A scheme for IPR awareness – Creative India; Innovative India has been launched by Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM).
It aims at raising IPR awareness amongst students, youth, authors, artists, budding inventors and professionals to inspire them to create, innovate and protect their creations and inventions across the country.
Area of Coverage of the scheme is Pan India, including Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3 cities as well as rural areas.
Total project Duration - 3 years (2017 – 2020).
The scheme targets to conduct IP awareness workshops/seminars tailored in 4 categories – Primary School, Secondary school, University/ College and Industry, including MSMEs and Startups.
CIPAM - It is a professional body under the aegis of Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion.
It works to take forward the implementation of the National IPR policy and creating public awareness about IPR in the country.
India Innovation Summit
The India Innovation summit is organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
The 13th India innovation summit is to be held in Bangalore this year.
The conference will provides an ideal platform for Indian Industry to understand the various nuances of innovation, the critical role innovation plays in business success.
India Innovation Index
It is launched by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), NITI Aayog, and Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP).
The index will rank states on Innovations through country’s first online innovation index portal.
The India Innovation Index Framework will be structured based on the best practices followed in Global Innovation Index (GII) indicators.
The Global Innovation Index (GII), co-published by World-Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Cornell University and INSEAD with CII as a Knowledge Partner.
It has been ranking world economies including India since 2007 according to their innovation capabilities.
India currently ranks 66th out of 128 countries on the Global innovation Index (GII) 2016.
Greenland Sharks
Greenland Sharks is the longest living vertebrates on Earth, which live for up to 400 years.
It is found in the deep waters of the Atlantic Ocean from Canada to Norway, including the deep oceans around the north of Britain.
Scientists have sequenced the full mitochondrial DNA information of Greenland sharks in an attempt to find the secret of its life longevity.
The sharks are believed to have unique genes that could help explain their long lifespan and also for other vertebrates including humans.
Science-meets-art Festival
The State of Goa organised the first Science-meets-art Festival, “The Story of Light” in 2015.
This year, Science-meets-art Festival is going to be organised with the theme of “The Story of Space” in Goa.
It is an interdisciplinary, informal learning festival that will explore ‘space’ and its connection with science, philosophy, art and culture.
It is a month long festival engaging artists, scientists, educators and philosophers to create informal learning experiences for all ages.
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Recently, UNESCO decided to recognise “HEBRON”, a West Bank City sacred to both Jews and Muslims as “Endangered Palestinian heritage site” (i.e) World Heritage Site in danger.
UNESCO, the UN cultural agency, is responsible for promoting peace, social justice, human rights and international security through International cooperation on educational, science and cultural programs.
It has 195 member states and is based in Paris, France.
UNESCO’s World Heritage Mission – Encourage world countries to protect Natural and Cultural Heritage sites.
It publishes Global Education Monitoring report and Gender Parity Index.
It also leads the initiative of Man and Biosphere Programme for protecting Biosphere reserves across the world.
Ragi
Recently, Genome sequencing of Millet Ragi is done for the first time in the world.
Scientists have identified genes which are responsible for drought-tolerance and high nutrient quality of Ragi.
This information serves as a base for further increasing the drought tolerance of Ragi and rice & wheat through transfer of genes from Ragi.
Ragi was first domesticated from a wild species in Western Uganda and the Ethiopian Highlands before being introduced to India around 3,000 BC.
Ragi occupies 12% of global millet cultivation area.
In India, Karnataka leads in the cultivation of Ragi followed by Rajasthan.