The Hindu Business Line : Kerala formulating IPR policy

This was announced by Mr P.S. Gopinathan, Law Secretary, while inaugurating a two-day workshop on IPR organised by the Regional Research Laboratory-Thiruvananthapuram (RRL-T) here on Thursday.

The Trade and Investment Development Programme (TIDP) of the European Union and India is the co-sponsor of the workshop. IPR is one of the components of TIDP set up under the standing agreement between India and EU for trade promotion. It aims to create in India an environment that encourages trade and investment.

The IPR policy is being formulated with a view to promoting inventions, innovations and patents. In this context, Mr Gopinathan stressed the need for close cooperation among the R&D institutions in the State.

Delivering the keynote address, Dr B. Ekbal, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Kerala, said that `human rights' should predominate Intellectual Property Rights.

According to him, `Intellectual Property Privileges' (IPP) would be a better way of expressing the related take-away from public-funded R&D.

Prof (Mrs) S.K. Verma, Team leader of TIDP - IPR Component, welcomed the gathering and gave an overview of the activities of TIDP. Dr C. Arumughan, Deputy Director, RRL-T, stressed the need for gearing up the R&D systems to cope up with the changing IPR legislations.

Mr R.S. Praveen Raj, Scientist-IP Management, proposed a vote of thanks. About 100 delegates are participating in the workshop. Mr Chandrasekaran, Controller-General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks, Government of India; Dr Bernhard Hertel, IPR expert from the EU and Mr Praveen Raj handled various technical sessions on Thursday.