Print Olympiad 2026: Zonal Winners Announced

The nation’s biggest talent hunt in printing and packaging has reached a thrilling milestone. The Offset Printers Association (OPA) today announced the four zonal winners of the 7th edition of the prestigious Manoj B Mehta Print Olympiad 2026, setting the stage for an epic national showdown on international soil. After intense technical evaluations, rigorous assessments, and compelling oral presentations across India’s four zones, the cream of young printing technology talent has emerged:
•    West Zone Champion: Sakshi Prashant Sonawane, PVG’s College of Engineering, Technology & Management, Pune
•    North Zone Champion: Nitish Kumar, Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology (GJUS&T), Hisar
•    East Zone Champion: Ruchi Kumari, Government Polytechnic, Patna
•    South Zone Champion: Saranadithya D, College of Engineering, Anna University, Chennai
These four bright minds have outshone hundreds of competitors to earn the right to represent their zones at the grand national finale. The ultimate battle for the title of “Top Print Student of India 2026” and a handsome cash prize of INR 1,00,000 will take place on 14 October 2026 at the All in Print China 2026 exhibition in Shanghai — giving Indian talent a rare opportunity to benchmark itself against global standards.

Visionary Leadership Driving Industry Transformation
Project Chairman Prof. Kamal Mohan Chopra described the 2026 Olympiad as a powerful reflection of the seismic shifts sweeping the printing and packaging industry. “This year’s competition highlights the industry’s decisive move toward digital automation, smart packaging, sustainable solutions, and Industry 4.0 technologies,” he said. “These young champions are not just students — they are the future innovators who will redefine excellence in print.”

In the spectacular seventh edition of this premier competition, an electrifying wave of talent swept through as 348 brilliant young minds converged, with 179 sparkling talents from Diploma institutions and 169 dynamic innovators from B. Tech institutions. A total of 33 esteemed institutions passionately participated, including 20 Diploma and 13 Degree-level colleges, turning the event into a grand celebration of excellence. Region-wise, the North Zone dominated with a powerful 138 students (50 Diploma and 88 Degree), the South Zone maintained perfect harmony with 45 each from Diploma and Degree, the East Zone brought vibrant energy through 22 Diploma stars against 4 Degree powerhouses, while the West Zone dazzled with 62 Diploma and 32 Degree trailblazers, creating an unforgettable symphony of innovation, ambition, and youthful brilliance across the nation!

Organised by the Offset Printers Association — recognised as the world’s only and India’s largest printing talent hunt — the Print Olympiad continues to nurture creativity, technical brilliance, and industry-ready skills among the country’s brightest engineering and polytechnic minds. With the zonal rounds now complete, all eyes turn to Shanghai, where India’s finest young printing talents will compete for national glory on a truly global stage.
The future of Indian printing has a new face — and it is young, brilliant, and unstoppable.