Print Olympiad: South Zone Round Inaugurated
15 June 20223: 5th edition of ‘Print Olympiad’ in 2022 is in progress these days. Print Olympiad is the India’s biggest Talent hunt in Printing and is the only competition of its kind anywhere in the world. The first round of the competition for the students currently studying in the printing institutions of South India (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamilnadu, Telangana, Lakshadweep and Puducherry) was organized at virtual platform on 22nd May 2022.
As per the standard norms, to select ‘top student’ of each of the four zones (North, South, East and West), the regional level competition will be held ‘online’ and will be organized under the supervision of two ‘Regional Coordinators’. The coordinators will organize two rounds of online competition(s) to select top 3 to 5 students of the region. The final round to select the top student of the region, will be organized under the supervision of a national team where these 5 students will have to speak on a given topic for specific time.
After completing the regional competitions (at virtual mood) the national finale will be organized in physical mood at some leading University/Institution. Prof. Kamal Mohan Chopra, the master brain of the Print Olympiad concept, always works towards the betterment of the printing fraternity and on these lines he conceived the idea of Print Olympiad to drill out the best brains among the printing students and also award them handsomely – 1st Prize is Rs.1,00,000.
South Zone competitions are being hosted by the School of Engineering, Avinashilingam Institute for Women, Coimbatore along with AGP, Sivakasi. The south Zone coordinators for Print Olympiad are: Dr. (Mrs.) TKS Lakshmi Priya, Prof. and Head, Department of Printing Technology, Avinashilingam University and Dr. M. Nandakumar, Principal Arasan Ganesan Polytechnic, Sivakasi.
In her inaugural address, the Chief Guest, Dr. Bharathi Harishankar, Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor, Avinashilingam Institute for Women, Coimbatore praised the Print industry as one of the very few Industries that have survived the various industrial revolutions. Madam has a collection of over 3,000 books in her home library, as visible behind her, all of which are neither a virtual backdrop nor meant for ornamental purposes – she has read them all. While the Internet can only be a puppet of data and words to its reader, book reading enhances critical and higher order thinking.
K. Rajendran, President, Master Printers and Lithographer’s Association, Chennai, the Guest of Honour, congratulated the candidates for having come this far. In his opening remarks he said that they are the Future of Print and a huge responsibility lies ahead of them for which they are to get ready. He briefed the current situation of Printing & Packaging industry in India and also the role of print teachers and student towards the futuristic development of the Print Industry.
