I greet all my officials and all those engaged in some way or the other in IP creation , protection and utilization of IP in India on this occasion of World Intellectual Property Day 2013.
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and its Member States decided in 2000 to designate April 26 as World Intellectual Property Day. This date coincides with the day on which the Convention establishing WIPO originally came into force in 1970. Since then, IP Day offers an exciting opportunity to join with others around the globe, to highlight, discuss and demonstrate as to how the IP system plays an important role in everyday life and in stimulating and safeguarding innovation and creativity. World Intellectual Property Day is an occasion to remember how human creativity and innovation help in providing a better world for everyone.
Every year a theme is connected with the World IP- Day event. The theme this year is “Creativity Next Generation”, which essentially highlights the shape of things that the human creativity is going to offer to mankind in future. Going by the present progress in innovations worldwide, I am sure that human creativity would lead us to the next generation of scientific and technological creations. India with the knowledge capability, competitive skills and expertise acquired by the vast pool of scientists, technologists and artists should be amongst the world leaders to offer highest level of creativity and IP- based knowledge assets for serving society and build a better India.
In this context, this office has the most important role to play. Indian Intellectual Property Office has tried its best to contribute to the maximum possible extent for the development of IP, under the modernization project which was implemented in 9th, 10th and 11th five year plans and has been continued in 12th plan also. We have received generous support of the Government of India in our pursuit to deliver state of the art IP services to the people of India. Over the years, there has been a steady growth in filing of IP applications. Creation of additional manpower to remove backlog, computerization and IT- enablement, reengineering of IP-procedures, electronic filing of patent and trade mark applications, efficient online search facilities, updation of IP-database, updated IPO website to provide up-to-date information on IP are some of the achievements of modernization project. We have started IP Awards with a view to recognize and encourage innovators and creators for their contribution to the society. IPO has achieved a distinct mile stone in joining Madrid Protocol for International Registration of Trademarks early this month and is also hopeful of starting the functions of IPO as International Searching Authority (ISA) and International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA) this year. We look forward for providing enhanced quality service to the stakeholders in the coming year.
I am confident that all the officials of the Indian Intellectual Property Office will continue to put their best efforts to strive forward in the direction of IP development and IP-based industrial and socio-economic growth for India.
I express my best wishes to all the officers and staff of IP offices.
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