The profound solitude that followed the NetScape harvest was a problem without a financial solution. Harsh understood that the cure for this existential weight was not more wealth, but a new kind of challenge—one that was tangible, grounded, and separate from the digital ether of the Aethelred Trust. The answer lay not in retreat, but in a calculated, aggressive diversification of his Indian empire.
He announced a new strategic direction, not to his global team, but to his core Indian lieutenants: Deepak, Sanjay, and Vikram. He framed it not as a distraction, but as the next, logical evolution of their "national duty."
"The strength of a nation lies not just in its technology, but in its foundational pillars," Harsh declared in a closed-door strategy session. "We have built the electronics pillar. Now, we build the others. We will create a new holding structure: 'Patel Group.' Under it, we will launch three new, independent ventures."
He laid out the blueprint, a plan designed to re-engage his own passion and that of his team.
1. Patel Agri-Sciences: "Our farmers are the backbone of India, yet they struggle with low yields and poor storage," Harsh stated, tapping the map on the agricultural heartlands of Punjab and Maharashtra. "We will not just import fertilizers. We will establish R&D to develop high-yield seed variants suited for Indian soil. We will build a chain of modern, climate-controlled grain silos to reduce post-harvest waste. This is not charity; it is a business that solves a national problem." He put Sanjay in charge, challenging his marketing genius to build a brand trusted by millions of farmers.
2. Patel Infrastructure & Construction: "Look at our cities. The roads are choked, the power is unreliable," Harsh continued, his gaze sweeping to Vikram. "Your success with logistics proves you understand systems on a grand scale. Now, build the systems themselves. We will bid for government contracts to build roads and power transmission lines. We will develop our first private industrial park, not just for us, but to attract other high-tech manufacturers. You will lay the physical foundation for India's next century." It was a monumental task, perfectly suited to Vikram's methodical, large-scale operational mind.
3. Patel Retail Ventures: "The 'Bharat' brand has trust. Now, we give it a home," Harsh said, finally turning to Deepak. "I want a chain of electronics superstores. Not small shops, but vast, modern showrooms where a customer can see, touch, and compare every product we make, and those of our competitors. We will control the entire chain, from our chip to the customer's hands. This will be the public face of our quality." It was a return to Deepak's roots in product and quality, but on a massive, national scale.
The announcement was a thunderclap. It was a pivot from a focused technology conglomerate to a sprawling, multi-industry giant. The initial capital allocation was 200 crore rupees, drawn from the profits of Bharat Electronics and a dividend from the Aethelred Trust—a legal and public reinvestment of global gains into the Indian economy.
The effect on his team was electric. Sanjay, who had felt sidelined, was now energized by the challenge of building a brand from the ground up in a completely new sector. Vikram saw the chance to build literal monuments to their success. Deepak relished the idea of creating the ultimate retail experience.
For Harsh, it was a return to the dirt. The problems of agriculture, construction, and retail were messy, human, and immediate. They couldn't be solved with a leveraged buy order. They required negotiations with farmers, navigating byzantine municipal regulations, and understanding the psyche of the Indian consumer in a way no stock ticker ever could.
He was building again. Not just wealth, but a nation within a nation. The Patel Group would touch the life of an Indian farmer sowing his fields, a commuter driving on a new highway, and a family buying their first television. The diversification was a gambit to reforge his connection to the country he was shaping, to trade the sterile silence of the sovereign's citadel for the vibrant, chaotic, and deeply human noise of building something real. The weight of the crown was still there, but now he was using its immense power to lift up the very earth he stood on.