BITS Law School announced its Centre for Research on Innovation Law for Shared Prosperity (CRISP) with the inaugural conference of the Innovation Law & Policy Fellowship at the BITS Pilani Mumbai Campus. The Centre will be a hub for research exploring the legal dimensions of technology and innovation. Being under the aegis of BITS Pilani – known for excellence in engineering and technology – places BITS Law School in a unique position to be at the frontier of this domain.
The Innovation Law & Policy Fellowship at the Centre will be a platform for research with a focus on wireless and ICT technologies. With platforms like Wi-Fi, 5G, and 6G forming the backbone of modern communication networks, issues related to patents, standards, and Intellectual Property (IP) licensing are central to national innovation and infrastructure buildout strategies. The Centre, through its research responds to the growing need for robust legal frameworks and thought leadership in these fast-evolving areas, and is an initiative aligned with India’s transition into an innovation-led economy. The centre has four clear objectives – raising awareness and building capability among Higher Education Institutions, curating and conducting programmes to educate industry professionals, developing thought leaders for the domain through the fellowship, and finally, building capability among the students of BITSLAW. The theme for the inaugural conference was – Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) – patents that are deemed essential to the implementation of a wide range of internationally agreed technology standards such as 5G, WiFi, Bluetooth, MPEG, USB, GPS, etc. The expert presentations as also the research by the nine fellowship candidates focused on SEPs.
“Legal frameworks for Intellectual Property are crucial to the development of technologies that are well-suited to society, and as the largest country in the world by population, it is essential that these work for Indians and also for the Global South. It is our ambition that the centre plays a role in enabling this – by educating key stakeholders, and by conducting research that can help guide both the government and industry towards a shared prosperity” said Dr. Ashish Bharadwaj, Founding Dean, BITS Law School.
“Credit goes to academic institutions in India and around the world in for evolving SEP jurisprudence. Jurisprudence is being shaped not just in courtrooms but through a wider dialogue between the bench, bar, academia, and the industry” said Justice Amit Bansal, Judge, Delhi High Court, who was the Chief Guest for the event. Extending his best wishes to the fellowship candidates in their research journey he added, “the imperative is for the SEP ecosystem to not become a gatekeeping mechanism but a gateway to equitable innovation”.
Open to scholars, lawyers, researchers, and postgraduate students across India, the Innovation Law & Policy Fellowship invited applications from those working at the intersection of law, technology, policy, and business. Fellows were encouraged to explore doctrinal and empirical methodologies, and themes such as standard-essential patents, IPR enforcement, and innovation challenges faced by startups and SMEs in India.
Selected Fellows will receive access to research materials, legal databases, mentorship from sector leaders, and a monthly stipend. The conference included expert presentations and panel discussions by leaders from the judiciary, academia, industry, and government. Following these, the fellowship candidates presented their research and received feedback from the experts based on which they will refine their research, culminating in final papers to be presented at an international conference planned by BITS Law School in early 2026.
The expert presentations at the event were by:
- Special address – Dr. Unnat Pandit, Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trademarks (CGPDTM) at the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India
- Mr. Rajesh Kumar Pathak, Director General, Bharat 6G Alliance
- Mr. Ashutosh Kumar, Senior Partner, Singh & Singh Associates
- Ms. Chitra Iyer, Director & Licensing Program Leader, Philips India
- Dr. Igor Nikolic, Director, Intellectual Property Policy, Nokia
- Mr. Jishnu Aravindakshan, Principal Product Architect, Tejas Networks
- Dr. Julie Carlson, Director, Economic Strategy, Qualcomm
- Dr. Manveen Singh, Professor & Associate Dean, Jindal Global Law School
- Mr. Nishant Sharma, Lead Counsel (IP & Litigation), Dolby India
- Mr. S K Murthy, Founder & Managing Partner, SK Legal Solutions and Ex Patent Counsel, Intel India
- Ms. Sheetal Chopra, Director, IPR Policy, Ericsson India
- Ms. Uta Schneider, Vice President, Global Government Affairs, Avanci
- Mr. Victor Vaibhav Tandon, Senior Associate, Saikrishna & Associates
- Mr. Satyoki Koundinya, Counsel – Licensing, Litigation, IP Policy Advocacy, Nokia
The Innovation Law & Policy Fellowship 2025–26 marks a significant step in nurturing research at the intersection of law, technology, and innovation. By fostering dialogue between scholars and sectoral experts, CRISP and BITS Law School aim to contribute meaningfully to India’s evolving policy and legal landscape in the digital and innovation economy.
