The year 2014 is indeed special for us. Firstly, we look back at our journey, the highs and the lows, and secondly, we look ahead with greater clarity, intense focus, unflinching adherence to quality, enhanced investments in magazine development, all intended to spread knowledge. It is in our DNA and we believe that we will continue to be in the forefront of this quest of spreading knowledge. The crucial objective laid down by our Founder Shri Sukhdeo Prasad Baranwal was to spread knowledge, spread awareness of unreported facts and causes, concerns of our armed forces and we are on course.

I am taking this opportunity to mention that SP Guide Publications is a pioneer and in the realm of defence and aerospace, no other publication in the region has touched a similar milestone. The accolades we have received from various quarters, including the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, is very humbling and inspirational for us to strive to continuously improve. I would like to recall the Prime Minister’s message here: “In a country like India with limited support from the industry and market, initiating 50 years ago publishing magazines relating to Army, Navy and Aviation sectors without any interruption is a commendable job on the part of SP Guide Publications.”

We are in fact elated that we have a strong leader in Narendra Modi who has opened up the economy further, liberalised policies and given a sense of direction not just to the economy, but the nation per se. It has enthused us all to do more for the nation and our publications are all committed to the cause of our country.

Besides the Prime Minister, we have messages from Arun Jaitley, the Finance Minister who till recently also held the defence portfolio, Manohar Parrikar the new Defence Minister, Haribhai P. Chaudhary, Minister of State for Home Affairs and Anandiben Patel, the Chief Minister of the State of Gujarat. There are also encouraging messages from the top echelons of the armed forces which motivate us to do better.

We are certainly not going to sit on our laurels. In fact, the 50-year milestone becomes a starting point for us to embark upon a journey of excellence. We have some of the best minds writing for us, we have invested in packaging the product as per international standards, and we have a strong marketing team, all of which we hope will help us make enormous strides in reaching out to a larger reader base. We would like to fill in whatever information void that may exist between the aerospace and defence industry and the armed forces personnel.

I would like to assure you all that SP Guide Publications will continue to strive for excellence in the media publications business which is evolving rapidly with technology infusions. We have already connected you all through various social media and online media and we will consolidate on that. Also we will expand our activities of networking with the industry by organising seminar, conferences, sponsoring events, etc. We have been key official media partners of mega events such as Aero India, India Aviation, Defexpo and the like.

It gives me great pleasure in stating that all our publications have a global reach and we actively participate in shows such as the Farnborough International Airshow, Paris Airshow, Dubai International Airshow, Singapore Airshow besides others. We are contemplating enhanced participation in some of the shows, either by bringing out special editions or show dailies, only to stay abreast of the times. Our websites are all updated on a daily basis as we understand the importance of flow of information.

We continue on the journey of benchmarking in this niche segment and we believe that your continued support will make our mutual journey fulfilling.

We are partners in progress.

Happy reading!