IPR attorney association announces Rs 1 lakh scholarship to nurture young innovators

Chennai:

In a bid to nurture young innovators in the country, Intellectual Property Rights Attorney Association on Thursday announced Rs one lakh scholarship for undergraduates who patent their innovation.

Addressing students during the World Intellectual Property Day at Queen Mary’s College here, IPR Attorney Association President P Sanjai Gandhi said that India doesn’t figure in the list of 20 countries that top in innovation and such scheme would help nurture the young innovators.

Highlighting the historic judgement by Supreme Court in the Novartis case, he said the judgement will have far reaching implications on access to life-saving essential drugs under patents.

He also said that the state is in second spot when it comes to registering some of its traditional items under geographical indications. Articles 1(2) and 10 of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property and Articles 22 to 24 of the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement recognize GI as a form of intellectual property. Currently, the state has about 15 GIs.

He also urged the Indian government to cast its vote in favour of a director general of World Trade Organisation representing a developing nation. He also urged India to prefer developing nation status rather than a developed nation status in WTO so that it could get time to implement WTO agreements and protect the rights of farmers.

Monica Sledjeski, political and economic officer of US Consulate General office, quoting a report by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) estimates that trade in counterfeit and pirated goods across national borders may have totaled around $200 billion.

She said that India and US mutual commitment to IPR protection will continue to help foster advancing economic relationship. “As the US is the third largest exports market for Indian manufacturers, it is important that Indian manufacturers consider aspects of software compliance,” she added.

Consul general of Russian Federation in Southern India Nikolay A Listopadov and Dr Prabhakaran, vice-chancellor of Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University also spoke on the occasion.