OPA announces Print Olympiad 2026 with a ₹21 lakh prize and a global finale in Shanghai, offering India’s printing students major international exposure.

The Offset Printers Association (OPA) is pleased to announce the 7th Edition of Print Olympiad 2026, India’s premier talent competition for students in the printing and packaging sectors. Established in 2014 by esteemed leader Professor Kamal Mohan Chopra, this unique global initiative persistently highlights emerging Indian innovators. Students nationwide will vie for the esteemed title of “No. 1 Student of India” along with a financial prize of 21 lakh rupees, culminating in a historic grand finale in Shanghai, China, garnering international recognition.

Speaking at the inauguration, Professor Kamal Mohan Chopra emphasized India’s dominant position in the global printing industry, with over 250,000 printing presses, 2.5 million professionals, and an impressive 12% annual growth rate. He highlighted that the Print Olympiad is instrumental in transforming India’s demographic advantage into a proficient, future-oriented workforce. Echoing Victor Hugo’s assertion that printing was “the greatest event in history,” he observed that OPA’s Print Chetna movement—under which the Print Olympiad flourishes—continues to foster creativity, encourage innovative thinking, and prepare youth for leadership in a rapidly evolving, digitally integrated, and globally competitive printing industry.

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The competition is available to students presently enrolled in Diploma, B.Voc., B.Sc., D.Voc., B.Tech., or B.E. programs in printing or packaging at any accredited institution in India. Designed to be inclusive and comprehensive, the platform connects academia and industry by providing real-world exposure, expert mentorship, and practical learning—empowering participants to confidently assume leadership positions in a technologically advanced and sustainable future.

India’s printing institutions are systematically organized into four distinct zones to ensure equitable coverage:

• East Zone (Arunachal Pradesh to West Bengal, Andaman & Nicobar): Organized by RIPT Kolkata and Government Polytechnic Patna. Coordinators: Mr. Shankhya Debnath and Mr. Beer Bahadur Singh.
• North Zone (Haryana to Delhi): Organized by GJUST Hisar, KUK Kurukshetra, and CUH Mahendergarh. Coordinators: Dr. Bijender Kaushik, Dr. Shammi Mehra, Mr. Kanwardeep Sharma.
• South Zone (Andhra Pradesh to Puducherry): Organized by Anna University Chennai, IPT Chennai, AGPC Sivakasi, and NPC Pollachi. Coordinators: Dr. M. Nandakumar, Dr. J. P. Nirmala, Dr. T. Murugesan, Mr. Murugapandiyan P.
• West Zone (Chhattisgarh to Daman & Diu): Organized by PVG’S COET & GKPWIM Pune, MIPT Pune, and K.S. Wani Dhule. Coordinators: Professor Madhura Mahajan, Professor Parmeshwar Shinde, Mr. Prasad Puranik. Chief Coordinator: Professor Madhura Mahajan; Technical Expert: Dr. Mohit Kumar (GJUST).

The four zonal champions will proceed to the national round to compete for the esteemed title, the Certificate of Excellence, and the first-place reward of one lakh. For the first time in history, the national grand finale will take place from October 12 to 16, 2026, in Shanghai, China, concurrently with the esteemed All in Print China 2026, organized by Messe Dusseldorf (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. This pioneering partnership elevates the event to an international platform, creating avenues for global visibility, cross-border cooperation, and new opportunities for India’s emerging print industry leaders.

Past champions—Sachin Verma (2014), S. Manjula (2016), Ashish (2018), Nivedha N (2020), Vishwa Sree K. (2022), and Annu (2024)—serve as evidence of the Olympiad’s transformative influence. From in-person competitions to online editions during the pandemic, the initiative has motivated thousands of participants across six successful iterations.