PrintStar 2026: Priya Kumari Wins T Prasad Memorial Competition

22 September 2026: Priya Kumari of Government Polytechnic, Patna-7, won PrintStar 2026 at the Northern Regional Institute of Printing Technology (NRIPT), Prayagraj, according to reports published on 19 September 2026. The fifth T Prasad Memorial Gold Medal competition recognised her performance in a national contest for certificate- and diploma-level printing students.

The Offset Printers Association (OPA) organised the competition under event chairman Prof. Kamal Mohan Chopra. City Air News reported that Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya presented Priya with the winning certificate and INR 25,000. The gold medal itself will follow at a separate ceremony at her institute.

PrintStar 2026 finalists and competition format

Five students reached the final oral round after the preliminary stage:

• Ankit Santosh Gupta, GIPT, Mumbai.
• Biten Sarkar, RIPT, Kolkata.
• Niraj Kumar, Government Polytechnic, Patna-7.
• Priya Kumari, Government Polytechnic, Patna-7.
• Utkarsh Sharma, Government Polytechnic, Chandausi.

Each finalist delivered an extempore speech of at least five minutes on an assigned topic, followed by questions and audience interaction. A five-member judging panel assessed the performances. The format required students to explain their technical understanding aloud and respond to questions, rather than rely only on written answers.

NRIPT also hosted the 2025 T Prasad competition, held on 21 June that year. The current edition continues that student competition while opening participation beyond the host institute.

A national platform for diploma students

OPA’s earlier plans for a dedicated diploma student competition described an expansion of the existing T Prasad Memorial contest. Those plans provided for regional rounds leading to a national final at NRIPT, with a gold medal and INR 25,000 for the winner.

The distinction matters for students entering OPA competitions: this contest serves certificate- and diploma-level entrants, rather than requiring them to compete only against degree-level students in the wider Print Olympiad programme. The 2026 coverage identifies finalists from Mumbai, Kolkata, Patna and Chandausi. 

Gold medal presentation to follow in Patna

Chopra announced that Priya would receive the T Prasad Memorial Gold Medal at Government Polytechnic, Patna, in the presence of classmates and faculty. 

A separate medal ceremony also followed the previous competition. Screen Print India’s account of Nikhil Yadav’s medal presentation records that the 2025 winner received his medal at NRIPT on 7 November 2025, after the competition in June.

FAQs

What did Priya Kumari receive at the final?

Priya received the winning certificate and INR 25,000 from Keshav Prasad Maurya. It describes the gold medal presentation as a later event.

Who could take part in the competition?

The 2026 event account describes eligibility as certificate- and diploma-level printing students from across India. Students seeking entry to a future edition should check that edition’s rules and schedule with OPA.