By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 27: The two-day National Intellectual Property (IP) Yatra Programme began here on Thursday with a strong call for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to safeguard their creativity and innovations through proper intellectual property protection.
Speaking at the inaugural session, Gaurav Joshi, Joint Director of MSME-DFO Guwahati, stressed that intellectual property is not limited to highly technical fields but is essential for anyone with creativity, innovation, or an entrepreneurial mindset. He highlighted Meghalaya’s strong innovation landscape, noting that the state already has nearly 10 GI-tagged products, and urged entrepreneurs to identify more traditional items with potential for GI registration. “In today’s competitive world, it has become very easy for others to copy a product or design. That is why we are conducting workshops across India to raise awareness about the importance of intellectual property in day-to-day business,” Joshi said.
He explained that IP protection extends beyond patents to major categories such as copyrights, product designs, trademarks and geographical indications—many of which are highly relevant for entrepreneurs in the Northeast. Joshi cautioned that the region’s rich traditional knowledge, folk art and tribal symbols must be protected before they are commercialised by outsiders.
Prominent musician Lou Majaw also addressed the gathering, emphasising the importance of IP in the creative industry and explaining how artists can protect and monetise their work.
Dr Mantu Bhuyan, Senior Principal Scientist at CSIR-NEIST, Jorhat, highlighted several commercially ready technologies available for transfer to MSMEs and encouraged deeper collaboration between innovators and research institutions.
Welcoming participants, A Tovi Chophi, Chair (North East Region), PHDCCI, said that innovation and timely IP filings are crucial for business growth. Dr Jatinder Singh, Deputy Secretary General, PHDCCI, underscored the significance of hosting the National IP Yatra in Meghalaya and reaffirmed the organisation’s continued support through its IP Facilitation Centres.
Following the inauguration, experts from United & United, PRIME Meghalaya, CSIR-NEIST and SIDBI conducted technical sessions on patents, trademarks, geographical indications, filing procedures, prosecution, patent informatics, commercialisation and IP-led enterprise development.
The concluding session on Friday will feature Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barma, Prince of Tripura, who is expected to speak on empowering regional innovators and strengthening indigenous knowledge systems.
