The East Zone First Round of the 7th Edition of Print Olympiad 2026 – a national talent hunt in printing and packaging technology – was conducted on 28 February 2026 via a virtual platform.
Organized by the Offset Printers Association (OPA), this flagship initiative continues to bridge academia and industry by identifying and nurturing young talent. The event drew participation from eligible students across institutions in the East Zone, underscoring the rising interest in skill-based competitions within printing and packaging education.
The program began with an inspiring introduction to the Print Olympiad vision by Madhura Mahajan, chief coordinator, who emphasized its role in fostering excellence and professional readiness. Kamal Mohan Chopra, project chairman, delivered the welcome address, reaffirming OPA’s commitment to advancing printing education, skill enhancement, and global competitiveness.
East Zone coordinators Shankhya Debnath (Regional Institute of Printing Technology, Kolkata) and Beer Bahadur Singh (Government Polytechnic, Patna-7) extended their appreciation for the strong mobilization by institutions and faculty.
The event was attended by guests of honor Ram Nath Choudhary and Tanweer Alam, who motivated participants to treat the competition as a profound learning journey. They highlighted the inseparable link between printing and packaging, noting, “Printing is an integral part of packaging, and packaging cannot be possible without print.” They invited students and faculty to the 6th International Summit for Packaging at IIP Delhi.
A panel of judges – A K Sinha, Diptendu Chowdhury, Hemanta Kumar Mishra, Anish Kumar Gupta, and Ashutosh Upadhyay – ensured fair evaluation. Chief guest Deepak Walia, managing director, Manroland Sheetfed, delivered an empowering address, stressing competence-driven education and adaptability in a fast-evolving, technology-led printing landscape. “The world is changing. Print is changing. And if students wish to lead tomorrow’s industry, they must evolve with these changing times,” he said.
Results were announced by Kamal Mohan Chopra: Shubham Kumar (Government Polytechnic, Patna), Ruchi Kumari (Government Polytechnic, Patna) and Harshit Chakraborty (Jadavpur University, Kolkata).
The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Anubhava Shiksharthi, advisor, Print Olympiad, and Ashwani Gupta, president, AIFPP, who expressed gratitude to all dignitaries, coordinators, judges, institutions, faculty, students, and the technical team.
The final round to select the Top Print Student for the East Zone is scheduled to take place in Patna on 19 March 2026.
