A corner of Bengaluru lined with modern glass office buildings. Rohan Sharma’s medical technology company was based in one of its rooms. Although it had only been founded recently, Rohan and a few team members were engrossed day and night in completing the AI diagnostic system he was developing. Piles of monitors displaying code, technical books, and stacks of business cards exchanged at the expo were on his desk. With coffee in hand, Rohan faced complex algorithms. He believed that beyond this code lay a future where diseases could be diagnosed faster and more accurately, saving many lives.
Technical development was progressing smoothly, but the biggest challenge for a startup was always funding. Improving prototypes, clinical trials, mass production, and market expansion. All of it required enormous capital. Rohan spent his days creating pitch materials and meeting with venture capitalists and angel investors. The investors’ eyes were stern, and realistic questions like, “How will this technology generate profit?” “What’s the market size?” “What’s the competitive advantage?” flew relentlessly. He acutely felt there were walls that couldn’t be overcome by his ideals alone.
As he proceeded with the funding process, Rohan often found himself thinking about Anjali Singh, whom he had met at the expo. Her interest in his technology focused not on profitability but on points like “usage in rural areas or environments with limited medical facilities” and “operation by community workers without specialized knowledge.” This sparked Rohan to research “Health Bridge,” her NGO. The website introduced activities such as health camps in rural areas with insufficient medical professionals, hygiene guidance for residents, and basic medical education for children. Anjali’s work, which aimed to support people’s health through steady humanistic care in places far from advanced medical technology, felt like it hit the most difficult, yet most essential, part of the “social implementation of healthcare” that Rohan’s ideal pursued. What if the technology he was developing could truly help activities like Anjali’s? His passion for technology gained a broader perspective and deeper meaning through learning about Anjali’s dedicated work. Her presence quietly elevated Rohan’s awareness of social contribution.
Meanwhile, Rohan, who was also exploring the possibility of partnership with a major biotechnology company as one of the funding options, had been in contact with Zara Khan since the expo. Zara’s company, “Innovate Bio,” had shown strong interest in Rohan’s technology, and a meeting opportunity was arranged. Zara’s office was in one of Bengaluru’s leading high-rise buildings, and its sophisticated space spoke volumes about her business success.
At the meeting, Zara herself was present and posed sharp questions about the superiority and marketability of Rohan’s technology. “The diagnostic accuracy of this AI is excellent. However, to recover development costs and scale, you need to clarify your target market. How about starting with deployment in urban private hospitals and for affluent populations, and using the profit gained there for R&D and future widespread adoption?” Her proposal was realistic and based on business logic. Her skill in maximizing the potential of Rohan’s technology and elevating it into a solid business. Zara’s intellect, her passion for pursuing profit, and her “manly” decisiveness and execution ability were stimulating to Rohan and irresistibly attractive. Talking with her, he could vividly envision a future where his technology wouldn’t end as a mere ideal but would become a significant force in the real world. From her, who knew the harshness of business, came a realistic talk about how “money” was indispensable for technological advancement and dissemination, which gave Rohan’s idealism a new perspective.
In his days immersed in developing his technology, Rohan was beginning to realize that he was being guided by two contrasting “lights”: Anjali’s dedicated activities and Zara’s dynamic business acumen. By knowing Anjali, he became strongly aware of the social significance of his technology and the existence of people who truly needed it. By interacting with Zara, he became strongly aware of the market value of his technology, the importance of succeeding as a business, and the possibilities that would arise from it.
The two women, each attracting him from a different direction. His feelings for Anjali were quiet and warm, rooted in respect and empathy. His feelings for Zara were dynamic and brought exhilaration, rooted in admiration and stimulation. It might have been too early to call them clear romantic feelings, but in Rohan’s heart, a “slight awareness” towards the two women had certainly begun to bud. It was the quiet beginning of a complex story revolving around the future of his technology and the presence of the two women who would be deeply involved in it.
