Chennai: Mobile telephony has been around in India for some time now, but this is the first time that an Indian mobile handset brand is hitting the domestic cell phone market.

VK Munoth, the brand launched by the city-based Munoth Industries, will henceforth jostle for cell phone user''s attention amidst global brands like Nokia, Motorola and Siemens here.

Targeted at the 20-35 age group people, the lightweight Indian mobile brand, which is also the smallest phone in the world, comes in three models. Along with the handset comes the following: ultra slim battery, standard battery, travel adaptor, desktop charger and necklace with built-in ear microphone and hand strap.

As to the first-time features, the handsets comes with bio-rhythm check whereby a person after feeding his date of birth into the instrument can read out his/her physical, emotional or intellectual quotient on any specified day and compatibility with a friend. The pink feature enables women to set their menstrual cycle, ovulation day or pregnancy period.

Munoth Industries will initially source the handsets from V K Corporation, a South Korean company.

Says Munoth Industries director Jaswant Munoth: "We plan to sell around 15,000 handsets per month and based on the reception we may decide to set up an assembly line here." The assembly line, with a minimum economic capacity of 1.8 lakh units per year, will involve an outlay of Rs 10 crore.

The manufacturing facility will enable other hardware players to take advantage of the 0-per cent import duty on parts, provided the handsets are assembled here and with a 0-per cent excise duty.

Munoth says the handsets have already been placed in markets like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Hyderabad. In 10 days'' time the brand will be available in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Bihar. Already engaged in the distribution of Siemens handsets, Munoth Industries has 20 area distributors servicing around 2,500 dealers across the country.

"For after-sales service we have tied up with Accel India," Munoth adds. The Rs 25-crore-turnover Munoth Industries plans to bring two new models every quarter to keep pace with industry trends.