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On 12 January 2026, coinciding with National Youth Day, the Gujarat Council on Science and Technology (GUJCOST), under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of Gujarat, launched a year-long national initiative titled “Let’s Talk IP – IPR Awareness for Viksit Bharat”. The programme was inaugurated at Gujarat Biotechnology University (GBU), Gandhinagar, marking the beginning of a structured, sustained effort to embed Intellectual Property (IP) awareness and capability within India’s youth and academic ecosystem.
The inaugural programme was conducted in hybrid mode, drawing participation from over 250 delegates in person and more than 10,000 students and stakeholders online from across the country. Participants included students, faculty members, IP Cell coordinators, researchers, innovators, and startup representatives, reflecting the growing national interest in Intellectual Property as a strategic enabler of innovation and economic growth.
The initiative is being implemented in collaboration with the National Intellectual Property Awareness Mission (NIPAM) of the Intellectual Property Office, Government of India, and aligns with India’s broader developmental vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, which emphasizes innovation-led, inclusive, and sustainable growth.
“Let’s Talk IP” has been designed as a monthly capacity-building platform, to be conducted on the second Wednesday of every month throughout 2026. Each session will feature expert-led discussions, practical insights, and interactive engagement on diverse IP themes including patents, industrial designs, trademarks, copyrights, geographical indications, and emerging IP challenges.
By adopting a hybrid delivery model, the initiative ensures accessibility and scale, enabling students and innovators from remote and underserved regions to engage with IP knowledge and expertise.
The launch event commenced with an Orientation Programme for IP Cells, aimed at strengthening the operational effectiveness of IP Cells functioning across universities and institutes in Gujarat. These IP Cells act as institutional focal points for IP awareness, innovation identification, and facilitation of IP protection.
The orientation programme focused on clarifying the roles, objectives, and operational framework of IP Cells, and included expert sessions on the innovation-to-IP journey. A key highlight was the hands-on training on Idea Disclosure Form (IDF) preparation and novelty search, equipping faculty members and students with practical tools to systematically identify and protect innovations at an early stage.
A thematic session titled “Youth Power: Learnings on Patents and Industrial Design”, delivered by Mr. Padmin H. Buch, Senior Visiting Faculty at the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), underscored the importance of early IP awareness in shaping innovation-driven careers.
The Maiden IP Talk, titled “IP for Viksit Bharat: Innovating the Future,” formally marked the launch of the year-long “Let’s Talk IP” series. The session highlighted the strategic role of Intellectual Property in enabling innovation, entrepreneurship, and national development.
Addressing the participants, Mr. Aman Shrivastava, Examiner of Patents and Designs at the Intellectual Property Office, Government of India, shared insights into how effective IP protection supports technology commercialization, startup growth, and global competitiveness.
Setting the vision for the year-long journey, Prof. Unnat P. Pandit, Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM), emphasized the transformative role of youth in shaping a nation’s innovation trajectory. He urged students and faculty members to awaken ideas, strengthen innovation, and protect their intellectual creations, underscoring that when young minds engage with purpose, innovation becomes a powerful driver of national progress.
The inaugural cohort was led by Prof. Nishith Desai, Professor Emeritus and Advisor to the CGPDTM, who guided participants through an inspiring innovation narrative aligned with the aspirations of Viksit Gujarat and Viksit Bharat. His address highlighted the transformative power of Intellectual Property in building a resilient, knowledge-driven economy capable of addressing societal and industrial challenges.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Narottam Sahoo, Advisor and Member Secretary of GUJCOST, highlighted the critical role of academic institutions and youth in nation-building. He outlined GUJCOST’s sustained efforts to institutionalize IP awareness through a robust, decentralized ecosystem comprising 33 IP and Innovation Labs and over 50 functional IP Cells across the State.
This network currently connects more than 3,300 faculty members and has the potential to reach nearly 1.3 million students and researchers across Gujarat. By embedding IP support within academic institutions, the ecosystem enables early identification of innovations, structured IP protection, and informed decision-making on commercialization and technology transfer.
The “Let’s Talk IP” initiative reflects broader global priorities emphasized by WIPO, including IP education, youth engagement, and capacity building in developing innovation ecosystems. By focusing on practical understanding of IP systems and their strategic use, the programme supports the development of IP-literate innovators capable of contributing to both local and global knowledge economies.
Each monthly session under the series will include interactive discussions and joint e-certification, reinforcing structured learning and sustained engagement. The initiative also establishes a feedback-driven approach to continuously refine content and outreach strategies.
As India continues to expand its innovation footprint, initiatives such as “Let’s Talk IP” demonstrate how sub-national institutions, in collaboration with national IP authorities, can play a pivotal role in democratizing IP knowledge and strengthening grassroots innovation capacity.
By integrating IP awareness into academic and youth-centric platforms, GUJCOST’s “Let’s Talk IP” series aims to transform ideas into protected intellectual assets, empower the next generation of innovators, and contribute meaningfully to the realization of a self-reliant, innovation-driven India.