ITANAGAR, 26 Apr: Experts discussed legal and technological aspects of intellectual property rights (IPR) and its role in driving innovation in sports at a conference held at Rajiv Gandhi Government Polytechnic (RGGP) here on Sunday to mark the World Intellectual Property Day.
Himalayan University Vice-Chancellor Prof Prakash Divakaran delivered an insightful lecture, highlighting the growing intersection between IPR and the sports industry.
Speaking on the key theme of the event, ‘IP and sports: Ready, set, innovate’, Prof Divakaran highlighted how innovation in sports technology, branding, and athlete performance is increasingly driven by strong IP frameworks. He underscored the importance of protecting innovations such as sports equipment designs, broadcasting rights, trademarks, and data analytics tools.
He encouraged students, researchers, and innovators to actively engage in IP creation and protection, noting that innovation in sports is not just about performance on the field but also about ideas that shape the future of the industry.
He further stressed the role of educational institutions in fostering an IP-aware ecosystem and called for integrating IP education into technical and professional curricula.
AP State Council for Science & Technology (APSCS&T) Director CD Mungyak highlighted the growing relevance of IPR, describing it as the backbone of the modern innovation ecosystem. He stated that innovation begins with an idea, while intellectual property safeguards both ideas and innovations.
RGU Law Dean Dr Topi Basar delivered a talk on the fundamentals of IPR, international and national legal frameworks, and local relevance. She discussed patents, copyrights, trademarks, geographical indications, infringement issues, and India’s growing strength in the global IPR landscape.
She also highlighted GI tags from Arunachal Pradesh, and stressed the need to preserve traditional knowledge systems through suitable legal protection.
NERIST Mechanical Engineering Professor Sandeep Singh spoke on startups, innovation, and scalability. He shared practical insights into the commercial value of intellectual property, citing examples from leading technology companies. He also explained the importance of timely registration of designs and patents, along with relevant provisions under the patent law.
RGGP Principal (i/c) Banu Otem Daio urged students to observe societal needs, generate innovative ideas, and secure them through proper patenting and IPR mechanisms, especially in the context of traditional knowledge inherited over generations.
The event was organised by RGGP in collaboration with the APSCS&T, and was attended by faculty members, students, and professionals.
