Name: Rushit Mehta
University: Wismar University of Applied Sciences
Course: Architectural Lighting Design and Management
Location: Germany
Key Highlights:
- The course offers deep insights into lighting psychology, design strategy and business management
The study programme is based on 20 years of experience in teaching lighting design
The programme has received the proof of accreditation from the German authority and has been awarded for its excellence.
(June 25, 2025) When Rushit Mehta started looking for international universities that offered courses in lighting design, the two best options before him were – POLI.design in Milan and KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden. Both institutions are strong contenders in that particular course.
Rushit Mehta
But Rushit was looking for a flexible programme that would give him the opportunity to study, grow and continue working in his multiple family-run businesses. It was then that he zeroed in on Wismar University of Applied Sciences, Germany which offered him exactly that.
“The WINGS program blended design, technology, and management, and was tailored specifically for working professionals,” Rushit Mehta tells Global Indian.
A Strategic Leap into Lighting Design in Germany
Rushit began the admission process in Wismar in mid-2022. He was accepted by October, and the course commenced in early 2023. “Once I explained to my parents that this course was strategic and not just academic, they were fully onboard. My father is a businessman, he gets it when the ROI (return on investment) makes sense,” smiles Rushit.
Landing in Germany, he was amazed by how beautifully the old monuments were lit up. “It proved how powerful good lighting can be,” he recalls.
A Global Classroom of Light and Diversity
What appealed to Rushit was the diversity of the students who were coming from almost all parts of the world with different cultures, distinct knowledges and diverse dreams about lighting and lighting design.
His first day at Wismar was as exciting as it could get, as his batch had students from across the globe. “There were students from Mexico, China, Italy, Norway, UAE. The diversity made it feel like a global think tank,” he says.
Learning Lighting as an Experience
Rushit’s daily routine at the campus includes online sessions, workshops, and group work, covering everything from technical lighting to sustainability. “It added real depth to how I think about lighting — not just as a product, but as an experience,” he says of the course at Wismar, from where more than 170 lighting planners, architects, designers and electrical engineers from 46 countries have successfully completed the course.
The best part is learning alongside professionals from around the world who bring serious industry experience to every discussion. “The program enhanced my understanding of how to blend aesthetics, technology, and user experience to create immersive, energy-efficient lighting for diverse environments,” informs Rushit.
Among the many highlights of the university is that the students are encouraged to investigate artistic, physical and psychological aspects of lighting, using creative and autonomous methods. This is to be done while keeping both human well-being and the standards of sustainable architecture in mind
“The classes are interactive and project-based, guided by industry experts,” says Rushit.
Designing Light for the Real World
At Wismar, Rushit got to work on real-life lighting concepts — retail, museums, outdoor spaces — and pitch them to faculty and professionals. “I worked on a project simulating lighting for a boutique jewellery store and another on sustainable lighting for public parks,” says Rushit.
As part of the course, there are design critiques and guest lectures by global lighting consultants, he says. The course works with the necessity for the students to learn about how to analyze a site at daytime and night time, and then how to imagine a lighting master plan for an urban site, taking in account the night uses, the environment, the biodiversity and the needs to master the light pollution.
Importantly, it taught Rushit how to design in detail, a lighting project by understanding the stakeholders needs.
Blending Creativity with Industry Exposure
Over the last two years, Rushit attended many international design exhibitions, and went to the black matter experience in Berlin too. “It was one of the coolest lighting experiences where they showed different effects with it,” he says.
He is also looking forward to an upcoming design sprint in collaboration with many European lighting brands.
The combination of ‘Lighting Design’ and ‘Design Management’ provided Rushit with the creative and technical knowledge to manage lighting design projects as well as the economic and marketing aspects necessary to manage offices professionally.
Carrying Forward a Legacy in Light
The 26-year-old hails from a family that is into the business of lighting stores, luxury fans, outdoor furniture, construction.
It all started in 1958 with Rushit’s grandfather Mukund Lalmohan Mehta laying the foundation for a legacy of unparalleled excellence in lighting solutions by launching Prakash Lights at the historic Mozhamjahi Market in Hyderabad.
By 1992, Prakash Lights expanded by importing designer lighting, offering a broader range of exclusive products. This strategic move strengthened its position as a pioneering leader in the lighting industry, elevating its reputation for innovation.
Today, with three premier showrooms in Hyderabad, Prakash Lights offers an extensive range of lighting, fans, and outdoor furniture. “I run four lighting stores and manage investments into real estate equity and startup’s,” informs Rushit, the Chief Executive Officer of the company.
Lighting with Purpose and Vision
While most people focus on just selling lights, Rushit is more interested in changing how people understand lighting. “The goal isn’t just to grow a business—it’s to elevate awareness. I want to help people realise how deeply lighting affects their spaces, their mood, and even their daily productivity,” he says.
He plans to invest time and resources into research—finding fixtures that deliver better colour rendering (CRI), higher lumens per watt, longer life, and smarter performance—all at the right value. “It’s about identifying that “perfect” product and continuously improving it.”
Beyond that, he aims to create platforms — whether it’s content, workshops, or design labs—that help people distinguish good lighting from bad. “Everyone deserves well-lit spaces, and no one should settle for lighting that doesn’t do justice to their home, their store, or their life,” he says.
Balancing Passion, Business, and Global Learning
On weekends, Rushit unwinds with a mix of badminton matches, swimming sessions, and binge-watching stand-up comedy or Formula 1. “I love traveling, discovering new places, meeting new people—and if there’s great food involved, count me in twice,” he says.
Beyond that, Rushit is passionate about understanding how businesses really work. “My family invests in startups, as well as listed and unlisted companies, and I genuinely enjoy reading up on different industries, business models, and what makes a company tick. It’s part hobby, part obsession.”
In Germany, he has also made a few foodie friends. “We’d go hunting for the best Lebanese and Vietnamese food after class,” smiles Rushit.
For Rushit, studying at Wismar is a smart step to grow his family business. The course is helping him see lighting in a new way—not just as something you sell, but as something that shapes how people feel and live. It’s giving him the tools to bring better, smarter lighting solutions to India.
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