In October, after her runny nose, itchy eyes and allergies intensified into a week-long bout of wheezing, the 27-year-old’s parents bought her a Honeywell air purifier. 

Prof Philip initially felt it was unnecessary since she lives in Bengaluru with its clear skies, not New Delhi, which frequently makes headlines for its thick smog, record-breaking air pollution levels and unbreathable air.

“I was wrong. There’s no smog but Bengaluru’s air made me sick,” she said.

While Bengaluru’s Air Quality Index (AQI) has ranged this month between 80 and 170 – or between moderate and poor – Delhi’s has been swinging within the “severe” range of 250 to 400 this year, even touching a catastrophic 900 in early November.

In fact, no major Indian city recorded safe AQI levels at any point for the years from 2015 to 2025, according to research consultancy Climate Trends. 

As more Indians feel this reality in their lungs, those who can afford it are buying air purifiers – no longer a luxury item, but a necessity.

In 2024, around 1.02 million air purifiers were sold in India, as reported by Mumbai-based research firm Mark & Spark Solutions. This number has risen to 1.2 million in 2025 and is projected to grow substantially to around 4.3 million over the next five years, driven by worsening air pollution and increasing health awareness.

The rush for air purifiers has highlighted two issues: widespread toxic air pollution across the country even as Indians await efficient solutions; and the vulnerability of the poor and the middle class who cannot afford these devices – priced between 5,000 and 70,000 rupees (S$70 to S$1,000) – leaving them defenseless again...