Event Introduction

Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) are the rights given to persons over their creations or inventions. They usually give the creator an exclusive right over the use of his or her creation for a certain period of time.

The rights of authors of literary and artistic works (such as books and other writings, musical compositions, paintings, sculpture, computer programs and films) are protected by copyright, for a minimum period of 50 years after the death of the author.

One area of IPR can be characterized as the protection of distinctive signs, in particular trademarks and geographical indications (which identify a good as originating in a place where a given characteristic of the good is essentially attributable to its geographical origin). Other types of industrial property are protected primarily to stimulate innovation, design and the creation of new technologies. Inventions fall under this category which is protected by patents and trade secrets.

Being engineers in the making, it is important for all of us to know about IPR and protection laws. This ENGINEER we are hosting Dr S Sankaran, an industry expert in this field who also has the distinction of holding a few patents to his credit.

Dr. S Sankaran is currently serving as the Director of Extramural Research & Intellectual Property Rights at the Defence Research and Development Organisation HQ, New Delhi. Earlier he has served in various capacities and has headed the Composite Technology Center at Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), Bangalore. His research interests include work on composite materials