GUWAHATI, April 27 - The Gauhati University IPR Cell (GUIPR Cell) observed the 'World Intellectual Property Day-2018' yesterday. This year's theme was 'Powering Change: Women in Innovation and Creativity'.
An interactive lecture series was organised on the occasion with students and teachers of GU and officials of Patent Information Centre-ASTEC participating in the programme.
Dr Mridul Hazarika, Vice Chancellor of Gauhati University, inaugurated the programme and delivered a lecture on geographical indications (GI), sharing his experience in the tea industry of the country and his involvement in the process of GI registration of Darjeeling Tea.
He urged everyone to take Intellectual Property and its registration seriously and said the origin of tea lies in the innovative work of women.
Dr Ranjit Kumar Barman, Head, S&T Division-ASTEC, spoke about the need of World IP Day celebrations and added that falsification of a product can be a measure of its GI performance.
Further, Dr Chandana Sarmah, Department of Anthropology, Gauhati University, in her lecture on 'Women in Science: Achievements and Challenges', stated that World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) adopted a policy on gender equality in 2014.
Siddhartha Devnath, Scientist-C, PIC-ASTEC, in his lecture on 'IP: Evolution, Practice and Benefits', said the concept of IP began from the Paleolithic age with methods of creating and mastering fire and invention of wheels, and shared the innovative work of Hiromi Nakamura of Tokyo University, who created artificial salty tasting fork to eat food made without any salt.
Dipamani Baishya, Project Scientist, PIC-ASTEC, in her lecture, introduced the lesser known women innovators like Rosalind Franklin (for structure of DNA), Hedy Lamarr (for wireless) and Ritu Karidhal, Anuradha TK and Nandini Harinath for the Mars Orbiter Mission of India. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Prof P Phukan.
