‘Agility and precision are crucial for professionals’

At Apeejay School, Greater Noida, academic learning goes hand-in-hand with real-world exposure, thanks to active parental engagement. One such parent, Mr Ranjit Chaku, father of Class XI student Purahan Chaku, brings a wealth of industry experience as Deputy General Manager – Operations at HT Media Ltd. In this conversation, he sheds light on the dynamic field of printing and packaging, offering practical advice for students curious about unconventional yet promising career paths.

What does your role as a plant head at HT Media entail?

I manage the operations of the printing facility at Greater Noida. This includes overseeing plant machinery, ensuring smooth day-to-day functioning, maintaining safety standards, and coordinating with engineering teams and international vendors when required.

What qualifications are needed to enter this field?

Students can pursue a degree like M.Tech in Printing and Packaging Technology. It’s a niche yet growing domain with opportunities across various industries – from newspapers to food, beverages, and pharmaceuticals.

Could you tell us about the scale and complexity of the printing facility?

Certainly. Our plant is equipped with high-speed German presses capable of printing 80,000 copies per hour. It requires a skilled workforce, including printing, electrical, and mechanical engineers, to maintain and run such advanced systems.

What are the broader career avenues available in printing and packaging?

There’s a wide scope: students can work in newspaper or magazine printing, food and liquid packaging, pharma, or even with global brands like Nestlé, Pepsi, or Coca-Cola. It’s an industry that touches every product we consume.

What is your advice to students interested in this career path?

They must develop strong practical knowledge and be quick decision-makers. In the newspaper business, timelines are tight – everything has to be printed and delivered by morning. Agility and precision are crucial.