Press Releases

Nearly 20 architects, lighting engineers, and educators from India have traveled more than 8,000 miles to come to the Lighting Research Center (LRC) for two weeks of classes on lighting that will enable them to return to India and in turn educate others on the principles of lighting and various lighting technologies.

More than half of India's one billion people rely on non-electric sources of light. As electrification efforts proceed, it will be important to use energy-efficient lighting technologies to mitigate the impact on the environment and energy resources while providing the safety, educational, health, and other benefits of lighting.

"While I was in India last fall to give a lecture, the Indian Society of Lighting Engineers (ISLE) asked me if the LRC would be able to provide intensive lighting training to a relatively small group of architects and educators who could then pass that training on to others when they returned home," said Russell Leslie, the LRC's associate director. "We've put together an intensive two-week course that is being taught by several members of the LRC's multidisciplinary faculty."

The two-week course for the Indian participants includes units on the basic principles of lighting, light sources, luminaires (light fixtures) and accessories, international lighting standards, energy-efficient lighting, daylighting, lighting calculations, test cases, future developments, light effects on people, lighting design, and research.

"We are very excited about this opportunity to be trained at the world's premier lighting research center by nine of the world's leading lighting specialists," said Pranab Bandyopadhyay, president of ISLE and a consultant with Philips India Limited who worked in Philips' Lighting Division for more than three decades. "We look forward to an ongoing collaboration with the LRC as the lighting industry in India continues its efforts to advance the level of lighting expertise in our country."

While they are in Troy for the next two weeks, the LRC's Indian visitors will also share their knowledge of Indian history, culture, and current affairs with the LRC's faculty and staff.