By Sangeeta Saxena

New Delhi. 08 October 2026. Today, 8th October, Aviation & Defence Universe (ADU) turns 11—and my heart is full of gratitude for everyone who has helped us reach this milestone. Before there was this website, there was a journalist chasing a story. Years spent reporting on defence and aerospace had taught me to ask questions, listen carefully and keep looking beyond the obvious. Working for publications on the beat, I had grown professionally through encounters with people whose lives revolved around service, technology and national security. Each assignment deepened my curiosity. Each story strengthened my belief that this was where I belonged. Somewhere along that journey, another thought began to take shape – could I build a publication of my own?

It was an exciting dream but a daunting one. Reporting for an established publication and taking responsibility for an entire venture were very different undertakings. A website needed more than good copy. It needed readers, contributors, advertisers, relationships and the daily discipline of keeping it alive. It meant carrying the responsibilities of an editor and an entrepreneur while continuing to be the reporter who wanted to get to the next story. Yet the idea would not leave me.

On 8 October 2015, that dream became Aviation & Defence Universe—ADU. Beginning on Indian Air Force Day gave the date a special meaning. For a journalist whose work drew so much inspiration from the Armed Forces, it felt like a fitting day to take flight. I brought to ADU the experience I had gathered on the beat, the relationships built through years of reporting and a conviction that credibility would have to be earned with every story. Our motto expressed that commitment simply: “We Report Facts. We Don’t Change Them.” Then came the work of turning belief into a sustainable publication.

All this would have been  incomplete had Brig. VK Atray (Retd.) not been there to give his full support to fulfill  a regimental officer’s wife’s dream. From the day I conceived ADU he was there to motivate and guide through this journey, Whether it was reporting, writing or covering shows he was always there leading ADU till he felt he needed to retire with age catching up. We at ADU still miss his presence but wish him a healthy life ahead.

The early road was bumpy. There were stories to pursue while the website itself needed attention; editorial ambitions to balance with the practical demands of running a business; and the constant task of persuading people to place their trust in a growing platform. Passion made the beginning possible. Perseverance kept it going.

There were moments when progress felt slow and the effort seemed far greater than the visible result. Building something of your own can be deeply personal. A setback follows you home. A small achievement can brighten an entire day. You learn to make decisions despite uncertainty and return to work even when confidence needs rebuilding.

What kept me moving was the journalism. There was always another conversation worth having, another development to understand, another story that deserved to reach our readers. The curiosity that had brought me into the profession continued to give the venture its purpose.

And I did not walk alone. Harmeet walked alongside me, matching steps whether the road was rough or smooth. That companionship has been one of the quiet strengths of ADU’s journey. Having someone who shares the effort, understands the uncertainty and stays through both is a gift whose value grows with time. After some years Bharat came up to keep the backend of SEO updated to ensure we matched the footsteps with needs of keeping and online publication marching. Thank you to Surabhi and Shipra for chipping in and to Shweta for making Harmeet’s team effective.

Team ADU brought commitment and energy to the work. Our Advisory Board offered wisdom, encouragement and the reassurance that we had people to turn to. Writers and contributors enriched our pages with expertise and perspective. Readers gave us their attention and, gradually, their trust. Our advertisers helped sustain the venture through their belief in our journalism and reach. The Armed Forces continued to inspire our reporting, while the aerospace and defence industry gave us stories of innovation, enterprise and the pursuit of national capability.

Together, these relationships helped ADU find firmer ground. The sailing became smoother as experience accumulated, support strengthened and the publication found its place. That steadiness had been built through years of showing up—pursuing the next assignment, meeting the next deadline and keeping faith with the standards we had set for ourselves.

Looking back after eleven years, I feel proud of what ADU has become. I also remember the uncertainty of beginning, the weight of difficult days and the people who made those days easier to carry. A website may bear a founder’s vision, but its life is shaped by everyone who contributes to it.

ADU has given me the privilege of continuing to grow as a journalist while building a platform for others to inform, explain and share their knowledge. It has taken our reporting across India and beyond, and strengthened our resolve to follow defence and aerospace stories wherever they unfold.

The dream has grown. The reporter in me still wants to get to the story. Eleven years ago, I dared to give that instinct a home. Today, that home is ADU—built with passion, sustained by perseverance and strengthened by the people who believed it could fly.

To Team ADU, thank you for the commitment, hard work and belief that keep us moving forward. A special thank you to Harmeet for walking alongside me, matching steps whether the road has been bumpy or smooth. Every challenge faced and every milestone celebrated carries your contribution. To our readers, contributors and everyone who placed their faith in our journalistic abilities: thank you for trusting us. Your confidence strengthens our resolve to report with accuracy, integrity and independence. To the Indian Armed Forces, whose courage, service and dedication continually motivate our journalism—we are proud to tell your stories. To the industry, thank you for giving us stories of innovation and enterprise, and for advancing the nation’s hope of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Some pillars hold up an institution. Ours have also held us steady through every storm. As Aviation & Defence Universe (ADU) completes 11 years, my heart holds a special place of gratitude for our Advisory Board—a pillar of strength and our biggest support system since this journey began on 8th October 2015. You believed in ADU when its future was still a dream taking shape. Your wisdom helped us find direction, your encouragement renewed our confidence, and your faith gave us courage when the road became difficult. Through moments of uncertainty and milestones of joy, knowing that we could turn to you has meant more than words can express. Thank you for sharing your experience so generously, for caring about our growth, and for strengthening our commitment to ethical, credible journalism. Every story we tell carries something of the standards you have helped us uphold. Today, we celebrate you as an inseparable part of the ADU family. These eleven years belong to you, too. With heartfelt gratitude, we carry your guidance into the years ahead—and remain steadfast in our promise:We Report Facts. We Don’t Change Them.

Behind ADU’s 11-year journey stands the invaluable support of advertisers who believed in our journalism and helped sustain it. We are deeply grateful for your faith in our credibility, our readers and our global reach. Your support enables us to pursue stories, widen our coverage and uphold the editorial integrity at the heart of Aviation & Defence Universe.

Sharing our birthday with Indian Air Force Day makes the occasion especially meaningful. Eleven years on, our gratitude has grown—and our promise remains unchanged. Here’s to the stories ahead, the team beside us and the trust that makes it all possible.