Nirav Shah, leading Letra Graphics to excellence in labels!

Nirav Shah, leading Letra Graphics to excellence in labels!

Enterprising entrepreneur Nirav Shah heads one of the prominent and innovative label manufacturing companies in India Letra Graphix, headquartered in Ahmedabad. 

Over the years, Letra Graphix has  established itself as a leader in Pressure Sensitive or Self-adhesive Labels for a wide range of label products, including those for food and beverage products, liquor bottles and cans, toys, plastic items,  glass items, beauty and cosmetic products, household and durable products, nutritional supplements, and a lot more.

Nirav has led his company giving credit to his team who he has mentored to march ahead with collaborative efforts. He believes that to succeed we must take care of our people. Invest in their growth, celebrate their dedication, and acknowledge their quiet hard work. A loyal, empowered team is a company’s ultimate competitive advantage. It is proving right for him.

In 1965 Nirav Shah’s father Arun Shah and his brother Kamlesh Shah initiated their maiden venture dealing in electrical industrial supplies. Eight years hence in 1973 the brothers felt the need to diversify. It was the early days for self-adhesive labels and the future looked extremely bright for the segment. The brothers took a call and started their firm Arun Agencies to trade in labels, outsourced from those manufacturing at that time. While Nirav and his elder sister were growing up in a well-knit bonded business-oriented family, the brothers Arun and Kamlesh created a platform as suppliers of labels. Nirav completed his schooling at Swastik Vidyalaya Ahmedabad, followed by higher education in the city itself followed by Fine Arts at CN Vidyalaya, which helped develop his creative understanding of design and aesthetics. To further strengthen his technical knowledge, he pursued Printing Technology studies in Wisconsin, USA. Growing up in such an environment, watching elders in the family business, he grew up with a mindset towards entrepreneurship, hard work, and a wish to indulge in manufacturing from an early age. He joined the family’s electrical business in 1994 but in his heart, he had a profound wish to start manufacturing labels. In this same year he got married to Archita.

In 1995 Nirav decided to initiate his label manufacturing business starting at home with a small set-up. Before starting his entrepreneurial journey, Nirav gained hands-on experience across multiple industries. Working in his father’s electrical business gave him early exposure to business operations and customer relations. He also worked at an advertising agency as a designer; it gave him an understanding of branding and visual communication. While he studied in  the USA , he sharpened his technical capabilities and expertise by working as a machine operator at a printing firm, gaining practical exposure to advanced printing technologies and production systems. By the mid-1990s the self-adhesive label industry started evolving at a fast pace. With active support from wife Archita, Nirav’s label business found early success. They shifted the label manufacturing business, from home to a larger commercial space at New York Tower Ahmedabad and renamed the company Letra Graphix.

In his first big move to enter the narrow web label manufacturing, Letra Graphix installed their first Mark Andy 4-colour label printing machine on 30th June 1997, and officially registered Letra Graphix Pvt. Ltd. as a company. It was a natural progression from trading to manufacturing after gaining deep exposure to commercial printing and label trading. There was no looking back thereafter, even though finding skilled manpower, sourcing premium materials, and convincing brands to shift from conventional sheet-fed labels to premium self-adhesive labels were major challenges. Over the years Ahmedabad has become one of India’s largest hubs for industrial packaging and label manufacturing, having everything from high-tech corporate flexographic printing plants to localized barcode sticker suppliers.

The city serves massive pharmaceutical, FMCG, textile, and chemical industrial clusters across Gujarat. Inspired by situation, Letra Graphix invested in manufacturing labels for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, agriculture, food, and international markets followed by continuous investments in technology, infrastructure, and innovation. What started as labels and printing gradually became a family business. The business started as trading through Arun Agencies eventually evolved into a full-fledged manufacturing setup. Expanding further in 2021 they began construction of a new building which was completed and began operational in 2022. According to Nirav, “The decision to keep expanding was driven by the rapid modernization of packaging in India, where brands increasingly required international-quality self-adhesive labeling solutions.” Growing up in a business-oriented family and watching the dedication, discipline, and adaptability of family, influenced him to navigate through changing business environments and evolving printing technologies maintaining commitment to quality.

The entire Shah family is a support system for their label venture. While the elders laid the foundation with their trading company Arun Agencies, Nirav’s mother was a teacher and played a very important role in shaping their values and discipline at home that carved their character in industrial operation. His wife Archita actively supports him in business and manages the company’s CSR initiatives and social welfare activities. Nirav and Archita are blessed with two children, daughter Anushka, who holds a degree in B.Design. With her design background, she contributes creatively to branding, aesthetics, packaging innovation, and the visual identity of the company.

While Son, Sahil, after completing his MBA  has undergone extensive on-ground training across all departments from production and operations to client servicing and business development. Today, as a key director at Letra Graphix, he plays a leading role in driving modern marketing strategies, digital growth, new client acquisitions, and the company’s participation at major national and international exhibitions. Both siblings are now actively involved in the business and being groomed to be the next generation of leadership at Letra Graphix.

They have a fully owned factory on a land area over 5000 Square Meters and employ over 100 workforce. The facility houses advanced multi-color narrow-web flexographic and combination printing presses equipped with inline embellishment technologies including cold foiling, silk-screen printing, die-cutting, and booklet label manufacturing capabilities. In 2015 they further enhanced their capabilities by installing an IML converting machine in 2016. In 2023, a Gallus Labelfire 340 hybrid flexo and digital press was added.

Letra Graphix has integrated digital proofing and short-run printing capabilities to cater to the growing D2C and custom branding market. Nirav states, “The future of digital label manufacturing is extremely promising because it enables personalization, minimal setup waste, and faster turnaround times alongside traditional flexographic production.” They also maintain dust-free production environments and 100% automated camera inspection systems to ensure zero-defect quality standards.

Achievements and awards.

Over the years, Letra Graphix has won numerous prestigious national and international awards for print excellence and innovation. In 2006  they won their first AFTA award. Followed by two more Gold AFTA awards in 2007. Two years later in 2009 they were recipients of 13 consecutive awards in a single year and gained global recognition for “excellence in technical achievement in printing by “World Label Awards Association” at Chicago USA. The award winning continued when in 2011 they won 14 awards, the highest in their journey till then. In 2019  they received the “Innovative Label Printer of the Year” award by Printweek for hanger labels.

Letra Graphix actively exports premium labels to international markets and works with brands that require strict adherence to global packaging and compliance standards. As for sustainability Nirav states, “We are committed to environmentally responsible manufacturing practices. This includes waste optimization, adoption of UV-curable and low-emission inks and offering sustainable substrates such as PCR materials and FSC-certified papers. For their contribution towards corporate social responsibility 

(CSR), they regularly contribute toward educational initiatives, healthcare support for underprivileged communities, and local environmental sustainability drives around our industrial areas. Their vision for the next five years is; Letra Graphix aims to become a fully integrated smart-factory manufacturing unit, recognized globally for sustainable and intelligent labeling solutions, while continuing to uphold family-driven values of trust, precision, and quality.

 In his final words of communication Nirav says, 

“My message to the next generation of entrepreneurs and brand builders: never compromise on your product’s first impression. A label is not just packaging — it is the silent salesman of your brand. Investing in quality packaging is investing directly in your brand’s future.”

Interviewed & written in June 2026 by:

Harveer Sahni, Chairman, Weldon Celloplast Ltd. New Delhi

@labelsandpackagingworld.com 

UK Gupta, a farmer’s son, becoming largest Hologram producer in world!

UK Gupta, a farmer’s son, becoming largest Hologram producer in world!

The late Umendra Kumar Gupta (hereinafter referred to as UKG), a veteran in the anticounterfeiting industry, founder and former President of the Authentication Solution Providers Association (ASPA) and CMD of Holostik India, was born in 1954 into a family of freedom fighters and farmers from Dhampur in the Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh. His father, a farmer who emphasized ethics and hard work, taught his children to live honestly, respect family values, and support one another. UKG’s parents established a foundation based on resilience and moral courage, which continues to influence their descendants. Coming from a close-knit bonded family of four brothers and two sisters, UKG after finishing his schooling at Dhampur pursued BBA and MBA from Banaras Hindu University. All brothers ventured into diverse businesses.

UKG, a man with entrepreneurial spirit, did not wait for the ‘right time’, he believed in creating opportunities rather than waiting for them. The urge to build something of his own was evident from the very beginning. Right after completing his education, he chose to start his own venture instead of taking up a job. In the mid-1960s, polyethylene entered India, and its plastic products gained popularity. UKG founded his first venture in 1978 to produce polyethylene bags that had become fancy at that time. He later pursued various projects including Sulfur crushing, water tanks under the POLYWELL brand, and warehousing through his company United Warehousing. His group of companies then were known as Ukay Group. The pivotal moment was in 1991 when he established Holostik India, one of the earliest hologram manufacturing companies in India, renaming his group of companies as Holostik Group in 2008, marking the beginning of his legacy. Holostik under UKG’s leadership, quickly grew to become the largest producer of holograms in the world. As the market evolved, they expanded to become a comprehensive anti-counterfeiting solutions provider. A remarkably self-driven individual, UKG believed in learning from every experience and from every person he met. Life itself was his biggest teacher.

UKG was an ambitious hardworking entrepreneur and indulged in products ahead of time. He continued to expand into new industries with passion and foresight. In 2008, he launched United Multichem, a venture into aroma chemicals and essential oils. In 2015, extending his global outreach for holographic products, Holoprint was established in Dubai getting a foothold in the Middle East and gradually expanding globally. In 2020, Holostik group invested in sustainability by launching NaturTrust—a brand focused on biodegradable products. Around the same time, CAMVEDA was launched to produce pure Camphor products under United Multichem. In 2005, Holostik began diversifying into holographic packaging foils and pouches, this marked their entry into secure packaging. They also introduced shrink sleeves, security labels in 2015 and mono-cartons in 2018  as a part of packaging. This evolution was a natural extension of their core mission to protect brands, ensure product authenticity, and offer end-to-end solutions that combine innovation, trust, and performance.

Though UKG’s first customer was Kores India Ltd., yet the turning point came in 1995 when T. N. Seshan, the then Chief Election Commissioner of India, approved use of holograms on Election ID cards. That endorsement not only validated the technology but also opened the doors for widespread adoption across government and private sector, initiating Holostik’s journey in secure packaging and authentication. Another milestone came in 1999, they convinced the excise department to implement holographic labels on liquor bottles as a measure to prevent counterfeiting and revenue leakage. With a strong holography background, entering the label business was new for Holostik. Security labels weren’t just another product added in their range, these provide anti-counterfeiting measures and authenticity while regular product labels are meant for aesthetics or branding. Shifting focuses on continuous innovation and extending security features to product labels, they also became a part of their offerings.

All businesses in their path from inception to growth come across hardships and difficult times, The fittest take them in their stride and move on. UKG too faced many hardships and one of the toughest ones was during his water tank business, his entire factory was engulfed in a massive fire. It was something he built from scratch, and he was in extreme emotional distress. A determined and resilient UKG built it all back as Holostik, single handedly and moved ahead in life to grow his business. None of his siblings were involved in the same business. Each of them chose different paths and built careers in diverse sectors. He respected and encouraged that individuality. Holostik was his own vision, nurtured independently, he worked hard and kept taking it higher with innovation and creativity.

UKG married, Vandana Gupta, in 1980, she is a well-educated person having completed her B.Sc., M.Sc., and B.Ed. . UKG and Vandana have two sons Ankit and Shobhit. She remains a pillar of strength for her family. Vandana chose to be a home maker, but her influence on the upbringing of her sons has been immense. While she was taking care of the household, her husband was scaling up his business setting new benchmarks. In 2010, Holostik was recognized among the top 500 fastest-growing Indian companies by Inc. magazine, and in 2013, they were named amongst the ‘Most Innovative 100 Companies’ by the same publication. In 2017 they were recognised as a leading SME in IT and IT-enabled services company. In 2019 their R&D labs were accredited by DSIR, receiving the prestigious CII Industrial Innovation Award. He was one of the founding members of Authentication Solution Providers Association (ASPA) and guided it to build brand protection ecosystem in India. He was the recipient of the coveted Economic Times Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020.

Each of these recognitions reflect UKG’s relentless pursuit of innovation and quality, a legacy that his inheritors would continue to carry forward. He was a legend in the holographic and authentication industry, sadly on the 1st of June 2021, the legend Umendra Kumar Gupta aged 67 years, passed away!

The Gen-Next

Carrying forward the legacy of their illustrious father U K Gupta are his two sons Ankit and Shobhit as Joint Managing Directors. Both brothers complementing each other are jointly leading the Holostik Group, which spans across multiple business verticals including print and packaging, chemicals, and real estate—with operations both in India and the Middle East. Shobhit specifically heads the chemical division, oversees their Dubai operations besides managing key segments of the packaging business. Their father was the guiding force behind Holostik. His presence commanded immense respect, both within the organization and across the industry. For both, stepping into their father’s shoes honoring his legacy, upholding the values he built the company on, and carrying forward the trust he had earned over decades was not an easy task. That transition eventually came to the duo with a lot of emotional responsibility with renewed motivation to take Holostik to even greater heights.

1981 born Ankit Gupta did his initial schooling at Modern School, New Delhi and followed it by Computer Engineering from Bangalore. Later he took a job in the Aditya Birla Group in Mumbai, where he worked for two years gaining valuable exposure to corporate operations, exposure to different functions, the scale at which things operated. He then pursued and completed his MBA at UCLA Anderson Los Angeles USA and IIM Ahmedabad (exchange transfer program) thereby earning alumni status at both institutions. Post-MBA, in 2007, he had a consulting job offer in Boston with a $100,000 annual package but the entrepreneurial ambition prevailed, and he decided to return to India and start his maiden venture in hospitality, setting up a restaurant named ‘Mocha in Delhi which he ran successfully for four years. Finding real estate an exciting business, he quit the restaurant business and began developing real estate projects in Gurgaon and later started a chemical trading business focused on flavors and fragrances, which continues within the Holostik group. In 2015, Ankit enrolled in the Owner/President Management (OPM) program at Harvard Business School. It was a transformative three-year experience spending a few months each year on the HBS campus, eventually becoming an alumnus of Harvard.

At this juncture, Ankit decided to join the family business by becoming involved in Holostik’s HR, Marketing & Communications departments. Meanwhile Holostik has evolved from being a prominent manufacturer of holograms and labels to a comprehensive authentication solutions provider. 

His brother Shobhit, holding an engineering degree from Delhi College of Engineering, completed his MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business in Canada. He started his career at Evalueserve Gurgaon and later joined Holostik in 2007. Together the brothers remain united by the common goal of taking their father’s vision to new heights.

In 2007 Ankit got married to Neha, an engineer with an MBA, who started her professional journey with HDFC Bank. For a brief period, she was involved in business, initially supporting the Mocha hospitality project and then in 2008 she was involved in setting up the HR department at Holostik. Over time, she explored different creative avenues, serving as the editor of a few publications, and as a director at NIMAI, a niche jewellery brand. She is now focused on raising her two children, son Vivan 14 years studying in 9th and daughter Jiya 11 years studying in 7th. Once the children are on their own, Neha may plan to return to some profession. Shobhit got married in 2010 to Mansi, and they are blessed with two children, son Aryaveer and daughter Nitara. Mansi has been a part of the sales and marketing team at Bentley Motors. She is now involved in the group’s CAMVEDA business, guiding the team on marketing initiatives. Both brothers express that the unwavering support of spouses has been instrumental in helping them focus on building and growing Holostik.

Talking about his mentorship, Ankit says, “My father has been my greatest mentor, his values, clarity of thought, and resilience continue to inspire me every single day. I stepped into the labels and packaging space as a second-generation entrepreneur. With a huge legacy, one inherits both the assets and responsibilities. It is not just about enjoying the perks of what the first generation built, it is about carrying that forward elevating it.” He further adds, “My most memorable success was launching the Café Mocha brand in Delhi. It was my first independent venture after returning from UCLA, it was a creative expression of what I had learned about entrepreneurship, consumer experience, and brand building. Confident after the success with Mocha, I could take on challenges when I eventually joined in leadership role in Holostik with deep understanding to scale-up the business.

 One of the biggest challenges for any second-generation entrepreneur is earning respect, it takes time for people to stop seeing you as just the founder’s son trusting your vision and decisions. For me, that journey of achieving credibility and proving my approach took some time. For Shobhit, the challenge was different. He took on the responsibility of starting Holoprint from scratch and building it into a specialized entity to cater to international markets. Establishing a new company under the larger umbrella of Holostik, carving out its space, and scaling it to a new level was no small feat. We’ve both faced different challenges, but what’s united us is the drive to build on our father’s legacy while creating something of our own.

Ankit was conferred on the prestigious Larry Wolfen Award for Entrepreneurial Spirit at UCLA in 2006. He has made presentations and shared technical papers at more than 20 events hosted by reputed organizations like CII, PHD Chamber, IHMA, ASPA, and several other key platforms in the printing and packaging industry, engaging with diverse audiences. In 2017, he was interviewed by Radio One as a Shark for startup investments for sharing insights on entrepreneurship and what makes a venture investable.

Both Shobhit and Ankit are committed to sustainability. One of their key initiatives has been the installation of a 500 kWp solar power plant at the Greater Noida manufacturing facility, reducing carbon footprint and embracing clean energy. They have developed sustainable alternatives like paper holograms and are exploring holography on wide web paper substrates to replace polyester. The Holostik Group consists of seven diverse companies including Holostik India, United Multichem, Holoprint, NaturTrust, Utopia Digitech, CAMVEDA, ThinkNext Village, and United Services operating with a workforce of over 750. They operate from more than seven state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities spread across over 40,000 square meters. Their corporate headquarters are in Okhla, New Delhi, apart from 12 offices strategically located across the country. Holostik’s exports to more than 90 countries are a testament to their quality, innovation, and reliability.

Ankit summed it up interestingly on behalf of Shobhit and himself. The brothers are united in delivering excellence to the legacy passed on to them by their father, the legend; Umendra Kumar Gupta. He says, “Success does not come overnight—it is built through consistency, perseverance, and staying true to your values. I strongly believe in the philosophy of ‘Ek aur ek gyarah’—because when people align with a shared purpose, 1 + 1 can truly become 11. Plan well, de-risk wherever you can, and most importantly—keep going, no matter what. Or as I like to say… Lage Raho Munna Bhai!“

(Lage Raho Munna Bhai! Is name of popular Indian film but it actually means; Keep working brother! Or in the author’s interpretation it means, “The show must go on!”)

Written by Harveer Sahni Chairman Weldon Celloplast Limited New Delhi May 2025