HT Correspondent
SIVASAGAR, May 18: A week long online international workshop on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) was inaugurated at Gargaon College on Monday on the theme ‘Intellectual Property Rights for the Promotion and Protection of Innovations’. Organised by IQAC, Gargaon College in collaboration with DPIIT-IPR Chair, Tezpur University and IPEG, The City Law School, University of London.
The workshop will benefit the students, the researchers, faculty members and innovators for creating awareness on issues relating to IPR. It would also be a forum to exchange innovative ideas and to learn about the Intellectual Property rights for innovations and creativity. The week-long program intends to help participants understand all aspects of IPR from patents, copyrights, trademarks, etc. Technical sessions in the following days would be carried out by experts in the field from various nations like UK, Germany, India, Sri Lanka.
An innovative idea competition would be held on Wednesday on the theme ‘Innovative Ecosystem’ under UG and PG levels with cash prizes as awards, to encourage and celebrate youth-led innovations and to recognise the potential of young people towards a sustainable future.
The program was inaugurated by academician Dr. Sabyasachi Mahanta, principal, Gargaon College. Dr. Mahanta welcomed the experts and the attendees and appreciated the endeavour of the organisers. He spoke about the recognition of IPR as the legal right that protects creations and innovations resulting from intellectual activities in fields of industries, academics, science, literature and art and culture.
The first talk was given by Prof. P. Deb, DPIIT chair professor, IPR Cell, Tezpur University on the topic ‘Protect your creations with a strategy’. He began the deliberation with the NEP imperative on innovation and what are the present barriers that need to be recognised. He further elaborated on the IP chain of activities and the reasons for giving IP protection. He also talked about how entrepreneurs can better protect and ensure ownership for longer periods of time. The speaker of the next session was Moumita Gorai, assistant manager, CIPAM, and she spoke on ‘Intellectual Property and developing countries’. She talked about how the need for IPR is now at an all-time high. She exemplified how different developing nations over time have had different levels of IPR protection and balancing it is not just an economic calculation but inherently political exercise with huge societal implications.
The program was moderated by the convenor of the workshop, Dr. Pakiza Begum, assistant professor, department of Chemistry, Gargaon College and the vote of thanks was given by Ankika Dutta, assistant professor, department of Economics, Gargaon College.
