Intellectual Property Talent Search Examination (IPTSE) is an initiative of IPETHICON – An Educational Academy for high schoolers (Grade 8 – 12), college students, faculty, working professionals & start-ups. It is a nationwide online examination. This is a unique IP centric competitive examination administered globally. The initiative has witnessed support and collaboration from several Government bodies and industries. IPTSE has so far culminated 7 successful editions.
The 7th Edition IPTSE Winners were felicitated by the Chief Guest and other dignitaries present at the Award Ceremony.
Chief Guest: Hon’ble Ms. Justice Mini Pushkarna, Judge, High Court of Delhi
Guest of Honour: Prof. (Dr.) Unnat Pandit – Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks, IP Office, GOI
Ms. Hitaishi Trivedi, Director, IPTSE, in her introductory remarks, emphasized the objectives of this pioneering initiative. She presented statistics showcasing IPTSE’s progress over seven years, including organizing more than 200 awareness programs and engaging over 50,000 students through its exams. IPTSE has collaborated with over 40 educational institutions and leverages social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram to disseminate IP knowledge to students and professionals interested in intellectual property rights (IPR).
Mr. Anil Rajput – IPR Chair, Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) & President – Corporate Affairs, ITC, during his address said that FICCI is proud to support IPTSE and its initiatives and briefed about the Government of India’s unmitigated focus on innovation and R&D which includes the setting up of the Anusandhan National Research Fund. He said it has walked the talk and allocated Rs. 1 lakh crore to support innovation and research in the 2024 budget. According to him it is now for the youth of the country to come forward and utilize this opportunity that has been presented by the government. He further added that these IP awards work as a catalyst to motivate the younger generation to put India first and take leadership position at the global level.
Mr. Patrick Hofkens, Head of IPR Policy, Ericsson, reiterated Ericsson’s commitment to innovation and technology. He explained the company’s dedication to supporting initiatives like IPTSE and shared insights into Ericsson’s global IP achievements. With 60,000 patents worldwide and a significant 20% of its budget allocated to R&D, Ericsson stands at the forefront of technological advancements, including pioneering contributions to 5G architecture by over 130 engineers globally. Mr. Hofkens also applauded India’s 25% surge in patent filings and congratulated IPTSE for inspiring young innovators to safeguard their creations.
Dr. Nalin K. Srivastava, Scientist E, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India, commended IPTSE’s efforts in spreading IPR knowledge. He emphasized India’s trajectory as the fifth-largest economy, aspiring to become the third largest, with innovation as a core focus. Dr. Srivastava detailed government schemes supporting startups, including the GENESIS scheme, which nurtures the startup ecosystem by offering mentorship, financial resources, and technology support to encourage innovation and growth.
This event reaffirmed IPTSE’s dedication to advancing intellectual property education and its pivotal role in shaping India’s innovation-driven future.
Ms. Vinakshi Kadan Singh, Senior Legal Advisor, Indian National Bar Association and Advocate, Supreme Court, highlighted the critical need for spreading awareness about intellectual property rights (IPR) to safeguard innovation. She commended the esteemed speakers for addressing various aspects of IPR and drew attention to the role of digital payments in fostering innovation and contributing to India’s digital empowerment. Ms. Singh stressed the importance of ensuring that intellectual property is adequately protected to prevent misuse and enable rightful ownership. She also emphasized the potential of academia-industry collaboration to equip young minds with the knowledge and tools necessary to understand and protect their innovations, paving the way for a more informed and empowered generation.
Prof. Sharad Sinha, Head of the Department of Teacher Education, NIE, NCERT, emphasized the critical role of IPR in strengthening industry-academia collaboration. Citing South Korea’s success, she highlighted how innovation and government support drive technological and economic growth. As India strives for Viksit Bharat, Prof. Sinha stressed the pivotal role of R&D and how the New Education Policy (NEP) prioritizes innovation. She noted India’s significant patent reforms, with annual grants rising from 1,000 in 2016-17 to over 1 lakh in 2023-24. Urging students and academia to understand IPR, she called it essential for protecting innovation and fostering progress.
Ms. Purvi Pandya, Director IPTSE, congratulated the esteemed speakers for their insightful address and thanked sponsors and partners for their support. She conveyed a special thanks to Ericsson for supporting the seven years journey of IPTSE as its Industry Partner, Knowledge Partner & Sponsor K&S Partners, Sponsor Lexorbis, FICCI as its Award Partner, Indian National Bar Association (INBA) as Outreach partner, Supporting organisations Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India, (MeitY), Nation E-Governance Division (NeGD) Digital India, Delhi State Legal Services Authority Shahdara (DLSA)
The panel discussions on Collaborative Innovation: The Role of Industry-Academia Partnerships in Driving Innovation was moderated by Dr. Vivek Kashyap – Associate Director – Patents, Roche.
A distinguished panel emphasized the crucial role of industry-academia partnerships in achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat. The discussions focused on fostering collaborative innovation to align research efforts with national development goals.
The panel highlighted how such partnerships can accelerate technology transfer, drive sustainable solutions, and build a skilled workforce. By addressing societal challenges and boosting economic growth, it was felt that these collaborations would play a pivotal role in paving the way for a developed and prosperous Bharat.
The panelists were: Dr. Vivek Kashyap – Associate Director – Patents, Roche (as Moderator), Mr. Mayank Sood – Partner (Computer & Electronics, Design), K&S Partners Dr. G R Darwhekar – Principal, Acropolis Institute of Pharmaceutical and Engineering Research, Indore, Ms. Mini Srivastava – Assistant Professor, Amity Law School Noida, Dr. Anil Ramachandran Nair – Research Leader, Ericsson India Mr. Sahastrashmi Pund – Head IPR, Endurance Technologies Ltd
The panel discussions on “Importance of GI Protection for Handlooms & Handicrafts was moderated by Mr. Ashish Singh, Partner– Trademarks, Copyright & GI, K&S Partners”
The panel provided a comprehensive overview of the documents and procedures required for Geographical Indication (GI) filing, with a focus on statistics related to the handloom and handicrafts sectors.
The discussion also addressed critical gaps between legal rights and their practical realization. Panelists identified contributing factors such as lack of awareness, inactive inspection bodies, absence of compliance with CoP (Code of Practice), minimal infringement cases, and insufficient post-registration mechanisms for benefit-sharing. Emphasizing that GI is a community right, they highlighted the need for strengthening the status of authorized users to maximize the benefits of GI registration.
The panelists were: Mr. Ashish Singh, Partner– Trademarks, Copyright & GI, K&S Partners (as Moderator), Dr. Sundar Murugesan – Joint Director, Handloom Export Promotion Council Mr. Vishesh Nautiyal – Director (North Zone), Weavers’ Service Centre, New Delhi Dr. Nidhi Buch, Associate Professor of Law, Gujarat National Law University Ms. Malyashree Sridharan – Associate Partner, LexOrbis
Going with the theme of the panel on Importance of GI for Handlooms & Handicrafts, GI Tag artisans from 3 States viz; Jammu & Kashmir (product – Pashmina shawls), Uttar Pradesh (product – Banarasi sarees) and Kutch Gujarat (product – Bhujodi shawls) were promoted through display of their products.
Prof. (Dr.) Unnat Pandit, Controller General of Patents, Designs, and Trademarks, IP Office, Government of India, graced the conclave and award ceremony as the Guest of Honour. He commended IPTSE for its initiative, aligning it with the vision of Viksit Bharat.
Dr. Pandit emphasized that innovation, research, and technology are essential for achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat, driving through intellectual property (IP) serving as a key enabler. He highlighted the ease of the IP framework in India, which has simplified the filing process and ensured digitization across platforms, including online certificates, enhancing efficiency for stakeholders. He stressed the need for commercialization of IP and shared efforts being made to introduce a corporate-style, digitized approach at the IP office. He also spoke about ongoing capacity-building initiatives in the country and we have to plan the upbringing of the students as IP Savvy leaders of Vikshit Bharat, including annual training programs for IP Officers, attorneys, agents and executives, designed to support stakeholders effectively and maximize the impact of IP in driving economic growth. He concluded by saying that capacity building is the need of the hour and we should thrive for it.
