Guest Session on Intellectual Property Rights by Mr. Shikhar Pandit & Mrs. Pooja Pandey – 25th February 2026

Embark College organized a timely and highly relevant Guest Session on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) for students from the MBA September 2025 Intake and MBA January 2025 Intake on 25th February 2026. The session was jointly facilitated by Mrs. Pooja Pandey, Principal Associate at Gandhi & Associates, and Mr. Shikhar Pandit, Partner at Gandhi & Associates one of Nepal’s prominent law firms recognized for its expertise in corporate, commercial, and intellectual property matters. Together, this experienced duo delivered a comprehensive, practitioner-led exploration of IPR fundamentals, protection strategies, enforcement challenges, and their strategic importance for businesses in Nepal’s growing economy.

The session targeted MBA students who are building foundational and advanced business knowledge,
many of whom aspire to entrepreneurial ventures, corporate leadership, consulting, or roles in
innovation-driven sectors. Mrs. Pandey and Mr. Pandit opened by underscoring that intellectual property
is no longer a peripheral legal concern but a core asset that drives competitive advantage, attracts
investment, enables licensing revenue, and safeguards innovation in an increasingly knowledge-based
economy. In Nepal’s context marked by rising startups, hydropower and infrastructure projects, digital
services, creative industries, tourism branding, and foreign direct investment, strong IPR understanding
helps entrepreneurs protect ideas, negotiate better partnerships, and navigate international trade
requirements.

Mrs. Pooja Pandey led the discussion on foundational and practical aspects of IPR in Nepal. She provided
a clear overview of the key categories protected under Nepali law: patents for inventions and
technological innovations, trademarks for brands and logos, copyrights for literary, artistic, and software
works, industrial designs for aesthetic features, and geographical indications for region-specific products like tea, coffee, or handicrafts. She explained the registration processes through the Department of Industry, timelines, costs, and common pitfalls such as inadequate prior art searches or weak descriptions that often lead to rejections or weak protection. Drawing from her work at Gandhi &
Associates, she shared anonymized examples of assisting clients in trademark filings for emerging Nepali
brands, copyright registrations for digital content creators, and patent applications in renewable energy
and biotech sectors illustrating how timely IP protection prevents imitation and builds long-term value.

Mr. Shikhar Pandit complemented this with insights into the strategic and enforcement dimensions of
IPR. As a Partner overseeing corporate and hydropower practices at the firm, he highlighted how IP
intersects with business strategy: licensing agreements, joint ventures, technology transfers, franchising,
and M&A due diligence where IP valuation and due diligence are critical. He addressed Nepal-specific
enforcement challenges, limited judicial specialization in IP cases, delays in litigation, border control
issues for counterfeits, and the role of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. He emphasized
proactive strategies: conducting IP audits, implementing internal protection policies, monitoring
infringements via watch services, and leveraging international treaties (Nepal is party to TRIPS, Berne
Convention, and Paris Convention) for cross-border protection. Mr. Pandit also touched on emerging
areas like IP in digital assets, software protection, data rights, and the growing relevance of trade secrets
in competitive industries.

The facilitators wove in ethical and societal considerations, urging students to view IPR as a tool for
responsible innovation encouraging fair competition, rewarding creativity, and supporting Nepal’s push
toward a knowledge economy while avoiding monopolistic abuses. They discussed the balance between
protection and access, particularly in sectors like pharmaceuticals, education, and agriculture.
The session featured interactive elements: students analyzed mini-cases involving hypothetical Nepali
startups facing IP disputes (e.g., brand name conflicts or software code theft), participated in group
discussions on registration strategies, and engaged in role-plays simulating client consultations. Mrs.
Pandey and Mr. Pandit provided real-time feedback, helping participants apply concepts to practical
scenarios relevant to their MBA coursework, capstone projects, or future business plans.

The combined expertise of the facilitators added exceptional depth. Mrs.Pooja Pandey, as Principal
Associate at Gandhi & Associates, brings specialized knowledge in IP filings, prosecution, and advisory
work tailored to Nepal’s regulatory framework. Mr. Shikhar Pandit, a Partner with strong recognition in
corporate and hydropower sectors (noted in Chambers rankings for contractual and sectoral expertise),
offers a broader strategic lens on how IP integrates into business transactions, foreign investment, and
innovation management. Their collaborative delivery from the same respected firm made the insights
cohesive, credible, and directly applicable.

The session concluded with an engaging Q&A covering career pathways: pursuing IP-related
specializations, certifications, internships at law firms or corporate IP departments, starting IP-focused
ventures, or advising startups on protection strategies. Students left with heightened awareness of IPR as a business enabler, practical steps to safeguard ideas, and inspiration to incorporate IP thinking into their entrepreneurial and managerial journeys.

Embark College continues its dedication to industry-relevant, forward-thinking education by partnering
with leading professionals like Mrs. Pooja Pandey and Mr. Shikhar Pandit. Such sessions equip MBA
students with not only theoretical knowledge but the practical, Nepal-contextualized understanding of
intellectual property rights essential for innovating responsibly, competing globally, and contributing to
Nepal’s economic transformation.