A break in career helped Dr. Archana Thakur to diversify her area of expertise. She holds a Ph.D. in Organometallic Chemistry, and currently works as an Associate Professor of Chemistry at the Chandigarh University, Mohali, Punjab. She also teaches Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and is playing a key role in creating IP awareness among her students.

After working in academia for a few years, she took a break in her career due to motherhood. Subsequently, she was selected for the WOS-C programme of the Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India, implemented by Technology Information Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC).

During orientation at TIFAC, New Delhi, she learnt the basics of IPR from top IP professionals of the country. She received her training in Intellectual Property Rights from the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology and State Council for Science and Technology, Himachal Pradesh.

During her training, she was exposed to the fascinating world of Patents, Copyrights, and Industrial design and was trained in Prior Art searches, Patentability assessments, and Patent drafting. As part of this fellowship, she prepared a Patent Landscaping Report on medicinal herbs. During her training, she acquired the necessary knowledge and technical skills related to IPR.

After completing her fellowship, she worked as a Patent Associate for one year. She has authored few articles on Patents. She has also done few international courses on Patent Drafting and Management. This also helped her avail the opportunity of the WIPO-South Africa Summer School on Intellectual Property Management in 2021. The experience helped her profile stand out, and the diversified profile helped her in the current career.

“WOS-C is an excellent opportunity for women with scientific background who desire to return to mainstream science after taking a break owing to family obligations or motherhood,” Dr. Archana Thakur pointed out.