Screen Printing Association of India (SPAI)'s Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held on 28th April 2001 at North India Association Hall, Sion, Mumbai.

The AGM started at 5.30 pm and was attended by 19 members. Mr. G. B. Parekh, President of the Association welcomed the members. He paid glowing tributes to the departed members, Mr. V. D. Padgaonkar (Founding Member of SPAI), Mr. Dhirubhai Mistry (Founder and Managing Committee Member of SPAI) and Mr. Hemant Shah (of Hemant Shah Ink Co., Mumbai) before starting the meeting. Members present kept two minutes silence as a mark of respect.

Mr. Madhukumar Doshi, Hon. Secretary read minutes of the 6th AGM, which was passed by the members, and presented report on the activities carried out by the SPAI. Audited accounts of SPAI were presented and after due discussion and few quires from the members, the accounts were passed unanimously.

The Merger of Screen Printing Association of India with Screen Printers Association of India, a registered body under companies act was taken up for detailed discussion and further deliberation.

Dr. M. S. Gokhale (of M/s. Allied Sales Corporation, Mumbai and one of the senior most member of the industry) justified the need for a registered association and said that registration is very essential for proper and regular functioning of any association.

It will do away with permanent and inherent lapses connected with unregistered Organisation. He expressed his views on expanding the scope of SPAI objectives as today screen printing has wide applications as "screen printing is every where and any where".

He further suggested that dealers and distributors should actively promote membership of SPAI as printers are daily in touch with dealers and they could provide an important interlink for the industry. Who can be contacted for conducting technical seminars and their specialised knowledge and skills could be used for the development and advancement of the industry.

Mr. K. F. Doshi, Chartered Accountant and Consultant to the association explained the members about various technical aspects involved in the merger of the association and how it would help the present members and talked about benefits involved in it and also satisfactorily answered various quires raised by the members. After due discussion the necessary resolution for merger was unanimously passed.

Mr. Jagdish Sheth (of M/s. Photo Kina, Mumbai and Treasurer of SPAI) talked about a new and separate office with proper library facilities of the association with proper and competent office staff as that would help for better interaction among the industry and would give it a professional touch. He also talked about active participation of foreign consultants / companies who can be contacted for conducting technical knowledge and sills could advancement of the industry.

Mr. Jagdishbhai Jhaveri (of M/s. Prity Arts and founding member of SPAI) talked about functioning of the association and difficulties faced by them and his suggestions were most practical as he is actively involved with various trade associations like All India Federation of Master Printers Association (AIFMP) and Bombay Master Printers Association (BMPA) from last many years. He also talked about outing trips (of 2-3 days) for managing committee members as well as for general members of the association as that would provide an golden opportunity for the members to know and understand each other and also plan future course of action for the association. AIFMP & BMPA regularly plan such programs.

He further talked about planning of up country seminars and meetings of SPAI as that would help the screen printing community of that particular area to know about SPAI and its activities.

Mr. Bhargav Mistry (of M/s. Grafica Flextronica) talked about membership charges and services to be provided to prospective members and expressed his views on the same. He has extensively traveled all over India and thousands of
Screen printers and feedback received from them about activities of SPAI was also discussed in brief.

Mr. Madhukumar Doshi then thanked all the members who were present at the AGM and requested for their activities of the association and requested them to sincerely work for membership expansion.