IT Voice -Vision & Leadership
Lekha Vision is a leader in Wireless connectivity technology and products.
IT Voice –What inspired you to start Lekha Wireless Solutions, and what key problem were you aiming to solve?
Ramu T Srinivasiah – Translating the founding members’ deep understanding of wireless technology and product development experience into a successful business was the motivation.
As a deep-tech company we are solving the key problem of providing reliable, secured and trusted connectivity, which is critical for all smart connected networks of humans and machines.
IT Voice –How has the journey of Lekha Wireless evolved since its inception in 2010?
Ramu T Srinivasiah – Lekha is a bootstrapped and funded by its profits. Generally, it takes 7 to 8 years to build a deep tech product with good funding. Today we have about 9 wireless communication products that are powered by Indigenous technology, HW design and manufactured in India. I am quite happy and proud of the way we have evolved as a respected deep-tech company in telecom space.
IT Voice – What are the core values that define Lekha Wireless’s culture, and how do you foster innovation within your team?
Ramu T Srinivasiah –The core value of the company is to offer products and network services that meet the customer requirement and industry standards through constant innovation and research in wireless connectivity. In-house technology development, design and software stacks to deliver trusted products and quality of service commitment.
Products, Technology & Services
IT Voice -What are the flagship products and solutions offered by Lekha Wireless, and how do they stand out in the industry?
Ramu T Srinivasiah – 4G Network – Multiple successful deployments for defence and public network. One of the best benchmarks in terms of coverage and capacity. An intelligent network level configuration and management application.
5G Network – Deployment as Private Network in Factory Automation, Mining etc. We are part of a large ecosystem of device OEMs, core network vendors, Independent Software Vendors and System Integrators.
SDRs for defence – Advanced Tactical SDRs for Armed forces, UAV data links and Telemetry data link radios. Indigenously developed Waveforms and Platforms are the key strengths.
IT Voice –How does Lekha Wireless differentiate its offerings for Telecom, Industrial, Mission Critical, and Tactical applications?
Ramu T Srinivasiah – Every domain like Mission Critical or Tactical has its niche requirements w.r.t wireless connectivity. Lekha’s ownership of technology and our ability to customize them to the needs in a frugal manner differentiates us from rest.
IT Voice – How is Lekha Wireless integrating emerging technologies like 5G, AI, IoT, or private networks into its wireless solutions?
Ramu T Srinivasiah – As a leading 5G network infrastructure provider there are multiple AI and IOT-based application rides on our private networks. We see AI play a critical role in our defence and telecom links, for example situational awareness, learning based decision making.
IT Voice – What specific services does Lekha Wireless provide to support customers in deploying and maintaining wireless solutions?
Ramu T Srinivasiah – As an OEM, Lekha owns the manufacturing of HW product and release management of software upgrades. Network operations and maintenance are addressed along with partners. Deployment wireless network involves Installation and Commissioning of the products that are generally taken care by our customers. There are occasions where we outsource to our vendors.
IT Voice –Can you share any case studies or notable implementations of Lekha Wireless solutions in real-world applications?
Ramu T Srinivasiah –Probably will take 2 examples. We have a case study where we started with existing technology to provide broadband connectivity between a projectile that moves faster than twice the speed of sound. After several trials with customers and iterations of the technology spread over 4 years, we are able to ship the product in volume.
Private 5G is an emerging area. Most recent story of success is where we deployed and proved a P5G network for a factory automation as a concept to a global manufacturer. Today, our customer is convinced and expanding P5G network for entire fleet.
Market Strategy & Expansion
IT Voice -What industries or sectors are the primary focus areas for Lekha Wireless, and are there any new markets you plan to enter?
Ramu T Srinivasiah – We started with private network segment we have been successful. We added aerospace and defence network segment for about 6 years which is rapidly expanding. Lekha is now eying at the public network market segment where we will be offering 4G and 5G networks to mobile users through operators like Airtel and BSNL.
IT Voice – What is Lekha Wireless’s go-to-market strategy for expanding its reach in India and globally?
Ramu T Srinivasiah – We have been an export-oriented company throughout our journey and revenue share of exports have dominated. We are working hard towards expanding our presence in Indian defence markets and private network markets and made continuous progress. Strategy for defence market is to be part of major critical Indigenization programs. Solve wireless communication related problems and integration with full system.
There are several CNPN networks for government sector are coming up in the country in revenue share model with BSNL. The challenge for Lekha is the availability of dedicated spectrum for P5G Network which can be licensed directly from DoT. This will give boost for P5G in private sector.
IT Voice –How does Lekha Wireless approach partnerships and collaborations to strengthen its market presence?
Ramu T Srinivasiah –Partnership and collaboration are key elements of our G2M strategy. Lekha partners with SIs and collaborates with other network part vendors to realize a turnkey solution. Lekha is either leading or part of ecosystem where we work hard to be the preferred choice for wireless connectivity part of the solution.
Innovation, R&D & Challenges
IT Voice – Can you share insights into Lekha Wireless’s R&D efforts and how they drive innovation in wireless communications?
Ramu T Srinivasiah – Lekha Wireless started developing WiMAX an IEEE standard in 2010. Along with our customers we contributed to the creation of 2 variants of the WiMAX standards since 2016. Today, these 2 standards are accepted as next generation wireless standards for railroad communications in North America.
There are multiple examples of R&D efforts where we developed new waveforms that solved specific defence problem statements leading to large adoption.
IT Voice – What challenges do you foresee in the wireless connectivity space, and how is Lekha Wireless preparing to address them?
Ramu T Srinivasiah – We see there is a large growth in the market given connectivity is enabler of all smart things. Largescale adoption of wireless connectivity beyond human-to-human communication is the next big thing. Key challenges are building trusted, reliable products that can accelerate the market.
Roadmap & Future Plans
IT Voice – What are the key milestones and goals for Lekha Wireless in 2025 and beyond?
Ramu T Srinivasiah –We are actively pursuing terrestrial 4G and 5G Network. Part of the roadmap we are working on the upgrades to the same technology to address Non-Terrestrial Networks or satellite-based communication networks.
While continue to enhance Tactical SDRs features and network performance parameters, new products Satellite terminals and Counter drone communication modules are in roadmap.
IT Voice – Are there any upcoming product launches, technology advancements, or service expansions planned for the near future?
Ramu T Srinivasaiah – Ramu T Srinivasiah –Lekha is actively participating in the standardization of 6G. We would like to be lead contributor and generate important IPs that drives the next generation standards. Lekha is a leader in SDR technology for tactical application. Launch of MANET SDR or Mobile Ad hoc Network for swarm communication as an important technology advancement and upcoming milestone.
