Prof. Saikat Maitra and the Chairman of Bankura Unnayani Institute of Engineering Mr. Sasanka Dutta.

However, prior to starting such initiatives, students must know the proper rules of patenting their innovations. The purpose of this workshop was to create an awareness among the students regarding such  Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)  rules and regulations. Yashwant Dev Panwar, Principal Scientific Officer of the Patent Facilitating Centre of TIFAC spoke to the students about the importance of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in present day economic scenario and also about the efforts taken by TIFAC to strengthen IPR activity. He also informed the participating students about the technical and financial assistance provided by TIFAC for filing patent applications.

Yashwant Dev Panwar, Principal Scientific Officer of the IPR cell of TIFAC at the workshop.

Information regarding patent applications were put forward by Dr. Sudipta Banerjee (Patent Attorney, L S Davar and Company) Dr. Sanchita Ganguly (Patent Attorney, S Majumdar and Co), Dr. Mahua Hom Chowdhury (Patent Information Centre, West Berngal State Council of Science Technology), Dr. Santosh K. Samantaray (Officer from Patent Office), Dr. Dhanpat Ram Agarwal  (Patent Attorney, ITAG Business Solutions Ltd) and others.   

Dr. Mahua Hom Chowdhury, addressing the participants at the workshop.

In this context Prof. Maitra cited the example of an innovation by the students of Bankura Unnayani Institute of Engineering, Bankura. They have developed a mechanized 'Dhenki', used to produce rice from paddy. It can be utilized to save time in the process of rice husking.

Director of EKTA Incubation Centre Prof. Sukhendu Samajdar addressing the participants at the workshop.

The Director of Ekta Incubation Centre Prof. Dr. Sukhendu Samajdar is also of the opinion that colleges should encourage its students to go for patenting of their innovations, so that they can start their own ventures in future. But they must first know the rules for such patenting, before such initiatives. All the participants of the workshop were awarded certificates by MAKAUT.

The very aim of Ekta Incubation Centre is to give impetus to the young generation for new innovations and ultimately start their own ventures. The purpose is to lead them towards self-reliance, turn them into employers, rather than job-seekers and ultimately benefit the society at large. The Hon'able Vice-Chancellor of MAKAUT Prof. Maitra gives stress on this aspect of encouraging the students for new start-ups in a wider sc
le. Ekta wants to move in the same direction, echoed Prof. Samajdar.