The Beginnings

Beginning

Soon after the Second World War, printers across India began to form small independent associations of their own to protect their trade interests. These associations had no links with similar bodies formed in other parts of the country. A need was felt to unite them, and Mr Parmanand Sugomal Mehra, who then worked at Bolton Fine Arts Litho Works, Bombay, took up this enormous challenge. He travelled the length and breadth of India, persuading printers to form associations.

The printers of Madras were the first to respond to his call and the Madras Printers & Lithographers Association (MPLA) came into existence in July 1952. An awareness of the need to form an all-India association was also created. To this end, some leading printers from Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Delhi and Bombay came together to form the All India Federation of Master Printers (AIFMP).

Mr Parmanand Sugomal Mehra

The Federation was registered in Madras in 1953 under the Registration of Societies Act 1860. Its first President was Mr J.C. Jain of the Times of India group, while Mr S. Viswanathan and Mr V.M. Philips were respectively its Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer, respectively.

Since its inception, the AIFMP has endeavoured done sterling work to increase the prestige and influence of the printing industry and help it render better and more useful service to the public. It is recognised by the Government of India as the only organisation representing the printing industry on an all-India basis.

The group of Madras printers who were the first to respond to the call.
Sitting – (L to R) S. Shanmugham, N Ramarathnam, S. Viswanathan, V.M. Philip, M.R. Appadurai, F.T. Pithavadian.

Standing (L to R)S.P. Naidu, B. Madhava Rao, Sriraman, G. Umapathy, A.F. Byramshaw, K. Sambamuthy, R. Venkateswaran