Founder Editor & Founder Publisher
Shri Sukhdeo Prasad Baranwal

Journalistic excellence and the leadership:

The founder with Dr Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India

The founder presenting one of his books to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India

Pandit Nehru glancing through the book

Accompanied by Mrs V. Baranwal, the founder with Mrs Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India

Journalist and author Shri Sukhdeo Prasad Baranwal—popularly known to all as S.P. Baranwal—was born in Bihar 1930, a period which was filled with national fervour wanting to throw out the British rule. At a tender age itself Shri Baranwal was involved in the nationalist non-violent movement, inspired by the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi.

A fierce nationalist, he took active part in the Quit India Movement in 1942 and was incarcerated for a day in police custody at the age of 12. As India gained independence, Shri Baranwal went to Patna University where besides studies he was deeply entrenched in the student political movement. He was leader of the students’ Congress. He also took part in RSS Satyagraha Movement in 1948 and later joined the Indian National Congress.

Known for his literary skills, Shri Baranwal took to writing and prolifically contributed numerous articles and features to various English and Hindi magazines. He served as Zonal Organiser of the Vivekananda Memorial Committee (Commemoration Volume) for the North-Western Zone in India and actively worked with Dr Raghu Vira in sponsoring the All India Languages Convention in Delhi. He was not just a keen student of military science, political science and economics, but was also a lauded football player, a well-rounded person.

An abiding interest in military matters coupled with a deep desire to render some service to the armed forces prompted him to publish the Military Yearbook in 1965, birth of the first ever comprehensive book on military information with specific reference to an emergent India. The endeavour met with high acclaim from all quarters as it fulfilled a long felt need in the area of defence. The Yearbook was received warmly by the then Prime Minister Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri who commented, “The Guide Publications of New Delhi have brought out the Military Yearbook. It is useful to have suitably compiled information in one volume. I commend the efforts of the Publishers.” Over the decades, SP’s Military Yearbook—as it was deferentially renamed by his successor Mr Jayant Baranwal—has been acknowledged as an indispensable reference document with comprehensive details of the armed forces of nearly 40 countries in Asia and Africa.

Not one to rest on his laurels, Shri Baranwal also published treatise and texts on several subjects besides the armed forces. These include Measures of Civil Defence in India, India Faces War, Heroic Deeds in Free India, Guide Almanac and Yearbook, Guide to Indian Banking in English, Vishwa Gyan Sagar, Swatantra Bharat Ki Veergatha, Prasiddha Avishkaron Ki Kahani and Eent Ka Jawab.

Shri S.P. Baranwal passed away in 1990, leaving behind a rich legacy imbued with his integrity, principles and unflinching adherence to truth that continue to inspire SP Guide Publications. We salute our beloved Founder for his vision, commitment, determination, steadfastness and the goals he had set for SP Guide Publications and we continue on the path of growth and expansion.

Our core values are reflected through the company’s logo. Like the North Star we are constant and yet changing with times.

Our logo reflects strong character, brilliance and light. From darkness lead us to light, through knowledge.

Our core is ‘Spreading Knowledge’ and we will constantly endeavour to outperform ourselves.