The All India Federation of Master Printers (AIFMP) hosted a dual awards ceremony on Day 2 of Bharat Print Expo 2026 in Chennai, bringing together the 28th National Awards for Excellence in Printing (NAEP ’26) and the Global Print Excellence Awards (GPEA ’26).
The awards, held alongside the exhibition, highlighted achievements in print quality, innovation and application development across domestic and international markets. Samples of the award-winning entries were displayed at the entrance of Bharat Print Expo, offering visitors a preview of the work being recognised.
NAEP is supported by the Government of India. The awards recognise excellence across a wide range of print categories, reinforcing quality benchmarks within the industry. Running concurrently, GPEA focused on global standards, celebrating creativity, innovation and technical excellence among print and packaging professionals worldwide.
The theme for this year’s awards, “celebrating excellence with change”, reflected the industry’s transition towards new technologies, applications and business models.
The evening began with the traditional lamp-lighting ceremony, led by chief guest A V Anoop, chairman and managing director of AVA Group, along with Ravindra Reddy, president, AIFMP; Mehul Desai; Tushar Dhote; and Anil Arora of ReEnvision Events.
In his address, Anoop highlighted the sector’s shift towards “automation, AI-driven tools and sustainable solutions,” noting that print today delivers “consistency, customisation and world-class quality” and continues to play a critical role in brand building.
AIFMP president Ravindra Reddy, in his address, stressed that print cannot compete on price alone and urged the industry to focus on “creativity, collaboration and conscious innovation.” He said, “Do not sell print as a cost. Build it as an experience,” adding that consumers remember impactful print, not the cheapest.
Saubhagyanidhi Seksaria, chairman of NAEP and GPEA, said the awards go beyond recognition to “elevate our standards” by fostering healthy competition and innovation. He added that winners represent the “intellectual capital of the industry” and will shape its next phase of growth.
The ceremony underscored the role of awards in setting benchmarks and recognising excellence, while also reflecting the broader transformation underway in the print and packaging sector.