IPR Demystified: The Pillars of Legal Protection for Innovation and Creativity

In an era where innovation and creativity drive economic progress, understanding Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) has become crucial for students, academicians, and budding entrepreneurs. Recognizing the significance of this need, the School of Business and Management (MBA), in collaboration with the Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC) at CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Pune Lavasa Campus, organized an insightful session titled "IPR Demystified: The Pillars of Legal Protection for Innovation and Creativity" on 26 April 2025 at 11:00 AM in the Seminar Hall, Management Block.

The session featured two distinguished speakers from the School of Law: Prof. Naman Joshi and Prof. Sheheen Marakkar, both Assistant Professors renowned for their expertise in legal frameworks surrounding intellectual property. Their session aimed at simplifying complex IPR concepts, offering students and faculty a clear understanding of how intellectual property influences innovation, business success, and economic development.

This awareness initiative was closely aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). By strengthening participants' knowledge of legal protection mechanisms, the event contributed to building a culture of responsible innovation and sustainable economic growth.

Throughout the session, the speakers elaborated on the different forms of intellectual property — including patents, trademarks, copyrights, and design rights — and the significance of each in protecting original ideas, inventions, creative works, and brands. They explained the legal processes involved in securing intellectual property rights and emphasized how safeguarding innovation can lead to long-term competitive advantage for businesses and individuals alike.

Participants also gained valuable insights into recent trends shaping IPR practices, particularly in sectors like technology, healthcare, education, and entertainment. The resource persons shared real-world examples and case studies that highlighted how innovators who understood and leveraged IPR successfully scaled their ventures and protected their creative contributions.

An important takeaway from the session was the growing relevance of IPR in the digital economy, where intangible assets often have more value than physical ones. The speakers emphasized the importance of proactive registration and strategic management of intellectual property assets in the face of increasing global competition and technological disruption.

The highly interactive nature of the session allowed students to ask questions about patent filing processes, infringement issues, licensing, and commercialization of intellectual property. The open dialogue encouraged students to consider how they could integrate IPR awareness into their academic projects, research work, and future entrepreneurial endeavors, thus adding significant value to their professional pursuits.

In closing, the speakers motivated the participants to view intellectual property not merely as a legal formality, but as a strategic tool essential for fostering innovation, protecting creativity, and driving sustainable development.

This session, part of CHRIST Lavasa's broader commitment to nurturing innovation, entrepreneurship, and legal literacy, empowered participants with the critical knowledge required to act as responsible innovators in today’s fast-evolving global landscape. It served as a timely reminder that legal literacy in intellectual property is as critical as technical and business skills in the journey of innovation and entrepreneurship.