A public sector company that played a key role in making family planning a success in the country will soon turn 60. It was the Thiruvananthapuram-based HLL Lifecare Limited which first produced Nirodh, a condom brand, as part of India’s National Programme for Family Planning — one of the world’s earliest and biggest such programmes launched in the 1950s. It remains the sole public sector enterprise in healthcare under the Union government to produce condoms.
The story of HLL began in 1966 with this single product. Soon, followed Moods, another flagship brand launched in 1980, which has grown into one of India’s most trusted names in contraception. Over the decades, HLL has evolved into a multidisciplinary, multi-product, and multi-service global healthcare organisation. According to HLL sources, the company has produced over 5,290 crore condoms so far.
Currently, HLL manufactures more than 30 types of condoms, including those for government projects under various brands such as Ustad, Rakshak, Nirodh Deluxe and Super Deluxe. HLL contributes around 10% of the global condom production, indicating the company’s strong presence in the field. Currently, it exports condoms to 87 countries, said sources.
Shattering the stigma
Though condoms have been available in Indian markets since the 1940s, they were imported from the U.S., Japan, and Korea. HLL was instrumental in shattering the shame and stigma attached to the use of condoms. Now, it competes with a slew of private companies, including KamaSutra, Durex, and Skore, which market condoms as an ultra-sexy product in various designs, textures, and flavours. However, HLL played a pivotal role in checking the burgeoning population of the country.
With eight state-of-the-art production units, a diverse portfolio of over 70 products and service brands, an extensive network of more than 2 lakh retail outlets, five subsidiaries, and a presence in over 80 countries, HLL took a bold leap in redefining the healthcare landscape through innovation and expansion. With the theme ‘Future Reimagined’ and buoyed by the success of its ventures, HLL aims to become a ₹10,000-crore company by 2030 through strategic expansion, innovation, and sustainability-driven initiatives.
Over the years, HLL has also successfully introduced multiple initiatives aligned with the Union government’s vision of an inclusive, self-reliant healthcare ecosystem. Some of its flagship services, including AMRIT Pharmacies, Hindlabs, and HLL Opticals, address crucial gaps in healthcare accessibility and affordability. In recent years, HLL has also championed sustainability and public health awareness through groundbreaking projects that continue to make a lasting impact on society.
