Victory against Doshi was not a crescendo; it was the steady, powerful hum of a well-tuned engine. The surrender of the corporate giant sent a shockwave through the Indian electronics industry. The narrative was now set in stone: Harsh Patel was not a flash in the pan; he was the new reality. The "Chipman" had not only built a technological marvel but had also proven he could win a brutal, down-and-dirty commercial war.
The financial results for the following months became a repetitive, almost monotonous, testament to this victory. The river of rupees, as Harsh had envisioned, was now a torrent.
Consolidated Financial Summary - Bharat Electronics (Months 4-6)
· Total Revenue (3 months): 7.12 Crores
· Total Net Profit (3 months): 78.5 Lakhs
· Cash Reserves (Accumulated from Radio Division): 1.8 Crores
The numbers were staggering for a business that was barely half a year old. The street cart network, now a well-oiled machine of 600 carts, was the primary artery, but traditional electronics shops, once fearful of Doshi's retribution, were now clamoring to stock the 'Swaranjali' brand. The victory had given them the courage to switch allegiances.
The launch of the 'Ganak' calculator was a masterstroke that further solidified their dominance. Priced at a disruptive 80 rupees, it was an instant hit with students, shopkeepers, and office workers. It did not just add to the revenue; it dramatically increased the average earnings of every street vendor, binding them even more tightly to Harsh's empire. A vendor's cart was now a mini-electronics store, and Harsh was its sole, benevolent supplier.
One evening, Harsh summoned his core team—Deepak, Sanjay, and Rakesh Rao—to his office. The mood was different now. The frantic energy of survival had been replaced by the calm confidence of execution.
"The radio and calculator business is a machine," Harsh began, his voice even. "It will run. Now, we use its output to build the next machine. Deepak, the speaker factory."
Deepak nodded, opening a new file. "The land is allocated within the Dholera campus. The machinery quotations are in. The total investment for a facility that can meet 100% of our current and projected demand is 18 crore rupees. Once operational, our cost per speaker unit will drop from 8.5 rupees to approximately 4.2 rupees. The payback period, based on current radio and calculator volumes, is twenty-two months."
A saving of over 4 rupees on every radio and calculator. On a volume of nearly 200,000 units a month, that was an additional 8 lakh rupees in profit every month, just from one component. The logic of vertical integration was inescapable.
"Approve it," Harsh said. "Begin construction immediately."
"But Harsh Bhai," Sanjay interjected, "18 crores... that's almost all our accumulated cash and more. We'd have to take a loan."
"Then we take a loan," Harsh replied without hesitation. "We are no longer a startup in an alley. We are 'Bharat Electronics,' a 'Project of National Importance.' The banks will fall over themselves to lend to us. Use our cash flow projections as collateral. This investment doesn't just save us money; it makes us utterly immune. No one can ever choke us on a speaker again."
The decision was made. The speaker factory was greenlit, a massive capital expenditure that would tie up their resources but secure their future.
"Now," Harsh continued, turning to Sanjay. "Distribution is conquered. Supply is being secured. What is the next product? We cannot stand still."
Sanjay's eyes lit up. "The natural progression, Harsh Bhai. The cassette player. Every household that buys our radio will soon want to play their own music. The market is huge. Doshi and others like Philips and Sony dominate it with high prices."
"The 'Bharat-3' chip design is already in progress," Deepak added. "It will integrate the audio amplification and motor control logic. We can have a prototype in two months."
Harsh envisioned the product line: Radio, Calculator, Cassette Player. A trifecta of essential electronics for the aspiring Indian middle class. Each product powered by his own chips, assembled in his own factory, distributed through his own network.
"Make it happen," Harsh commanded. "But this time, we do not launch with one model. We launch with three. A basic model, a standard model with better speakers, and a high-end 'boombox' model with twin speakers and a carrying handle. We will blanket the market from bottom to top."
The vision was expanding, the empire solidifying its layers. As the meeting concluded and his team departed, buzzing with new directives, Harsh walked to his large office window. The Dholera facility was alive with light and activity, a city within a city.
Rakesh Rao, who had remained silent during the technical discussions, lingered behind. "There is another thing, Harsh Bhai," he said quietly. "A different kind of opportunity. The rumors about the gold market... they were correct. The prices are starting to stir. There is a man, a bullion trader from Zaveri Bazaar. He has heard of you. He wishes to meet. Not for business, he says. For... a discussion."
Harsh didn't turn from the window. The American stock market was his ultimate goal, the planned arc for chapter 175. But gold was the primal, timeless store of value. It was the hedge against every uncertainty, the asset that thrived in chaos. The river of rupees needed a reservoir, a place to be stored where it was safe from inflation, prying eyes, and the volatility of his own industry.
"Set up the meeting, Rao," Harsh said, his voice low. "Discreetly."
The radio business was the engine, churning out the capital. The vertical integration was the armor, making the empire resilient. But the gold, and the American stocks that would follow, were the treasure. The means to transform industrial wealth into dynastic, global power.
He watched the headlights of a truck carrying a shipment of 'Ganak' calculators disappear into the night. The grind continued, the foundation grew ever stronger. But Harsh's gaze was fixed on a more distant horizon, waiting for the moment when the river of rupees would be deep and wide enough to sail across the ocean.