Avinya 2.0: Cross-Continental Conference on Intellectual Property Law Inaugurated at CUSB to Celebrate World Innovation Day

The School of Law and Governance, Central University of South Bihar (CUSB), in collaboration with the National Intellectual Property Awareness Mission (NIPAM) and the Institution Innovation Council (IIC-CUSB), successfully inaugurated “Avinya 2.0” — a Cross-Continental Conference on Intellectual Property Law — through online mode, commemorating the celebration of World Innovation Day. The theme of the conference, “Intellectual Property and History: Tracing the Evolution of Ideas and Innovation, Empowering Creativity, Upholding Humanism — The Spirit of Article 51 A(H),” reflected the commitment to exploring the historical trajectory of intellectual property and its growing relevance in empowering creativity and humanistic values.

The event was graced by the Chief Guest, Prof. Priti Saxena, Vice-Chancellor, Himachal Pradesh National Law University, Shimla. Other distinguished speakers included Dr. Nitin Tiwari, Principal Scientist & Head of the Intellectual Property Group at CSIR-NCL; Dr. Bhavna Mahadew, Adjunct Professor at the University of Technology, Mauritius; and Prof. Raju K.D., Professor at Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law, IIT Kharagpur.

The session commenced with the Welcome Address by Prof. Ashok Kumar, Head and Dean, School of Law and Governance, CUSB, Program Director, and Nodal Officer, NIPAM-CUSB. He emphasized the growing significance of intellectual property laws in fostering innovation and economic growth in the knowledge-driven economy. This was followed by the presentation of the Concept Note by Prof. Venktesh Singh, President of IIC-CUSB, who traced the historical development of intellectual property rights and discussed the emerging challenges in the age of digitalization and rapid technological change.

In her keynote address, Dr. Bhavna Mahadew highlighted how the evolution of intellectual property reflects the importance of legal protections in advancing technology and global innovation ecosystems. She emphasized the necessity of robust IP frameworks for nurturing creativity and development. Prof. Raju K.D., in his address, linked intellectual property rights to the promotion of scientific temper and humanity. He pointed out the need to preserve technological dynamism through strong intellectual property protections. Delivering the Chief Guest Address, Prof. Priti Saxena underlined the crucial role of intellectual property in shaping scientific thought and innovation. She stressed that protecting humanity is the supreme duty of intellectual efforts and that innovation must be aligned with humanistic values. The Presidential Address was delivered by Prof. Kameshwar Nath Singh, Honorable Vice-Chancellor of CUSB, who congratulated the organizers for conceptualizing such a forward-looking event. He encouraged the participants to embody the spirit of innovation and humanity in their professional journeys. The event concluded with a heartfelt Vote of Thanks by Mr. Mani Pratap, Assistant Professor, School of Law and Governance, CUSB, who expressed gratitude to all the dignitaries, organizers, and participants for their invaluable contributions to making the conference a success. The “Avinya 2.0” conference marked a significant milestone in global discussions on intellectual property rights and innovation, reinforcing the values of creativity, knowledge, and humanity.

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The conference theme, “Intellectual Property and History: Tracing the Evolution of Ideas and Innovation,” provided a dynamic platform to explore the constitutional, ethical, and historical dimensions of intellectual property rights (IPR) in a globalized world. Participants included Professor (Dr.) Luís Miguel Cardoso, Professor Adjunto at Escola Superior de Educação e Ciências Sociais, Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre, Portugal; Dr. Pamela Lisboa, Professor at Universidad de Chile (University of Chile), Chile; Dr. Deepa Kharb, Associate Professor at Faculty of Law, University of Delhi, India; and Dr. Alok Sharma, Professor at Faculty of Law, University of Delhi, India. 

Professor Luís Miguel Cardoso emphasized the urgent need for AI literacy in education and research sectors, highlighting how artificial intelligence is transforming higher education and intellectual property management. He called for the development of national policies that balance innovation with ethical compliance and academic integrity. Dr. Pamela Lisboa traced the historical evolution of intellectual creativity from indigenous societies in Latin America to contemporary intellectual property frameworks. She praised India’s global leadership in protecting traditional knowledge and biodiversity and underscored the necessity of ethical governance in international IP systems.

Dr. Deepa Kharb reflected on the inseparable connection between intellectual property and humanistic values. She advocated that intellectual property should prioritize social welfare and inclusivity rather than being restricted to commercial exploitation. Through examples such as the Jaipur Foot and Arvind Gupta’s educational innovations, she illuminated the spirit of creativity guided by compassion and public service. Delivering the valedictory address, Dr. Alok Sharma linked the protection of intellectual property directly to the Indian constitutional framework. She elaborated on the relevance of Article 300A, which safeguards property rights, and Article 51A(h), which emphasizes the development of scientific temper and humanism, asserting that intellectual property rights must ultimately serve the collective good of society rather than narrow individual interests.

Professor Ashok Kumar, Dean of the School of Law and Governance, Central University of South Bihar, highlighted that fostering an ecosystem of creativity, innovation, and intellectual property governance is fundamental to achieving the vision of a knowledge-driven India by 2047. He emphasized the alignment of intellectual property governance with India’s constitutional ideals and its global commitment to sustainable development.

The conference witnessed the presentation of 98 rigorously selected research papers across seven technical sessions, covering a wide array of themes including jurisprudential foundations of intellectual property, colonial impacts on traditional knowledge, technological advancements, ethical dilemmas in IP governance, and global perspectives on innovation and societal welfare. Concluding the event, Dr. Anurag Agrawal, Assistant Professor at the School of Law and Governance, CUSB, delivered the formal vote of thanks, expressing heartfelt gratitude to all dignitaries, speakers, participants, and the organizing committee for making AVINYA 2.0 a landmark success.

AVINYA 2.0 emerged as a confluence of constitutional vision, humanistic values, and global academic collaboration, reaffirming that the governance of intellectual property must be rooted in ethics, compassion, and constitutional morality. The conference concluded with a shared commitment among participants to nurture innovation that serves not just commercial interests but the broader aspirations of humanity.