TIL Desk Lucknow/ The two-day National IP Yatra Programme organized by PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, with the support of the Office of the Development Commissioner (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises), Ministry of MSME, Govt. of India, concluded on Friday, 15th March 2024.
The National IP Yatra Programme witnessed the active participation of senior officials from the Government of Uttar Pradesh and Ministry of MSME, along with senior officials of PHDCCI and renowned IPR experts from United and United.
The event drew more than 100 attendees, including MSMEs, start-ups, and students from law and technical universities, showcasing the growing interest and importance of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) across various sectors.
The technical sessions during the event covered a range of topics, including Enforcement of IP Rights, where Mr. Anmol Kakkar, associated with United and United, highlighted the significance of IP protection in preventing the copying or stealing of innovations. He elaborated on various strategies to safeguard intellectual property, such as registering copyrights, trademarks, and patents, creating confidentiality contracts, and implementing security measures.
Dr. Vikas Bhati, Associate Professor at NLU, discussed the legal aspects of IPR infringement, emphasizing the importance of obtaining a permanent injunction order from the court as a remedy. He also highlighted relevant sections of the Trademark Act 1999 concerning penalties for trademark infringement.
Vasant Chandra, Head-Prosecution from United and United shed light on the broader scope of Intellectual Property, encompassing patents, utility models, trademarks, and copyrights. He stressed the vulnerability of lesser-known brands and innovations to infringement and the proactive measures taken by large corporations to protect their IP rights.
The technical session was followed by a Helpdesk Camp on IPR to provide one-to-one assistance to the MSMEs and also provide on-spot filing of IPRs. Many queries related to IPRs were addressed through the Helpdesk Camp.
Mr Atul Srivastava, Regional Director of the UP Chapter at PHDCCI, concluded the event with insights into the role of IP as a business asset and the importance of preventive measures against infringers while Ms Riddhi Garg, Resident Officer, PHDCCI moderated the session.
The National IP Yatra Programme served as a platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and strategic discussions, reinforcing the critical role of Intellectual Property in fostering innovation and economic growth.