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Chapter 75 - Chapter 71 – “Threads of a New Nation”

Sept 16–Sept 30, 2017

"Threads of a New Nation"

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1. The Estate – Morning Reflections

Mist curled above the forests around MC's estate. From his study, he overlooked the quiet hum of drones ferrying supplies for ongoing projects. On his desk sat a thick binder prepared by Aarya: "Quarterly Progress Report – September 2017."

He opened it carefully. This was no ordinary report — it was the heartbeat of a new India.

> MC (to himself):

"Let's see what we've built… and what we've yet to protect."

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2. TBM Machines – Carving Roads of the Future

The first section detailed the Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs).

In the Northeast, tunnels and corridors were already connecting Assam to Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh, cutting travel times by more than half.

In Mumbai, the metro project had leapt forward by three years, shocking contractors and delighting commuters.

Each TBM was operated by teams of young Indian engineers. Where foreign machines once required imports and consultants, these were fully "Made in India", providing over 20,000 direct jobs and nearly 70,000 indirect ones in construction and logistics.

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3. Saraswati Search – The Global Breakthrough

Once known internally as "Lotus," the platform had been launched under its true name: Saraswati Search.

By September 2017, it wasn't just an Indian story.

India: 60% market share, surpassing Google.

Africa & Middle East: adoption skyrocketed because Saraswati worked offline with caching, crucial for areas with weak internet.

Europe & South America: downloads crossed 50 million in a single day when it launched globally.

Features like integrated Bharat Maps, instant translation across 30 languages, and Aarya-powered search responses gave it a near-magical edge.

> Side POV – Student in Nairobi:

"I searched in Swahili, and it gave me answers like I was talking to a teacher. This isn't just search… it's understanding."

Employment impact was massive: the Saraswati headquarters in Noida alone housed 50,000 employees — researchers, data scientists, coders, linguists, and support staff. Across India, the ecosystem created nearly 300,000 new jobs in under a year.

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4. Bharat Mail & Bharat Maps – The New Defaults

Bharat Mail had become the official email for government offices and universities. Adoption was spreading like wildfire; with each state signing agreements, jobs for IT admins, trainers, and developers surged.

Bharat Maps wasn't just navigation anymore. Farmers in Maharashtra used it to access satellite crop data. Delivery companies in Delhi depended on its hyper-accurate traffic predictions. Relief workers in Assam credited it with saving lives during floods.

Together, they generated another 100,000 jobs in training, mapping, and customer support.

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5. Nava & Varta – The Digital Conversation

Nava (chat) and Varta (video/voice calls) had reached over 150 million Indian users combined.

In call centers once dominated by WhatsApp and foreign software, Indian youth were now employed to develop stickers, manage servers, and test real-time updates. Startups built entire businesses around integrating Nava & Varta into their services.

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6. Shakti Semiconductors – Vikram Malhotra's Stage

Under Vikram Malhotra's leadership, Shakti Semiconductors had become India's most valuable company. With 60% of the Indian chip market and growing exports to Africa, the company alone employed 200,000 people directly, and millions indirectly through supply chains.

In Parliament, Vikram's voice was steady, commanding:

> Vikram (Sept 22, New Delhi):

"Every phone, every laptop, every machine powered by Shakti is built by Indian hands. This is not just technology — this is livelihood."

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7. Saraswati AI – Maya Iyer's Empire

At the center of this empire stood Maya Iyer, the humanoid CEO.

She toured campuses, tech summits, and rural schools, her words going viral across Saraswati Search itself. She had become a symbol of India's new future — polished, articulate, visionary.

> Maya (at Delhi University, Sept 20):

"Every job we create is a family lifted. Every server we build is a voice empowered. This is not just technology — it is dignity."

Students cheered her name like a celebrity. None knew her secret.

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8. International POV – Ripples Across the Globe

In Silicon Valley, Google's board calculated their losses. They had been pushed out of the Indian market — a market they thought unshakable.

In Brussels, EU regulators drafted reports on "monopoly abuse," but privately admitted Europe's economy now relied on Shakti chips.

In Beijing, reports on failed cyberattacks frustrated officials. India's rise was no longer deniable.

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9. The Estate – Quiet Family Talk

That evening, MC sat with his parents in the garden, sipping tea.

> Mother: "Your machines build roads. Your companies give jobs to lakhs of families. Still, you don't rest, beta?"

MC (softly, after a pause):

"Rest will come when no child in India goes hungry. When no dream dies for lack of opportunity."

His father, proud but protective, put a hand on his son's arm.

> Father: "And until then, you keep building. Just remember — even the strongest pillar must lean on family."

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End of Sept 2017 – The Scorecard

TBMs: 90,000+ jobs, faster national connectivity.

Saraswati Search: 300,000 jobs, global expansion, 50M downloads in a day.

Bharat Mail & Maps: 100,000 jobs, life-saving impact in rural areas.

Nava & Varta: 150M users, new digital backbone.

Shakti Semiconductors (Vikram): 200,000 jobs, India's tech sovereignty.

Maya Iyer: The face of Saraswati, inspiring millions.

Global Reaction: Panic, plotting, admiration.

India was no longer a follower. It was the storm shaking the world.

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