The Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIBA), Chennai, celebrated the World Intellectual Property Day on 30th April 2026 emphasizing this year’s global theme, “IP and Sports: Ready, Set, Innovate!”. The programme focused on explaining the importance of intellectual property (IP) in improving sports nutrition and fisheries-based innovations for better athlete health. The event was organized to inspire young inventors, creators, entrepreneurs, researchers, and academicians to engage with the intellectual property system, thereby nurturing a spirit of creativity, innovation, and purposeful inquiry.
Dr. Kuldeep K. Lal, Director, ICAR-CIBA, in his presidential remarks, highlighted the growing prominence of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) over the past few decades, describing them as a vital catalyst for innovation and a unique privilege to inventors. He highlighted that IPR serve to safeguard the creations of individuals, enabling them to gain the rightful economic benefits of their originality. He also highlighted that IPR plays an important role in supporting innovation, attracting investment, encouraging fair competition, and strengthening the economy.
The highlight of the event was an expert lecture by Dr.Poornima Chandran, registered Indian Patent Agent and qualified advocate, she brings over a decade of experience in patent drafting, prosecution, IP strategy, and policy research across academia, industry, and consulting. She is currently serving as the DPIIT-IPR Chair Professor at Maharashtra National Law University, Nagpur, she leads initiatives in IP research, policy development, and capacity building.
Dr. Chandran delivered an insightful lecture on the topic “Role of Intellectual Property in Sports Nutrition and Fisheries Innovations for Athlete Health.” She elaborated on how IP protection can support innovation in fisheries-based nutrition, enhance value addition, and contribute to athlete performance and health. Following the lecture, an interactive session was conducted where scientists and research students from ICAR-CIBA, including its Chennai headquarters, Muttukadu Experimental Station (MES), Kakdwip Research Centre (KRC), and Navsari Gujarat Regional Centre (NGRC), actively participated and engaged in discussions on various IP-related issues.
The program concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. P. K. Patil, Officer-in-Charge, ITMU-ABI Unit, ICAR-CIBA, who expressed gratitude to the speaker and participants for making the event a grand success. The celebration successfully fostered awareness on the importance of intellectual property and encouraged stakeholders to actively engage in innovation-driven activities.
