IMPA appoints Prashant Atre as honourary technocrat member

Prashant Atre expressed gratitude and a deep emotional connection with the association. “I am humbled and overwhelmed by this honour. Indore is my birthplace, and my association with master printers here goes back to 1993–94. I was with TechNova in Indore when IMPA was formed, and I was fortunate to be a small part of bringing Indore’s master printers together to lay the foundation of this strong association,” he said.

Reflecting on his personal roots, Atre added that his father was a professional photographer in Indore and worked closely with leading printing houses such as Swadhyaya Printers, Indore Paper Box (now Pragati, Indore), Rane Brothers, and Samaj Paper. “Had my father been alive today, he would have been extremely proud of the respect and responsibility IMPA has entrusted to me,” he said.

Accepting the role, Atre described the appointment as both an honour and a responsibility. “I see this as my payback period. I will do my very best to support IMPA and contribute to the growth and glory of Indore’s master printers,” he stated. He further shared that early discussions with IMPA leadership include focus areas such as operational sustainability, improved working efficiency, and exposure to global trends and technologies for young printing professionals.

Pritesh Jain, president, Indore Masters Printers Association, said, “Prashant Atre brings with him decades of hands-on industry experience, deep technical knowledge, and a genuine connection with Indore’s printing fraternity. His guidance will be invaluable as IMPA works towards empowering its members with modern technologies, global exposure, and sustainable business practices. We are confident that his association will add long-term value to the entire printing community.”

IPAMA is a fast-growing association with a strong culture of family-friendship, yet competition in the marketplace. It has over 150 strong and active members.

Jain said, “The next generation, including Gen-Z are now handling the printing companies. They have very bold ideas for business growth. To remain relevant and interesting for these young master printers, the association keeps re-inventing programmes to suit current and future needs.”

One such idea was to bring in a Technocrat who can support, guide and channelise their ideas in the right direction. Thus, the Honorary Technocrat Membership was unanimously passed in the recent governing body meeting.

“We have seen the Atre’s growth from Sicpa to the formation of Arets Graphics, which later became a part of Toyo Ink. Many of our members were in touch with him for several years for their queries in UV printing or other printing-related matters, and he never disappointed us. Therefore, his choice for first among the five Honorary Technocrat Memberships was natural,” Jain said.

According to an IMPA statement, Atre’s extensive experience, technical expertise, and visionary approach to the printing and packaging industry will greatly benefit its members. The Association believes that his involvement will help members strengthen technical capabilities and set new benchmarks in the evolving print landscape.