About Veterans Mitran

Aims and Objectives:

What is Purpose of Veterans Mitran:

• To serve as a bridge among Armed Forces Veterans

What are its Aims:

• Educate All Veterans on National Security

• Make all Veterans aware of service benefits they are entitled to.

What are its Objectives:

• Create a feeling of Oneness among Veterans

• Veterans/Family pensioner secures their full dues and are satisfied

• Redress any individual grievance through proper channels

• Seek policy changes where common problems exist

• Bring to lime light our “Unhonoured and Unsung Heroes” among Veterans

What are its Values:

• Love India First

• Love Armed Forces Always

• Neutral to Political parties - (Apolitical)

• Neutral to Religions

Ethos:

• Publish Positive News which Makes India and Indians Proud

• Publish news for Veterans from reliable sources

• No news which promotes divisiveness among veterans

• No Space in Veterans Mitran promote agitation/rallies against Establishments

Conviction:

• If all veterans talk in one voice, it will draw compelling attention.

Motto:

• “Sarvojana,SukhinoBhavanthu” (Let all People live Happily/Comfortably)

• You will appreciate that Veterans Mitran is clear about its aims, objectives and its contribution to Veteran fraternity. If the readers have differing views please share with me to review them.

Veterans Mitran History:

"FIRST FREE ENGLISH NEWS PAPER IN INDIA DEVOTED TO ARMED FORCES VETERANS"

Genesis

Every event takes place as a follow up or as a result of another incident, or of an emotional impact from an incident. I was serving then for 8 years as Vice President Air Force Association (Avadi Chapter). I was interacting with lot of Armed Forces Veterans and Veernaris. I realized that the veterans and veernaris were not aware of their basic entitlements as a Service Pensioner. This fact deeply touched me and urged to bring out a free monthly news letter for veterans and veernaris to create awareness among them their entitlements. The Veterans and veernaris should not lose one rupee on account of the ignorance of their entitlements. This prompted me to start the free monthly English Newspaper to serve Veterans and Veernaris. That was the first of such English Newspaper in India.

"THE JOURNEY OF THIS NEWS PAPER-THE FIRST FOUR YEARS."

The Launch

A long time friend of mine Late Vaidyanatha Krishnan of Coimbatore a learned scholar suggested to me the name MITRAN which means FRIEND in Sanskrit. With this name, the MITRAN an English Monthly, was launched on 14 April 2013, an auspicious Tamil Years Day in GR Prasad Hall, IAF Avadi. It was a four page black & white free English Monthly. Smt SMITHA BAPAT, the wife of then Air Officer Commanding, Air Force Station Avadi, and Air Commodore PP Bapat released the first copies. The copies of the First issue of the MITRAN were received by three Veterans representing, Army, Navy and Air Force viz. Veteran Brig. PB Pillai from the Army, Veteran PO S. Ramakrishnan from the Navy and Veteran Sgt S. Murugesan from the Air Force.

Distribution, Donation & Advt.

Three hundred copies were printed in black and white for free distribution to the Veterans in IAF Avadi. Mitran. My wife and other assistants at home helped, folding, wrapping, and distribution of 300 copies by hand door to door with the help of veterans Sgt K Saleem Moideen. Sgt K. Balasubramanian, Sgt Irudayadasan, Sgt S. Haridasan and JWO. M. Dhanasekaran. I remember them fondly and gratefully. The second issue carried only the Mitran logo and an advertisement of Magellan Travels. The Owner of this famous Travel Company late Sri Gopa Kumar had lot of respect and regard for the veterans and volunteered to give this advertisement to every issue. His contribution was very helpful to print Mitran in its nascent days. I remember him gratefully

Late HFO R Venkatraman was the first donor to encourage the publication when many friends here had discouraged me. Next donor was late Col. Jacob. Initially many months I have to foot some portion of the bill for printing and distribution. I found postal delivery was convenient. But postage for each book post copy was Rs 4. They were posted thro local post office. The IAF Avadi Camp post office staff and postmen are friendly and helpful to Mitran office for the last 7 years till today. They are remembered gratefully.

In order to accommodate 6^th Pay commission revised pension tables, 8 pages Mitran was brought out in the month April 14. From Nov 14 (20th issue onwards), 8 pages Mitran issues were printed and distributed. 16 pages Mitran, issue no 36 carrying OROP revised pension tables only one such issue, was published. The Air Force Chapters in Tamilnadu helped to expand circulation by providing lists of their members. I am thankful to all Air Force Chapters in Tamilnadu, Pondicherry, Karaikal and Mahe in Kerala. Some Army Associations and Naval Forums joined us. By word of mouth also it spread.

By 2015, the news paper was printed with 8 pages. Nearly Rs 8000/- was spent on postage alone apart from printing. By that time there were many donors appreciated this news paper solely devoted to armed forces Veterans and Veernaris. Most of the donors are outside IAF Avadi to support the printing and distribution, their support is so valuable, it cannot be measured in terms of money.

Advertisements Discontinued

The advertisement from Megallan Travels was discontinued as the Philanthropist Sri Gopakumar Passed away on 23 Jun 15. Though the travel company volunteered to continue their donation, Mitran decided not to publish advertisement henceforth. But Sri Gopakumar is always remembered as he helped Mitran voluntarily in its early days. He supported us till 28th issue Though he was a civilian, Mitran made an exception, published his obituary in July 2015 issue as a mark of respect and to acknowledge his Voluntary Generous donation for 27 months regularly .. Mitran lost a great philanthropic soul.

Till 2017 Sri NVR Printers of Thousand Lights, off Mount Road, Chennai was printing Mitran. Logistics was big problem to reach the contents and collection of the Newspapers. I was going from Air Force Avadi to Mount road to coordinate with the printer every month. I am thankful to NVR printers and their DTP assistant Sri Nagarajan and remember them gratefully for their whole supported to bring out this paper especially in its nascent year

With the registration the printer had to be changed. From 2017 April onwards the printer is “Sri Kumaran Printers and Traders” of Pattabhiram, Avadi. Sri Rajalingam and Sri Mohan very understanding, and helpful printers.

Milestones

“Two quotations” were published on the Caption of the News Paper from August 2013 issue onwards. Printing quotations is continuing till date. Many veterans told me they were preserving such quotations

Tri-Services logos were printed in Black & white on the News Paper Caption with effect from 1 jan 2014 to impress on Veterans that Mitran is an Armed Forces Veterans News Paper.

More content were included as six pages Mitran was published from October 2015.

“VOICE OF VETERANS” are included as part of caption from 10^th issue (01-01-2014 onwards. It is brought to the notice of Veterans that Mitran represent their voice.

On completion just two years Mitran was published with 8 pages. with effect from 01-05-2015. Still Mitran was distributed free.

Mean while Mitran applied for registration with the Registrar of News Papers Of India (RNI) for which a declaration was to be made to the Revenue Divisional officer Tiruvallur. The Printer was to be in Tiruvallur dist. Hence the present printer KUMARAN PRINTERS AND TRADERS was entrusted printing of Mitran. The declaration was approved on 01- March 2017

Hence I April 2017, Mitran name changed to Veterans Mitran’. The caption is printed between two blue lines. This was first coloured Veterans Mitran from the New Printer. The Famous Quote “GOD AND SOLDIERS ARE REMEMBERED IN CRISES ONLY” was included first time in the caption. All armed Forces Logos were left out to adhere the RNI rules.

The RNI registration Certificate TNENG/2017/73792 was issued on 13 Nov 2017.It was a certificate for VM, a registered News Paper of India

Till April 2018, Veterans Mitran was posted in Brown envelops with postage Rs 4. We were spending Rs 8000 on postage alone. Maj Gen. V. Sadasivam, VSM advised us to approach the postal Dept. for concessional posting at the rate of 0.25 paise only. The Postal license and postal concession were given by Senior Supdt. Post offices, Tambaram. Gen. Sadasivam spoke to them and we secured postal license to post all Veterans Mitran with 0.25 paise postage through Railway Mail Service Egmore. This licence for two years upto Dec 20. We are applying again for renewal of this licence with the blessings of Gen. Sadasivam. We saved Rs 8000/- every month with this extra money, Veterans Mitran’s first page and last page were printed in colours. VM is grateful to Maj Gen. V. Sadasivam VSM.

From June 2018 onwards the colourful caption with armed forces logos, the present caption was introduced. The front and last pages were printed in colour.

Ten pages colourful Veteran Mitran commenced publication the new getup of VM was appreciated. The get up of the news paper is better than many in the market.

VM had three Patrons namely Brig, TS Pani, Air Vice Marshal PS Rajagopalan and Wg Cdr Daniel R Jeyasingh. All were supporting Mitran with handsome donations for the growth of VM. Unfortunately we lost Brig. Pani in on 8 June 20.

In November 2019, some Veteran readers of the three came with the idea of collecting Annual Subscription for the News Paper. Though I was reluctant initially I fell in line. The Annual Subscription was fixed Rs 200/- only. No part payment and no retail sale of single copy.

Mean while a VM reader Veteran Sgt S Karthekeyan of Tiruvarur gave us surprise by developing fully operational Veterans Mitran Website using all his professional skill.VM is grateful to him. It is inaugurated on 151st Gandhi Jayanthi

From April 2020 , VM Annual Subscrip[tion is 200/- but it is implemented from November2020 after the relaxation of the lockdown due to Corona Virus Pandemic.The readership drastically came down causing concern about the sustainability of its publication. But Veterans Mitran is published with 12 pages from November 2020 on wards.

As part of its social responsibility Mitran collected funds for Uttrakund floods, J&K flood, in Oct and Nov 14 and sent to respective Chief Ministers. Again Mitran collected donations for Nepal Earthquake in July 2015 and sent to their Chief Ministers relief Fund.

Mitran started with 300 black and white copies confined to IAF, reached a circulation 2500 multi coloured copies spread to Kerala, Andhra, Karnataka, Telungana upto Punjab. Veterans Mitran profusely thank all those philanthropic generous donors who supported its growth and without their support VM would not have received this recognition.

Future Plans.

1. Create a Trust

2. Bring out Tamil Edition

3. Veterans Mitran Local For Kerala , Karnataka and Andhra

Veterans Mitran Team