OPA Path Maker Award to S. K. Gupta
18 June 2022:Offset Printers Association (OPA) always remain in front foots for recognising the efforts of individuals who are working selflessly for the cause of printing and packaging industry. Printing was invented centuries before, there are many known and unknown heroes who fine-tuned this technology so that we can work flawlessly to make business. At the same time there are personalities who worked for the unifications and networking between the printers. At OPA we believe that networking is the key of success, because jointly we can progress, especially in small cities, and there is no end to it. The persons who thought about the networking, so that the printing industry of the city can gain new heights are our role models.’
As per available records, the first private commercial printing press was established by Mulk Raj Saraf in 1924 at Panjtirthi (Jammu). Almost at the same time Litho machine was added at the Ranbir Government Press to print 10,000 copies of Ranbir Magazine. During 1938-40, three more printing presses were established as private establishments to print the newspapers and religious literature. Before independence (1947) few more printing presses were established including the Bharti Press established by women entrepreneur – Smt. Shanta Bharti.
From 1958 to 64, many new printing presses came into existence and it was the time Mr. S K Gupta (1934 born) joined the printing business and established ‘Sher-I-State Printing Press’ in the year 1964. After noticing the situation and misery of the printers, with his persuasions the first printers’ association ‘Jammu Printers’ Association’ was established in the year 1965, though due to some technical reason the association could not advance past its inception meeting. Later with the keen intervention of Gupta, from time to time efforts were made to unite the printers. Another effort was made in the year 1972 but this could not go past few meetings.
Knowing the importance of networking, Gupta keep on trying and finally in the year 1980, it became possible to reorganize the Jammu Printers Association. S. K. Gupta has been associated with the Printing Associations of Jammu for over past 56 years and has been a founder member and 3 times Past President of the Jammu Printers Association (Regd.) which has been in existence for the past 42 years. During his tenure of President JPA got affiliated to the All India Federation of Master Printers and Chamber of Commerce & Industry (Regd.).
Taking in consideration his services towards the printers, especially the printers of Jammu, he was conferred with the prestigious ‘Path Maker’ award by the Offset Printers’ Association (OPA). The award was presented to him during the International Conference organized by the OPA at Central University of Haryana at Mahendergarh, recently. The prestigious award was presented to him by his son Vickrant in the presence of Prof. Sarika Sharma, Registrar CUH, Dean and HoD, SoET(General Chair), Prof. Kamal Mohan Chopra, President World Print and Communication Forum (WPCF), P. Chander, President All India Federation of Master Printers (AIFMP).
Speaking on occasion, S. K. Gupta said, “My father was a great visionary and always believed in doing big things whereas I have led a very contended life which has helped me in attaining two hallmarks in my life – Quality and Punctuality. My son has inherited many qualities of his grandfather. At the inauguration of our printing press 4,000 invitation cards were distributed among almost all the business establishments in Jammu. At that time printing presses were mainly using Bronze Blue 9540, Red and Black normal inks. To be different and to experiment something new, fluorescent inks were used by us in Jammu for the first time. Impressed with the quality, Mr. Ghosh of Ganges Inks especially came over to Jammu and on his invitation I visited the Ganges Inks manufacturing unit at Vikroli in Mumbai.”
