- A Decade of Dedication: The Story of ADU’s Path of Purpose
- We are 10 today and blessed to be going strong
Chennai. 08 October 2025. Ten years ago, a dream took flight — fragile yet fearless, with a pen in one hand and purpose in the other. That dream was Aviation & Defence Universe (ADU). Today, as we celebrate our 10th Raising Day, it’s not just an anniversary. It is our living testament to the relentless pursuit of passion, resilience, and unwavering belief in the power of journalism that informs, inspires, and ignites the spirit of national pride. As the Editor and Founder today I look back at the journey which I started , there is only one word which sums the decade gone by for ADU – Thank You to the Lord Almighty and everyone who has traversed this path with us.
From Code to Content: The Viral WebTech Family
No journey begins alone. And ours began with Harmeet Singh of Viral WebTech — a name etched into the DNA of ADU. From Day 1, Harmeet has been more than a tech partner. He has been the architect of our digital soul, translating vision into reality, word into website, and hope into a hub of global information. To Harmeet and the entire Viral WebTech team, thank you — for being the wind beneath our digital wings.
Wisdom, Guidance, and Purpose: Our Esteemed Advisory Board
To our advisory board members, your presence has been our compass. Your words have been our guiding light. Your encouragement has been our strength during times of doubt, and your motivation has turned our ambitions into achievable milestones. Thank you for believing in the mission and nurturing it with such unwavering intent.
Advertisers whose faith made us stable :
To every advertiser who chose to walk this path with us, thank you for your trust. Your faith in ADU has empowered us to grow, evolve, and stay independent. When ADU was founded ten years back, it’s editorial mission was to give news of aerospace , defence and homeland security from all the continents, to keep the readers updated and cover the developments in the three arenas globally. And all this with the motto – We Just Report Facts, We Don’t Change Them. And today as we turn ten we’d like to express gratitude to our fantastic advertisers who placed their faith in our ability and trust in our authenticity. As we celebrate our tenth anniversary, we want to say “thank you” to all our advertisers who have made these ten years possible. Every advertiser is important – we appreciate every one of you and hope we still have a great working relationship with you when we celebrate our twentieth and the fiftieth anniversaries. Your support and motivation will always be our strength.
Authors & Anchors of Content
To all the authors and writers who have lent us their intellect and insight — you are the true storytellers of ADU. You gave our vision voice, and our mission momentum. And today as we turn ten we’d like to express gratitude to our great writers and analysts who placed their faith in our ability and trust in our authenticity. We want to say “thank you” to all our authors who have made these ten years possible with their astute analysis and interesting writeups . Your experience has reflected in the authenticity, brevity and clarity which exudes from the stories you write. ADU is indebted to each of you and hope we have a great working relationship with you always. Your faith in ADU will always be it’s strength.
To the Indian Armed Forces: My Ikigai
If there’s one reason this platform exists — it is you, the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force. You gave me a reason to find my Ikigai — my reason for being. You gave me the stories, the courage, the pride, and the legacy to carry forward. ADU was born out of the desire to chronicle your valour, your missions, and your message — to bridge the uniformed world with the citizens who salute it. Thank you for letting me serve, in my own small way.
To the Defence & Aerospace Industry: For making me realise my passion to report creation
The global and Indian aerospace and defence industry showed me the direction to create purposeful, authentic, and impactful content. From the shop floors to the frontlines of innovation, you opened your doors, your minds, and your stories to us. You helped shape a platform that not only covers defence, but also hails Atmanirbhar Bharat, indigenisation, and international collaboration.
Friends, Mentors & Co-Travellers
To all the friends who held my hand through the turbulence and the tailwinds — you were the gentle push behind every bold step. You stood by me in the chaos of deadlines, the loneliness of reporting from locations abroad & within India and the sleepless travel times. Your support made the baby steps possible and the long walk worthwhile.
My Family: My Unseen Force
And above all, to my family — you have been the silent strength behind every decision, every goodbye, every missed family time where journalism became priority. You never asked “why?” when I was constantly away, always working, forever chasing the next story. You let me live my truth without guilt or restraint. Thank you for being the home I carry in my heart wherever I go. My life partner left me in this journey midway two years ago but am sure his celestial blessings are always with me.
The Editor, the Mentor, the Father Figure: Brigadier Vijay Atray’s Indelible Mark on ADU
Among the many pillars who stood tall in ADU’s journey, Brigadier Vijay Atray shone with a quiet strength and profound wisdom. As Managing Editor, he wasn’t just a colleague—he was a fatherly figure, a mentor, and a constant source of support whose steady hand held ours as we navigated the early turbulence of building ADU. With his rich experience, calm guidance, and unwavering faith, he walked every step of the path beside us—editing, shaping, inspiring. When he expressed a desire to slow down in the seventh decade of his life, we honoured that decision with love and respect. But his absence is deeply felt in every editorial meeting, every headline brainstorm, every quiet moment where his voice once brought clarity. We miss him terribly—his humour, his sharp insights, and above all, his gentle presence that made ADU feel like home.
A Journey of Gratitude, A Future of Purpose
We started with a web address and today we have LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and You tube addresses too. We began with the written wird , we now have photo galleries and video galleries too. As we celebrate ten years of Aviation & Defence Universe, we don’t just look back — we look ahead. With the same fire, the same faith, and the same family of supporters who made this possible.
Here’s to every event covered, every story written, every report carried, every voice amplified, and every truth told. Here’s to ADU at 10 — and to a future that continues to fly, not because it has wings, but because it has a reason.
With deepest gratitude,
Sangeeta Saxena
Founder & Editor
Aviation & Defence Universe (ADU)
