How IIM Calcutta Helped Shape India’s Famous Nirodh Condom

India introduced the Nirodh condom brand in 1968 to make condoms affordable and improve family planning across the country.

In the 1960s, India was worried about its rapidly growing population. Although the government had started a family planning programme in 1952, condoms were expensive and difficult for many people to buy.

To solve this problem, the government asked K. T. Chandy, the first Director of IIM Calcutta, to work with private companies on making condoms cheaper and easier to access. His team developed a plan using marketing to encourage family planning.

In 1968, India imported 400 million condoms from the United States, Japan and South Korea. They were sold under the brand name Nirodh, at a price of just 5 paise each. Some were given free at government health centres, while others were sold through shops.

India also wanted to produce condoms locally. Hindustan Latex Limited was established in Kerala in 1966, and its factory began production in March 1969.

But why was the brand named Nirodh? One proposed name was “Kamaraj”, referring to Kamadeva, the Hindu god of love and desire. However, K. Kamaraj was also a well-known political leader, making the name controversial. The name was changed to Nirodh, a word meaning “prevention” or “protection”.

The programme helped make condoms more affordable and widely available in India, becoming an important part of the country’s family planning efforts.