How Prakash D. V. transformed modest beginnings into a thriving distribution model built on service, partnerships, and strategic growth
In India’s increasingly competitive audio-visual distribution landscape, standing out requires more than simply moving products from manufacturers to integrators. It demands commitment to service, understanding of evolving market dynamics, and patience to build enduring relationships. Prakash D. V., Director of EIS Techinfra Solutions India Pvt. Ltd., has spent the past 11 years doing precisely that.
What began as a modest startup in 2014 has evolved into a distribution powerhouse serving more than 475 active partners across South and West India. With five offices, over 60 professionals, and representation of 14+ international brands, EIS Techinfra has carved a distinctive market position. Prakash’s journey reflects the transformation of India’s AV industry, from basic projection systems to today’s sophisticated, AI-powered integrated environments.
An Unplanned Entry
Prakash never intended to build a career in audio-visual technology. Armed with an engineering degree in electronics and instrumentation from Coimbatore, he had set his sights on India’s booming software industry during the late 1990s.
Then came an unexpected conversation that altered his professional path entirely. “One of my cousin Shyam Kumar was working in AV,” Prakash recalls. “Looking at him, I got motivated. He offered me a place at Genesis, and that changed everything.”
What began as temporary exploration became a decade-long education in AV distribution fundamentals. At Genesis, Prakash absorbed every aspect of the business – sales, regional management, client relationships, and project execution. His assignments across Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru provided intimate understanding of how technology and human relationships combine to deliver solutions.
“Those were my training years,” he reflects. “I reported to Shylakumar Balu, one of the industry veterans. He encouraged me a lot and gave me opportunities. I set up offices in Delhi and Mumbai for Genesis. That’s where I learned not just about AV, but how to build and run operations.”
In 2007, Prakash joined Mindstec Distribution as the company’s inaugural employee in India, tasked with building an entire organisation from scratch.
“It was a different kind of learning,” Prakash explains. “Genesis taught me about AV. Mindstec taught me about running a company, how to set up systems, recruit people, and make things work as a profit centre.”
Those seven years provided the confidence and strategic clarity necessary to venture independently. By 2014, he was ready.
Value Beyond Products
EIS Techinfra Solutions launched in 2014 with a carefully curated portfolio – Lumens, Vtron, Casio projectors, and Condeco Workstation Solutions. From inception, the company distinguished itself through value-added distribution rather than conventional stock-and-supply operations.
“We’re not just stockists,” Prakash emphasises. “We offer design support, pre-sales guidance, installation help, and level-one technical service. We’re an extension of the OEMs we represent.”
This philosophy has proven remarkably successful. Today, EIS represents more than 14 brands including Delta, ATEN, Logic, Lumens, Black Box , Astrogate, Vizzeto, Vitec and Icron whilst developing in-house offerings under the EIS Connect and EIS Touch labels.
The company’s partner ecosystem has expanded beyond traditional AV integrators to embrace IT companies, telecommunications partners, and surveillance specialists driven by ongoing AV-IT convergence.”We now work with IT companies, telecom partners, and surveillance companies,” Prakash notes. “This shift is due to AV-IT convergence, which refers to the integration of audio-visual and information technology systems. These companies know their clients well and want to expand their offerings. We help them by designing projects and sometimes supporting installation.”
Navigating the Distribution Squeeze
Distribution in India has grown increasingly challenging, with global OEMs establishing direct Indian operations and maintaining close relationships with system integrators.“Most global OEMs have set up shop in India now,” Prakash explains. “They’re in direct touch with system integrators. So distributors are sandwiched between OEMs and integrators.” However, this dynamic creates opportunities for distributors demonstrating tangible value. Manufacturing partners require local presence without expanding their own teams.”OEMs can’t keep increasing manpower. They need feet on the street, an extended team. That’s where we come in.”
EIS employs over 60 engineers and specialists, each trained and certified by their respective OEMs. With strategically located warehouses, the company delivers products within 24 to 48 hours in most of the cases. This rapid response capability, combined with comprehensive first-level technical support, has become a significant competitive advantage. “Level-one service support is crucial,” Prakash says. “No OEM wants to send engineers everywhere when we have teams on the ground. This immediate service capability becomes a major selling point.”
Market Realities and Strategic Positioning
Prakash maintains a realistic perspective on current market challenges. Margins in the unified communications sector have compressed significantly as products have become commoditised “The UC market had wonderful margins five or six years ago. Now it’s getting commoditised. We’re looking at single-digit margins for distributors and integrators.”
Competition has intensified as barriers to entry have lowered. Recent months have brought additional headwinds, particularly within corporate segments.”Geopolitical issues, budgetary constraints, we’re seeing an impact,” Prakash acknowledges. “Industry peers and media suggest the real impact might come mid-2026.”
EIS has maintained resilience through deliberate diversification across corporate, government, and education segments, ensuring weakness in one vertical can be offset by strength in others.For Prakash, education presents the most promising growth trajectory. Whilst tier-one institutions have largely completed smart classroom implementations, tier-two and tier-three institutions are only beginning digital transformation. The localisation of interactive flat panel display manufacturing has stabilised pricing, further accelerating adoption.
Investing in People and Culture
EIS maintains strong focus on talent development and retention. The company offers competitive compensation, fosters an open organisational culture, and provides clear career progression pathways.
“We work five days a week. We give our sales teams the freedom to approach the market however they see fit. It’s not just a numbers game; we focus on knowledge development.” The company adheres to a strict policy of not recruiting from partners or direct competitors, choosing instead to hire fresh graduates or professionals from adjacent industries. “We take freshers and train them, or we bring people from other industries like IT. We don’t poach from our partners; they’re our ecosystem.” All service engineers and pre-sales team members receive OEM certification, ensuring effective communication of technical concepts to clients and partners.
Strategic Clarity and Future Direction
Prakash has deliberately kept EIS focused exclusively on distribution, avoiding the temptation to enter system integration. “Some OEMs look for distributors who don’t do integration. System integrators can feel threatened when their supplier is also a competitor. We want to preserve neutrality and trust in the ecosystem.”
Simultaneously, EIS has developed proprietary product lines under the EIS Connect and EIS Touch brands, including cables, Multi Head Connectors, podiums, kiosks, trolley and mounts. These products complement distributed brands whilst supporting government initiatives around domestic manufacturing. The company has achieved ISO certification and continues investing in both its product portfolio and service capabilities, positioning itself as a leading regional player in India’s evolving AV landscape.
A Blueprint for Sustainable Growth
As India’s audio-visual market continues rapid transformation, EIS Techinfra Solutions offers a compelling model for sustainable distribution growth. Prakash’s journey demonstrates how deep industry experience, strategic thinking, and genuine commitment to partner success create enduring value.
“The AV industry will expand rapidly in the next few years,” Prakash observes. “Meeting new needs will require strong partnerships and real value from system integrators and distributors alike. The opportunity lies in our ability to adapt and deliver.”
In an industry characterised by rapid change and intensifying competition, EIS Techinfra Solutions has achieved steady growth through calm, structured, and forward-looking leadership. Prakash’s story transcends building a successful company, it’s about cultivating an ecosystem, developing partners, empowering teams, and contributing meaningfully to India’s AV growth story with sincerity and purpose.
