East Zone Print Olympiad 2022

The East Zone Print Olympiad 2022 is hosted by the Regional Institute of Printing Technology, Kolkata. The first round of primary selections was conducted at virtual platform on 5th June, 2022. Conducted for creating the spirit of competition in the students, Print Olympiad is the annual feature of Offset Printers' Association (OPA). The event was coordinated by Shankhya Debnath, Lecturer, Department of Printing Technology, RIPT, Kolkata and Prof Arpitam Chatterjee, Associate Professor, Dept of Printing Engineering, Jadavpur University.  Welcoming the audience Prof (Dr) Anjan Kumar Baral, National Coordinator of Print Olympiad said, after the successful 4 iteration of the most unique and one of a kind program, the Print Olympiad, this year OPA has taken forward this event to its 5th iteration. With a vision to spread the message of print education and to inspire young minds of this country to choose print education as their career, ideated the one-of-a-kind and unique concept of a completely online regional Print Olympiad for all the four reasons. Thereafter National Finale will be organized to get the 'Top Print Student of the Country'. 

Students who are presently studying in Diploma, B.Voc, D.Voc, B.E., B.Tech in printing and packaging technology in states of West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Sikkim, Tripura, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands were eligible to participate in the biggest talent hunt for the upcoming printers of India. A total of 20 students from various institutes in the Eastern India registered for the event. They belonged to the Department of Printing Technology, Regional Institute of Printing Technology, Kolkata, the Department of Printing engineering, Jadavpur University and Nalbari Polytechnic, Assam. 

The event was inaugurated by Prof Saikar Maitra, Vice Chancellor of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology, Kolkata. Sandip Kumar Sanyal, IPP of WBMPA was the Guest of Honour. Prof Maitra expressed in happiness over conducting such a unique program and wished all the students best wishes. In his inaugural address he emphasized on the important role of printing technology in spreading education among the masses.  

Sandip Kumar Sanyal too wished the best wishes to the program and the students. Speaking on the occasion he also emphasised the present situation of printing and said industry academia relations are important and necessary for quality education and congratulated OPA for their mission for quality print education in India. 

The entire event was conducted online and question papers were given to the students online just before starting the exam and they had to answer 50 questions within 30 minutes time, with their phone and/or PC cameras open at all times so that the exam may be completely proctored and adoption of any unfair means may be prevented. 

The first round was judged by a panel of eminent judges from industry and academia, which included Prof Diptendu Chowdhury, Ex-Principal of RIPT, Brundaban Behera, Director of Print Tech Offset Pvt Ltd, Odisha and Mr Dhrubajit Kalita, Lecturer at Nalbari Polytechnic Assam.  

Bijender Kaushik was declared winner of Golden Pin during first round of competition for the 5th edition of Print Olympiad East Zone at virtual platform.  Names of all the delegates other than participating students were inscribed on the online spinning wheel, for this draw, in the presence of audience.

Peter Dekker, President of Sri Lanka Association of Printers also graced the event and expressed his happiness on the organization of such a unique program. He further expressed his interest towards training budding printing technologists of his country in India in the future. All the events were graced by a multitude of luminaries from the print industry, which was followed by the speech by Abhinava Shiksharthi, advisor of the event.. 

Vote of thanks was proposed by Ashwani Gupta, General Secretary of Jalandhar Printers Association and Director of Choice Books & Printers Pvt Ltd. The event was attended by multiple members of the industry and academia and many students of printing technology. 

The judges short-listed top 7 students from the region and Prof Kamal Chopra announced the names of these student being eligible for 2nd round of competition - Pinky Adak, Subhajit Banerjee, Abhinandan Bhatta, Suranjana Maity all from Jadavpur University, Kolkata. Tuhin Das, Manabendra Sarkar and Souvik Mondal all from RIPT, Kolkata.