Srinagar: A two -day National Seminar on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) started here at University of Kashmir on Friday.
The seminar has been organized by Regional Research Institute of Unani Medicine (RRIUM) Srinagar, Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM) Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India (GOI) in collaboration with National Medicinal Plants Board. 
Speaking during the inaugural session of the seminar Additional Secretary Ministry of AYUSH, GOI Pramod Kumar Pathak who was chief guest on the occasion said in his presidential address “When we talk about Unani medicine it is a comprehensive system. It is preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative.’
“AYUSH and CCRUM focus on health promotion and both Government of India as well as state governments are actively facilitating implementation of various schemes and programs in this regard. Moreover facilities of hospitals and research institutes are also provided by AYUSH,” added Pathak.
He said that AYUSH isn’t only limited to India but has collaboration with various international institutions in countries like South Africa, Israel, Iran, Bangladesh and others.
“Our main aim is to promote and innovate Unani system and educate people about its benefits all over the world”, he said.
Pathak also said that a total of 16 patents have been passed by CCRUM and about 40 are still in research mode.
In his address Vice Chancellor, University of Kashmir, Prof. Talat Ahmad who was the eminent guest on the occasion deliberated upon the importance of Unani medicine and it’s cultural and empirical inheritance.
Stressing upon the need for modernizing the Unani system to undertake path-breaking research and effective collaborations Prof Talat said “There is a need for modernizing the Unani system so that its relevance is kept intact and Unani medicine should be upgraded as an effective collaboration of different relevant fields so that a meaningful research is undertaken for the overall benefit of mankind.”
Prof Talat added that University of Kashmir would be more than willing to be part of any such academic collaboration which is aimed at undertaking research in the area of Unani medicine “so that other curable properties of Unani medicine are also discovered which have not been founded yet”
Commissioner Food Safety, Government of J&K, Dr Abdul Kabir Dar who was guest of honour on the occassion said, “Dealing with patents is a serious business and CCRUM is doing a great job in preserving them and I hope they continue to do so in future as well.”
Dr Kabir Dar also congratulated CCRUM for its work on Unani medicine and smooth functioning of Unani hospitals in state and at centre.
During the seminar Joint Advisor AYUSH, Prof Mukhtar Qasmi and Advisor AYUSH Dr Mohammad Tahir spoke about the importance of legal rights to protect work and other significances of Unani system of medicine while as Director General AYUSH Prof Asim Ali Khan provided an insight into the overall working of AYUSH, its network of hospitals and research institutes and various academic collaborations and MoUs signed over the last few years.
He said CCRUM, New Delhi has been making concerted efforts to provide scientific basis to Unani System of Medicine and make it acceptable to the modern and scientific world.
Prof Khan added “The National seminar was conducted with an aim to create awareness on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) among people, particularly scientific community to get more and more patents in their names. IPR contributes enormously to national and state economies. Hundreds of industries and institutions across our economy rely on the adequate enforcement of granted patents, trade -marks and copyrights while consumers use IPR to ensure that they are purchasing safe and guaranteed products.”
Dr Seema Akbar Assistant Director & In-charge RRIUM, Srinagar presented vote of thanks on the occasion.
