The "Why buy a copy?" campaign hit the streets with the force of a monsoon gust. Saffron carts now bore bold new vinyl decals. Newspaper ads, strategically placed next to political commentary, featured a sharp, clean image of the 'Swaranjali' radio sliced open to reveal the 'Bharat-1' chip at its heart, juxtaposed with a blurry, question-marked shadow representing the 'Doshi Jawan'. The message was subtle yet brutal: one was transparent, Indian, and innovative; the other was a faceless imitation.
The psychological warfare worked. The initial curiosity around the cheaper 'Doshi Jawan' was quickly tempered by a perceived lack of prestige. Why would you buy the knock-off when for just five rupees more, you could own the "original with the Indian heart"? Harsh had successfully weaponized nascent economic patriotism. The radio was no longer just a device; it was a badge of identity.
Sales data from the third week of the campaign confirmed the shift.
Weekly Sales Snapshot - Week 3, Month 3
· 'Swaranjali' Standard (125 Rs): 38,000 units
· 'Swaranjali' Deluxe (180 Rs): 15,000 units
· 'Doshi Jawan' (120 Rs): 28,000 units (estimated)
Doshi was moving volume, but they were bleeding cash with every sale. More importantly, Harsh had maintained his premium position and seen a significant boost in the higher-margin Deluxe model. The auxiliary input jack, a simple, cheap modification, was a marketing masterstroke, positioning the radio as modern and versatile.
The battle, however, was merely entering a new phase. Prakash Rao arrived with fresh intelligence, his expression grim.
"The Doshi Group is not giving up, Harsh Bhai. They are going after our vendors. Not with threats this time. With bribes. They are offering a signing bonus of 5,000 rupees to any of our street cart vendors who switch to selling the 'Doshi Jawan'. They are also offering them a higher commission—20 rupees per radio instead of our 15."
This was a direct, targeted attack on the very foundation of Harsh's distribution network. It was a smarter, more insidious move.
Sanjay slammed his hand on the table. "Treacherous! After we gave them a livelihood! We should—"
Harsh cut him off, his mind already dissecting the problem. "This is business, Sanjay, not loyalty. We bought their hustle with a better offer. Now Doshi is making a better one. We must make a better one still."
He made a series of rapid-fire decisions.
"First, immediate response. Announce a 'Patriot's Bonus.' For every vendor who remains with us for the next three months, we will pay a loyalty bonus of 2,000 rupees at the end of the period. It's a smaller upfront cost than Doshi's bribe, but it rewards endurance.
"Second, we increase the commission to 18 rupees per radio, effective immediately. We can afford it with our margins.
"Third, and this is key, we provide them with a second product. A product Doshi cannot give them."
He turned to Deepak. "The calculator. Is the 'Bharat-2' chip design finalized? The one for the basic 8-digit calculator?"
Deepak nodded. "The prototypes are testing now. We can be in mass production in four weeks."
"Good. Accelerate it. We will launch the 'Ganak' calculator. Cost to produce should be under 40 rupees. We will sell it to the vendors at 60 rupees, with a recommended retail price of 80. They will make 20 rupees on every calculator sold. Now, a vendor with our cart doesn't just sell radios; he has a full electronics portfolio. His earning potential with us doubles. Doshi can only offer him a loss-leading radio."
The strategy was brilliant. He wasn't just defending his vendor network; he was enriching it, making it more valuable and resilient. He was transforming his sales force from radio sellers into multi-product entrepreneurs.
The financial implications were calculated swiftly.
Revised Projection - Vendor Earning Potential (Per Cart, Per Day)
· With Swaranjali Only (10 units @ 18 Rs commission): 180 Rs/day
· With Swaranjali & Ganak (10 radios + 5 calculators @ 20 Rs commission): 280 Rs/day
The numbers were irresistible. The "Doshi Jawan" offer, even with its higher per-unit commission, couldn't compete with the total earning potential.
A week later, the results were in. Of the 500 street cart vendors, only 12 defected to Doshi. The rest, enticed by the loyalty bonus, the increased commission, and the promise of the upcoming calculator, stayed firm. The mutiny had been quashed before it could begin.
The financial report for the full third month told the story of a decisive victory.
End of Month 3 Financial Report - Bharat Electronics (Radio Division)
· Units Sold: 175,100 (142,600 Standard, 32,500 Deluxe)
· Total Revenue: 2,18,16,500 Rs
· Cost of Goods Sold: 1,50,58,600 Rs
· Gross Profit: 67,57,900 Rs
· Operating Expenses (Including vendor bonuses & higher commissions): 45,25,000 Rs
· Net Profit (Month 3): 22,32,900 Rs
Twenty-two Lakhs. Profit had grown again, despite the increased costs of defending their territory. The 'Swaranjali' radio was now a firmly established brand, and the Doshi 'Jawan' was widely perceived as a desperate, inferior clone.
Harsh received the final confirmation of his victory in the form of a printed internal memo from the Doshi Group, procured at great cost by Rakesh Rao. It was a directive to their sales team: "Discontinue aggressive promotion of the 'Jawan' model. Refocus efforts on mid-range tape players."
Doshi had surrendered. The price war was over. They had tried to crush Harsh with their weight, and he had not only withstood it but had emerged stronger, more profitable, and with a loyal, fortified distribution network.
Harsh leaned back in his chair. The radio war was won. The foundation of his electronics empire was now unshakable. The constant, immense cash flow from the radios—over twenty lakh rupees a month and growing—was piling up in the company's coffers. It was a river of capital, and he needed to channel it.
He looked at the world map on his wall, his gaze drifting away from India, across the Atlantic. The radio business was the grind, the foundation. But the real leap, the astronomical wealth he knew was possible, lay elsewhere. It was time to start preparing for the next arc. The American stock market wasn't just an opportunity; it was an inevitability. And he now had the war chest to storm its gates.