the de facto in any lighting solution. Demand for LED lighting in India is still mostly driven by metro cities due to affordability, awareness and socio-economic growth. However, demand from tier II cities is expected to grow on account of the potential applications for streetlighting and industrial lighting. Demand for LED lighting from rural India is also going to increase significantly, owing to government initiatives (through EESL) for implementing rural LED streetlighting projects of the country by retrofitting conventional streetlights with LED lights in Gram Panchayats under Street Lighting National Project (SLNP). Further expansion of such initiatives across the country will open new market areas for the LED lighting industry. Retro fit installations are in demand across all kinds of application areas.

This edition of SiliconIndia is a shout out to those bright minds who have found the best ways to deploy the greatest invention of our time in conserving energy and initiating a sustainable revolution.
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