Author name: Sumathi Chandrasekharan

Notes from a GI Seminar

/ By / Uncategorized

This post emerges from the National Seminar on Geographical Indications held in New Delhi recently which I had the opportunity to attend in part. That ‘part’ extended only to the first day, but shed some interesting light on the evolution of GI protection in India. (Details of the event, organised by the Centre for WTO Studies, IIFT, can be found here). For the benefit of readers, I highlight below three issues that emerged in discussion that day which I found […]

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Montblanc’s ‘Gandhi pen’ lands in court

/ By / Copyright, Trademark

“I have no copyright in my portraits but I am unable to give the consent you require.” Thus wrote Mahatma Gandhi in May 1931, in response to manufacturer who wanted to use his portrait in roofing tiles. Nearly four score years on, an international luxury brand wants to do precisely what Gandhi expressly bid against – use his portrait in the manufacture of prohibitively expensive, limited edition pens. But it’s been a noisy launch, and perhaps very unexpected and discomforting

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SpicyIP Tidbits: GI Events in Delhi and Goa

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There are two sets of events for GI enthusiasts in India, both of which promise to offer exciting discussions on the dramatic changes that are happening right under our noses in the IP community here. We hope you will be able to attend some of them. 1. National Seminar on Geographical Indications: “Where do Indian interests lie?” The Centre for WTO Studies at the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade is organising a two-day programme at Hotel Samrat, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi

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Guest Post: ‘Tirupati’ – Laddu or the Lord?

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After everybody in the Indian mainstream media, from the op-ed writer to the cub reporter, has run riot on the Tirupati Laddu news-item, with their own interpretations of whether it’s a GI copyright on offer, or a GI patent, we thought the weekend was a good time to take a breather and bring you that rarity – the “expert” opinion! Topically, this is a story we have discussed and debated in this space, which those of you interested may wish

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The Copyright Office: Kind of Blue

/ By / Copyright

The first phase of the “modernization of the Indian Copyright Office” is on track, with the Office sporting a new blue online avatar. Long long overdue, is all I have to say. The domain name has not changed – copyright.gov.in – but the site is transformed from what it used to be until recently. You can see in this post screengrabs of the Old and New Copyright Office website (Left: Copyright Office Now – note to self: will not make

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Guest Post: The Jamnagar Petrol GI Case

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SpicyIP is delighted to bring you a guest post from Latha R Nair, a leading IP practitioner in India. Ms Nair, who has written occasionally for the blog, is a partner with one of India’s top IP firms, K&S Partners, based in the Delhi/NCR area. Apart from handling matters relating to protection and enforcement of trademarks and copyrights, she advises clients on TRIPS related issues, protection of geographical indications in India and abroad, domain name disputes and intellectual property aspects

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SpicyIP Tidbits: coconut-picking and musician-forgetting

/ By / Innovation

Where have all the nariyals gone? The industries department of the Government of Kerala has announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh who can invent a coconut-picking machine. According to this report from the BBC, the reward is open to anyone in the world who can create a machine that reaches coconuts at 30 metres. Apparently, professional pickers are becoming a rare species, and coconut palms are bearing the burden. (Image from here) I second the search whole-heartedly, not least

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IP outsourcing threatens national interest?

/ By / Patent

The New Wave of Protectionism is here, in IP, too. Outsourcing in IP/law seems to be the latest target of the anti-outsourcing brigade in the US, going by a letter that is doing the rounds. Apparently authored by a Patent Agent at a US law firm, this letter argues that outsourcing in IP, which is “foolish and dangerous”, threatens “national interest”. With a subject line that refers to the “Blatent (sic) Disregard or Violation of U.S. Commerce and Trade Regulations

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SpicyIP Tidbits: Journal bonanza for patent offices in LDCs

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Patent offices in least developing countries have something to smile about now, with increased access to 150 online scientific journals by the end of this year, according to SciDevNet and this Patenting Lives blogpost. The aRDi programme was launched by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) with partners in the publishing industry with the aim to increase the availability of scientific and technical information in developing countries. Its partners include Elsevier, Oxford Univ. Press, Springer, John Wiley, Nature, Sage, and

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WIPO slams rumours of Global Patenting System

/ By / Patent

Recent rumours of the international community’s plans to push for a “Global Patenting System” have created a stir in WIPO’s corridors in the heart of the Peace Capital. Pharmabiz report inaccurate and misleading A report in Pharmabiz in particular irked the organisation sufficiently to have the Director of its PCT International Cooperation Division send a curt response to the website, denying outright any allegations about a possible new version of the PCT regime. (The letter, which I quote in substantial

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