Is the general level of industrial progress an accurate index of a State’s IP awareness? The answer in the affirmative is not forthcoming on account of facts to the contrary. Gujarat , which has consistently performed well on the economic front, seems to lag behind when it comes to IP protection. An article from sify.com indicates that the rate of patent filing in Gujarat has not increased despite the State government slashing patent filing charges by 50%. In fact, patent applications from individual innovators may be higher in proportion when compared to medium and big industrial houses. The awareness in rural pockets may be attributed to the yeoman efforts of Prof.Anil K.Gupta of IIM Ahmedabad who heads the National Innovation Foundation. I was a witness to this fact during my last internship under him where Shodhyatras were undertaken to identify inventors in remote corners of the country. Let’s hope that the big players too catch up in time to ensure that Gujarat retains its edge.
SpicyIP Tidbit: Reality Check
