Central University of Punjab celebrated World IP Day 2023

Bathinda, April 25, 2023: The Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Cell and Institution's Innovation Council (IIC) of the Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, in collaboration with the Punjab State Council for Science & Technology, Chandigarh, and the Dept. of Science and Technology, GoI, celebrated World IP Day with a special programme organized on the focal theme of Women and IP: Accelerating Innovation and Creativity. The invited speakers of this programme were Divya Kaushik, a registered patent agent and patent facilitator with the Indian Patent Office, GoI; Dr. Pooja Goswami, Director of RAMJA Gemosensor Pvt. Ltd.; and Reema Sahni, Sr. Project Manager, i-TTO. Students from different departments attended this programme. Around 120 participants registered for this event.

Speaking on this occasion, Divya Kaushik, Scientist at the Patent Information Centre, Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (PSCST), Chandigarh, spoke on the role of PSCST in nurturing the IP ecosystem in Punjab. She informed that in the Indian Innovation Index, Punjab is in the 6th position, and the number of patents filed in Punjab is increasing year on year. She cited examples of women innovators who developed things such Dishwasher, Windshield Wiper, Theory of Radioactivity, DNA Double Helix etc. and inspired young female students to secure their innovative ideas with the help of IPRs.

Dr. Pooja Goswami, Director of RAMJA Gemosensor Pvt. Ltd., stated that, as per the WHO, antibacterial microbial resistance is one of the top 10 global health threats facing humanity. She also shared her innovation of developing a biosensor device for detecting infection and antimicrobial resistance which help in providing the right antibiotic at the right time. Dr. Goswami talks about the process of patent filing and shared the journey of taking her innovation to a successful startup venture.

Reema Sahni, Sr. Project Manager, i-TTO, asserted that IPRs benefit innovators by protecting innovations, building brand value, disseminating knowledge and solutions for the good of society, and promoting innovation collaboration and entrepreneurship. She talked about the process of technology transfer and shared government initiatives to assist women innovators such as NIDHI-PRAYAS, Women Scientist Scheme-C, CGPDTM, IP Mentoring for Women, Patent Filing Scheme for Women, etc.

After the lecture session, Prof. R.K. Wusirika, Dean Incharge Academics, expressed his gratitude towards the invited speakers. He said that such programs would encourage researchers to check the IPR potential of their innovations before publishing them in peer-reviewed journals.

The programme also featured an exhibition and interaction session by women entrepreneurs from nearby areas, wherein female entrepreneurs displayed handicrafts and other useful products.

The programme commenced with the welcome address by Prof. Monisha Dhiman, President, Institution Innovation Council. She stated that World IP Day is celebrated to raise awareness about how patents, copyrights, trademarks, and design can impact creativity. Towards the end, Dr. Sandeep Kaur gave a formal vote of thanks. On this occasion, Prof. Anjana Munshi, Director of Research and Development Cell, Prof. Raj Kumar, and Dr. Preeti Khetarpal were also present.