On the occasion of the Recognised Group of APAA of India (RGAI) heading towards its full maturity of 21st year since its establishment, I am pleased to provide this message.
I recall with pride and pleasure assisting then President of APAA, Mr William Howie, in the organization of the inaugural meeting of the RGAI in New Delhi 20 years ago through the great efforts of Mr. N.K. Anand and Mr. Pravin Anand. Additional Solicitor General, Mr. K.T.S. Tulsi, was elected as the first President. Following the formation of the RGAI, Mr. Howie and I went to Karachi and Dhaka and formed the Recognised Groups of Pakistan and Bangladesh, thereby achieving the objective of Mr. Howie to establish Recognised Groups of APAA in the major jurisdictions of the Indian Subcontinent.
Significant achievements of RGAI are many, notable of which are:
Firstly, apart from the joint venture forum of APAA-FICPI in New Delhi in February 2000, the very successful, enjoyable and significant 51st Council Meeting of APAA in New Delhi in 2005, organized by Mr. Jyoti Sagar and his Organising Committee Members. This meeting was to have been officiated by the then President of the Republic of India, Dr. Abdul Kalam, which would have been the first occasion in the history of APAA that a Head of State graced our Annual Meeting. However due to reasons of State, Dr. Kalam could not attend and the Council Meeting was opened by the Chief Justice of India, which was a first for APAA.
Secondly, I understand that the RGAI has acted as a catalyst in the transformation of the functions of the Intellectual Property Office of India – whereas previously it took years to secure Trademark and Patent registrations due to decades of back-log, it is now possible to obtain registrations within the shortest time frame.
Council Members from RGAI have actively contributed considerably to the advancement of the objects and success of the activities of APAA.
I congratulate all past and present leaders and members of the Recognised Group of APAA of India on the occasion of this milestone achievement and wish them continued service to practitioners in the Intellectual Property arena.
Dato V L Kandan
Past President (2003-2006)
Asian Patent Attorneys Association |
