Chapter 36: Through the Lens of a Nation
June 4, 1983 – Singh Technologies, Lucknow
The fans spun fast overhead as voices echoed through the media lab, all urgency and energy. Typewriters clicked. Tools clattered. The coffee was stronger than usual.
The calendar page had just turned.
June 4.
Only five days left until India's first match in the 1983 Cricket World Cup. The plan was bold—perhaps even crazy. But it was happening.
Ajay had already signed off as one of the official sponsors of Team India's World Cup tour—on behalf of GameConsole Co. and Singh Technologies. His brother Raghav's textile business was providing the new jerseys. Even their mental wellness support—through daily affirmations and yoga—was part of this quiet revolution.
Now came the final part: filming the team with their in-house equipment, not foreign cameras. This was not just about sport anymore.
It was about showing the world India's story—through India's lens.
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A New Jersey, A New Mindset
That same morning, Bharat stood by the edge of the open terrace where the family had gathered to send off final crates of equipment. He watched as folded jerseys in deep indigo blue were packed into trunks—each marked with the Singh Technologies logo and a sleek line below:
> Powered by GameConsole Co. – Proudly Indian.
The new jersey had lightweight cotton-blend fabric, stitched by Raghav's team. Across the chest, the logo shimmered faintly in the sunlight. Below it, in neat white thread:
"Team India 1983 – Rise with Strength."
The shoes were redesigned for speed. The bats were rebalanced. But perhaps more importantly, the men who would wear them… were different.
These were not the hesitant, unsure cricketers of six months ago.
> They had therapy.
They had confidence sessions.
They had new tools.
They had faith in themselves.
Ajay watched quietly as the team boarded the bus headed to the airport. A few players waved back. One of them pointed at his jersey and grinned.
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June 5 – Broadcast Preparations in Lucknow
Back in the studio, a new kind of pressure began to build.
Rajat Bhushan—now leading the official footage crew for the Indian tour—entered the lab with a suitcase full of fresh film reels and travel passes.
"We need everything ready in 48 hours," he said.
Ajay's team scrambled:
The portable dolly rig was tested again.
The new camera prototype—fitted with improved lens clarity and fast shutter reflex—was wrapped in foam.
The audio line-in gear for stadium background sound was sealed in boxes.
Extra batteries, backup reels, mic windshields… even rain covers.
Anant turned to Bharat. "Will it hold under stadium lights?"
Bharat nodded. "It's not just about the light. It's about how you shape the shadow. Tell Rajat to shoot at dusk. Natural tones."
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June 9 – First Match, First Test
India faced the West Indies at Old Trafford, England.
As the team walked onto the field, the new cameras rolled from behind the ropes.
The footage was sharper. The jersey colors popped under the soft sun. The player expressions—focused, unshaken—were clearer than ever before.
The slow zoom-in on Kapil Dev's face as he adjusted his gloves before the toss was broadcast on Doordarshan later that night.
> It was electric.
The audio was synced with ambient stadium sound—cheers, the rustle of the flag, the crack of the bat.
Doordarshan's review team, watching from Delhi, paused.
"This isn't BBC footage?" one editor asked.
"No," came the reply. "Singh Technologies. From Lucknow."
They ordered more airtime.
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June 10 – The Public Reacts
The footage aired at 9 PM sharp on Doordarshan. And from Ludhiana to Lucknow, Mumbai to Madurai, people leaned closer to their TV sets.
The commentary crackled. The image danced a little with old cathode rays. But the colors were richer. The detail was unmistakable.
Children pointed at the jerseys and said, "Look! That's our logo!"
Old men in pan shops nodded and whispered, "Indian camera, they say. No joke."
That night, newspapers wrote about "the new lens of Indian cricket."
The next morning, orders began to arrive.
A regional broadcaster in Jaipur wanted three dolly units.
A filmmaker in Kolkata asked for five CineEdit licenses.
A school in Pune wrote: "We want to document our sports day. Can we borrow the same camera used in the match?"
The world was starting to believe.
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Back at the Lab – Quiet Triumph
Ajay returned to the lab late that evening. He found Bharat curled up beside the window, sketching again.
He sat down beside him.
"You saw the footage?"
Bharat nodded. "It felt like a painting. A real one."
Ajay smiled. "We got twelve calls this morning. And Raghav's jerseys are sold out for next month."
Then he turned serious. "What should we do next?"
Bharat didn't look up. "Go smaller."
"Smaller?"
"We built for cricket. Now build for classrooms. Weddings. Village plays. Build tools not for sports heroes—but for mothers, students, teachers, dancers. Let every story shine."
Ajay nodded slowly. "A lens for every home."
Bharat smiled. "Yes. That's where India lives."