Poona Press Owners Association celebrates successful 100 years
Pune, September 14, 2019 :It all started after the first world war when the printers from Pune realised that they were facing same kind of difficulties like scarcity of paper and ink. In such times, some visionary press owners came together and established The Poona Press Owners Association (PPOA), which is known as the oldest association of printers in India. Started in 1919, the association is celebrating the successful completion of 100 years in a special programme organized on September 21 in Pune.
On this day, PPOA will honour the newly elected Chairman of Press Trust of India (PTI) Vijay Kumar Chopra who is well known as the Chief Editor of Punjab Kesari Group with a Lifetime Achievement Award, informed Raveendra Joshi, President, PPOA in a press conference to the city today. Joshi is also elected as a President of All India Federation of Master Printers which is a brainchild of PPOA.
The 100th anniversary celebration programme is organized on Saturday, September 21 at Hyatt Regency at 5.30 pm. Dr. S. B. Mujumdar, Chancellor, Symbiosis University, Haruhiko Akustu San, Chairman and Managing Director, Toyo Ink India, Pranav Parikh, Chairman, TechNova Imaging Systems, S. F. H. Rizvi, Post Master General, Pune Region, Dr.Rajendrakumar Anayath, Vice Chancellor, Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology, Haryana will grace the event with their presence.
Along with the Lifetime Achievement Award to Vijay Kumar Chopra, in all 8 printers, who have proved their excellence in this field, will be felicitated with special awards. This also includes a veteran lady printer. A docubook titled ‘Shatamudra’ presenting the 100 years journey of the association, a documentary film on the same subject and a special issue of association’s 80 year old magazine named ‘Mudran Prakash’ will be unveiled in the same event. Association will also present the special postal stamp and postal cover marking this occasion.
Apart from the 100th anniversary celebrations of PPOA, the annual general meeting and governing council meeting of All India Federation of Master Printers will be conducted in between September 20 and September 22. Over 600 to 700 press owners and printers are expected to be present for this 3-day gathering.
The printing industry is considered as the second largest industry in the world. India has over 3 Lack printers creating employment for 35 to 40 Lack people in the country.
Joshi said, ‘‘We feel that it’s a matter of pride for the city of Pune that the oldest printers association in India and in the world too was established here 100 years ago. Looking ahead we plan to make the general people aware of the printing legacy. We plan to establish a big printing museum in Pune which will present oldest to the newest printing techniques and the long journey of press. The overall cost of the project is estimated to be around 10 Cr.’’
Joshi also said that the association is also going to start a ‘one stop mall’ for printers in Navi Peth area of Pune. This project will be set up on the area of 10 Thousand Sq. Feet and serve as a place to find all the printing press related material under one roof.
