Call to protect Intellectual Property Rights

Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) are recognised world over as commercial assets for socio-economic development and therefore need to be protected.

This was the underlying mantra that guided the speakers at the inaugural session of the three-day national seminar on 'Importance of Intellectual Property Rights for Handicrafts', which began here at the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) today.

Addressing the seminar, Shahid Alikhan, former deputy director-general, World Intellectual Property Organisation (Wipo), said, "Today while Japan has patented four lakh of its inventions, in the US it is two lakh, and in India it is 10,000."

IPR include copyrights, patents, geographical indications, trademarks and industrial designs among others.

"IPR promote creativity, innovation and invention and are the cornerstones of national economic policy. Japan has changed its IP Act 12 times in 20 years to keep up with the technological changes. We too need to keep up with these changes," he added.

Gauri Kumar, director-general, NIFT, said, "We need to transfer traditional know-how into commercial reality and IPR regime is the tool for that. We, however, do not have the right laws to enforce the rights."

"We have also introduced IPR into the curriculum with the help of Wipo. We hope that Wipo supports us in setting up a chair for IPR as well," she added.

"At all our other centres, the state governments have come forward to identify clusters where we can collaborate to add value to the products. We hope that Andhra Pradesh also comes forward in this regard," Kumar said.

B Kripanandam, secretary, industries and commerce (textiles) department, Government of Andhra Pradesh, said that they would be coming out with a new textile policy in another 10 days and the industry can expect greater benefits from the state in this regard.