Leh, Apr 1: An awareness session on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), aimed at fostering entrepreneurship and innovation among students and aspiring business owners, was organised at the University of Ladakh on Tuesday through a collaboration between its Department of Travel and Tourism Management and the PHDCCI IPFC Centre J&K.
The programme brought together academic leaders, industry experts and students to deliberate on the role of IPR in supporting startups and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the region.
Iqbal Fayaz Jan, Deputy Director, PHDCCI J&K Ladakh and Nodal Officer for IPFC Centre J&K, addressed participants on government-backed support systems available for entrepreneurs. He outlined various schemes designed to assist startups and MSMEs, underlining the role of the IPFC Centre in facilitating financial and technical assistance. He also spoke on the need to safeguard business ideas through IPR frameworks.
The second speaker, Shahid Khan, Convenor for Education and Skill Development at PHDCCI and an Intellectual Property and Business Consultant, highlighted the contribution of MSMEs to regional economic growth. He emphasised the importance of innovation and awareness of intellectual property mechanisms, pointing to initiatives under the Development Commissioner, MSME, aimed at strengthening entrepreneurial capacity among youth in Ladakh.
The session was held under the patronage of Vice Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) Saket Kushwaha, who in his address stressed the role of intellectual property in advancing research and innovation. He urged faculty members, scholars and students to engage with IPR-related activities to support the emergence of a knowledge-driven and self-reliant ecosystem.
Earlier, Dr. Suyash Pawar, Assistant Professor and Programme Coordinator, welcomed the participants and introduced the objectives of the session. The event was attended by senior university functionaries including Dean Academics Dr. Subrat Sharma, Dean Research Dr. Sonam Joldan, Dean Student Welfare Dr. Stanzin Mentok, Assistant Controller of Examination Dr. Jigmit Stoban, and Dean Commerce and Management Dr. Mohd Rafee, who also felicitated the speakers.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Abdullah Ali, Assistant Professor, Department of Travel and Tourism Management, acknowledging the contributions of speakers and participants.
