The World Intellectual Property Day 2026 was successfully organized at IIT Bombay through a collaborative effort by the Industrial Research and Consultancy (IRCC) Centre and the Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC). The theme of the IP Day was "IP and Sports: Ready, Set and Innovate!" The event brought together faculty, students and staff to explore the significance of intellectual property rights (IPR), particularly in the context of sports and innovation.

The programme commenced with a welcome address by Prof. Shrikrishna V. Kulkarni, Dean (Research and Development), who emphasized the growing importance of intellectual property in academic research and industry collaboration. This was followed by Session I, where Mr. Pinkesh Jain, Joint Controller of Patents & Designs, IP Office, Mumbai, delivered an insightful talk on “Intellectual Property in Sports”, highlighting the role of IP in protecting and promoting innovation in the sports sector.

During Session II, Ms. Joyita Roy Sarkar and Ms. Pallavi Agarwal from IIT Bombay, discussed "IP Management and Licensing in IIT Bombay", providing an overview of institutional practices and strategies for effective IP utilization and commercialization.

Session III was conducted by Mr. Pankaj Bhagat, Jurisdiction Head – IP and Client Relations at XLScout, who spoke on “IP & Sports: Monetizing Innovation in a Competitive World”, offering practical perspectives on leveraging IP assets in competitive markets.

The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Aparna Sharma, Research IPR Post-Doctoral Fellow at DSSE, IIT Bombay. The session drew over 70 attendees, including faculty, students, and staff and was conducted in a hybrid format via Zoom, with additional participation from individuals outside the IIT Bombay campus.

Overall, the speakers provided deep insights into the significance of IPR, its commercialization, and its growing intersection with sports, aligning well with the theme of World Intellectual Property Day 2026.