CosmicVeda had grown larger than Arjun had ever planned.
What began as a quiet venture of a few trusted employees now pulsed with the rhythm of a living organization — client calls from Mumbai, invoices from Bengaluru, video meetings with new partners, and constant updates from the finance desk. Each new contract meant more coordination, more signatures, more distractions.
Arjun found himself drowning in operational noise. He would spend mornings in meditation, but before his thoughts could settle, there would be a call waiting: an approval needed, a negotiation to oversee, a new project request. The work was endless and necessary — but not his work.
He sat at his desk one evening, watching the slow spin of the ceiling fan. "I've built a machine that runs," he murmured to himself, "but if I keep running inside it, I'll never move forward."
He needed someone who could lead CosmicVeda — a person capable of handling the human world while he explored the unknown.
The next week, he began looking for a CEO. He posted a discreet call through a few recruiters, keeping his name quiet, and within days he was flooded with profiles — experienced executives, young entrepreneurs, consultants with sharp suits and sharper language.
Three stood out.
The first was Anirudh Rao, a 45-year-old veteran from Infosys, a man who spoke in numbers and systems. He believed in scaling fast, expanding globally, and focusing on corporate structure. His experience was impeccable, but his tone too rigid — the sort that measured everything in profit margins.
The second, Raghav Mehta, only 29, came from a small AI startup. Energetic, charming, and ambitious, he dreamed of building "the next Indian Google." Arjun admired his confidence but sensed his hunger for fame more than purpose.
And then there was Neha Kapoor, thirty-two, a calm and composed woman with sharp eyes that saw beyond numbers. She had an MBA from IIM Bangalore and a decade of experience in finance and operations. She had taken a Bengaluru-based startup from forty employees to three hundred in three years — but had left when the founders started prioritizing valuation over vision.
When they met, Neha listened more than she spoke. Arjun explained CosmicVeda's current state, the contracts, the flow of revenue, and the growing pressure of management. At the end, he asked the same question he'd asked the others: "What do you think technology is for?"
Anirudh had said, "Efficiency."
Raghav had said, "Growth."
Neha thought for a long moment before answering softly, "To make people freer. If technology doesn't give us more time to think, to learn, to be human, then it's not worth building."
Arjun smiled faintly. He had found his CEO.
When he offered her the position, she was surprised. "You don't even know if I'll fit into your culture."
"I know," he said simply. "You'll shape it."
A week later, Neha Kapoor became the CEO of CosmicVeda Technologies Pvt. Ltd. Her salary was fixed at ₹4.2 lakh per month, plus performance bonuses.
Their agreement was clear: she would handle the company — clients, finance, employees, growth, and partnerships — while Arjun remained focused on research and technology.
From the first week, the change was visible.
Neha approached the company like a surgeon reorganizing a body. Departments were redefined: six engineers in Research and Development earning between ₹1.5 and ₹2 lakh a month; four client executives at ₹80,000 to ₹1 lakh; three finance and HR staff around ₹60,000 to ₹90,000; eight technical support specialists at ₹1 to ₹1.2 lakh; and four administrative staff at ₹40,000 to ₹60,000.
The payroll rose from eleven lakh a month to twenty-three, but the results were immediate. Projects were finished on time, documentation became flawless, and employee satisfaction skyrocketed.
"Pay people well," Neha told Arjun once during their weekly meeting. "They'll protect your dream because it protects theirs."
Within four months, she proved herself beyond any doubt.
One morning, she walked into his office holding a tablet and said with quiet pride, "We've signed our first international client — a robotics company in Germany. Helios Automation GmbH. Three-year contract, worth about ten crore rupees."
Arjun leaned back, smiling. "You've done in months what I would have delayed for years."
"It's only the beginning," she said, and for the first time, he saw a spark in her eyes — not of ambition, but of purpose.
He began to trust her completely.
---
To give the company more freedom to grow, Arjun transferred ₹2 crore from his personal savings into CosmicVeda's main operating account. "Use this for hiring, marketing, research — anything that keeps the engine running," he said.
Neha hesitated. "That's a lot of money."
"It's oxygen," he replied. "Let the company breathe."
She nodded, understanding that trust was the greatest currency he could offer.
From then on, CosmicVeda treated Arjun like a major shareholder drawing his monthly share of profit. Every month, a transfer arrived — ₹25 lakh, quiet and steady — his income not as a salary, but as a reward for creation.
Neha took charge completely. She automated payroll, set up international payment gateways, negotiated new insurance plans, and streamlined project timelines. She introduced quarterly reports that showed profit margins rising by nearly 18% within six months.
Arjun watched from a distance, silently impressed.
---
One evening, as they sat in his office reviewing quarterly data, Arjun said, "You've turned CosmicVeda into a living system. It can grow without me now."
Neha smiled. "It still needs a heartbeat, Arjun. It needs you."
He shook his head slightly. "No, it needs balance. You're the structure, I'm the mind. A mind needs a body to act, and a body needs a mind to dream."
There was a quiet pause. Then, almost as an afterthought, he said, "I want you to own a part of this company. Three percent equity, vested over three years. You've earned it."
Neha blinked. "That's not necessary."
"It is," he said. "You've become the backbone of CosmicVeda. And I don't want a backbone that doesn't share the soul."
She nodded slowly. "Then I'll make sure this company stands tall."
---
By the year's end, CosmicVeda was no longer just a successful Indian startup; it was a quiet force respected across continents.
Revenue flowed from domestic giants like TCS, Infosys, and IBM India — and now from Europe as well. The staff had grown to twenty-five, each of them proud, well-paid, and fiercely loyal.
Arjun once again had his mornings free. He returned to his meditation mat, sitting cross-legged before dawn as the world outside still slept. The hum of the Library waited — patient, resonant, familiar.
When he closed his eyes, light bloomed behind his mind like a sunrise. The infinite shelves shimmered again, their books whispering possibilities. He exhaled slowly, smiling.
"It's time to learn again," he murmured.
---
📘 Arjun Mehta — Yearly Log Book [Year 3 Post-Event]
Age: 23
Position: Founder & Chief Technologist, CosmicVeda Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
CEO: Neha Kapoor (32, MBA IIM Bangalore, 10 years experience in finance & strategy)
Staff Strength: 25 employees
Salary Range: ₹40,000 – ₹4.2 lakh/month (average ₹92,000)
Monthly Revenue: ₹60 lakh (domestic + foreign)
Founder Profit Share: ₹25 lakh/month
Net Worth: ₹14.9 crore
Company Equity: 3% granted to CEO Neha Kapoor