An online training program was conducted on Intellectual Property Rights Awareness on 12th May 2022 jointly by the Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Intellectual Property Management (RGNIIPM), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India and a collaborative effort among the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC), School of Comparative Indic Studies and Tribal Sciences, Centre for Indigenous Science and Technology, and Centre for Indigenous Innovation and Entrepreneurship, KISS-DU. Mrs Pooja Vishal Maulikar, Examiner of Patents and Designs, was the distinguished speaker for the event.

Mrs Maulikar, in her informative talk, pointed out that Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) were not for personal profit alone; but contributed to the overall growth of the country. She stressed the need for securing the right kind of protection for an IPR and said that RGNIIPM was committed to raising massive awareness regarding IPR and guiding efforts of researchers in the correct direction by preventing wrongful filing. She explained the organizational structure of RGNIIPM, and highlighted the social media presence of the institute for the benefit of all, at facebook.com/rgniipmipr and twitter.com/rgniipm. She oriented the audience towards the national goal of securing exclusive, legal, time-bound rights in the form of IPR, to act as intangible potential assets, in what she termed the Century of Knowledge, where innovation is a prime need that leads to revenue generation.

She then went on to define and explain basic terminology in the field, speaking at length on Industrial Property and Copyrights as intangible properties. She carefully explained the entire procedure of IPR filing, including the numerous forms, search and examination processes, and specific filing procedures. In her very useful exposition on IPRs and the process of filing, Mrs Maulikar encouraged the audience to seek protection under suitable heads for ideas and products that would generate IPR and assured KISS-DU of every form of assistance from RGNIIPM and allied bodies.

Speaking on the occasion, Professor Deepak Kumar Behera, Vice-Chancellor, KISS-DU highlighted the significance of securing patents, copyrights, trademarks and designs for the research scholars and faculty at KISS-DU. He elegantly described the innovative genesis and current profile of KISS-DU and announced the setting up of an IPR Cell with immediate effect, to coordinate and encourage efforts towards securing IPR for innovative work done at KISS-DU.

Dr Priyoneel Basu, Associate Professor, KISS-DU, moderated the session and Dr Disha Bhatt, Deputy Coordinator, IQAC, KISS-DU summarized the talk and proposed a vote of thanks.