CSIR-NIScPR holds workshop on World Intellectual Property Day for school students and innovators

The workshop also gave opportunity to the school students and young innovators to present their innovations in the workshop.

CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR) organized a National Workshop on World Intellectual Property Day (26th April) for school students and innovators. During the inaugural function, Prof. Ranjana  Aggarwal, Director, CSIR-NIScPR welcomed the gathering. In her welcome address, Prof. Ranjana Aggarwal highlighted various aspects of Intellectual Property, Patents and communication; emphasizing the importance of innovations and the necessity of a platform to bring the students and the experts at one place. She added that the amount of innovations that emerged during the COVID-19 lockdown period is tremendous. COVID-19 has taught us how public-private participation has brought digital transformation to the country. The quantum of patents filed in the digital sector during the last five years speaks about the innovation that happened in the field. She stressed that inquisitiveness is the key to innovations.

During his speech, the guest of honour Dr. Sameer Kumar Swarup, Deputy Controller of Patents & Designs, IPO, Delhi mentioned that the number of inventions that happened during the COVID-19 pandemic period was higher than the normal times. It has been observed that whenever there is a constraint the drive for innovation increases. Children can develop innovations as they always carry vague ideas and are always curious to know more and more. It's this curiosity that brings out more and more innovations. He highlighted the importance of such workshops and IPR outreach programmes targeting school students have greatly increased the IP awareness among the school children. The increase in the Indian applicants who file for IPR in recent times is a good indicator of economic growth.  

The chief guest of the program, Prof. Anil Kumar Gupta, Coordinator, SRISTI and Honey Bee Network and Executive Vice-Chair, National Innovation Foundation delivered his lecture on “IP and youth: strategies for engagement, empowerment and entrepreneurship” through online mode. He mentioned that the vision of Honey Bee Network is to give voice, visibility and velocity to creative and innovative people in the formal and the informal sector. Prof, Anil Kumar Gupta focused on the difference between open innovations and intellectual property. He asked young innovators to develop sensitivity towards inefficiencies, deficiencies and problems existing in the society. Learn not to live with any problem, but find solutions. He highlighted the four dimensions of innovation and how drivers of innovation can bring in changes, meeting the unmet needs. He mentioned that innovators need to look for oddities and inculcate the habit of thinking out of the box. Passion, purpose, and process will lead to performance through platforms to engage youngsters towards entrepreneurship. He stressed the need to reward the innovators, as incentives inspire them to work more on the innovation, that would transform society. He also appreciated the teachers who acted as mentors and extended support to these students.

The workshop also gave opportunity to the school students and young innovators to present their innovations in the workshop. Agnij Moitra, a student of Birla Vidya Niketan School who won the A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Innovation Award was felicitated on the occasion.  Agnij Moitra, gave a presentation on his design of an improvised tetra-pack. He innovated a two-slit design for tetra-pack to solve the issue of food wastage.

In the following technical sessions, the experts delivered the lectures on various aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. Dr. Sujit Bhattacharya, Chief Scientist, Advisor/Dean Policy Research, CSIR-NIScPR spoke on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Dr. Kanika Malik, Sr. Principal Scientist, CSIR-NIScPR delivered the lecture on “Introduction to Intellectual Property Rights” and Dr.Vipan Kumar delivered a lecture on 'Technology Readiness Level (TRL) Assessment'.

The technical sessions were followed by the presentations by students who won the CSIR Innovation Award for School Children (CIASC) 2021.

The workshop observed the participation of budding student innovators and teachers from various schools in different parts of the country. The students actively participated in the brainstorming sessions.. 

(With Inputs from PIB)