Justice Prathiba M Becomes First Indian Judge in IP Hall of Fame

By: Women Entrepreneurs Review Team | Thursday, 25 June 2026

Justice Prathiba M. Singh, a Delhi High Court judge, has been appointed as the first Indian judge to be a part of the prestigious International IP Hall of Fame 2026. The award is for her immense contribution towards the growth of intellectual property (IP) law and jurisprudence in India.

The award was awarded at the Intellectual Property Business Congress (IPBC) Global 2026 in San Diego, California on June 16. Justice Prathiba was inducted with the noted Italian IP practitioner Roberto Dini and the late Professor William Cornish (British-Australian).

Justice Prathiba was acknowledged for her trailblazing efforts in establishing the framework of India's intellectual property rights system. Throughout the years she has made a significant contribution to the evolution of the nation's IP jurisprudence, the policy arena and a strong legal environment for IP protection. She is widely recognized in the field and currently serves as Chairperson of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Advisory Board of Judges.

IP Hall of Fame was founded in 2006 by Intellectual Asset Management (IAM) to recognize people who have made outstanding contributions to the global progress of intellectual property law and practice. The global nomination and peer-review process for inductees is conducted by the IP Hall of Fame Academy, a group of renowned judges, academics and IP professionals from around the globe.

Key Highlights:

• First Indian Judge inducted into the International IP Hall of Fame 2026
• Honored for advancing India's intellectual property law
• Recognition of India's growing leadership in global IP

Reflecting on India’s growing role in intellectual property, she said, "India is now a momentous country for IP. It is making tremendous strides in IP. This year we've had more than 150,000 patent applications filed in India which itself shows the kind of innovation that's taking place in India."

She also highlighted the institutional developments in Indian courts, stating, "The IP divisions in the Delhi High Court and other High Courts in the country have given exclusive dedicated IP benches for dealing with IP disputes and India is the go-to IP country right now as I realize from the recent spate of SEP litigations that Indian courts are dealing and adjudicating. I do believe that my induction into the IP Hall of Fame is recognition of India's leadership in IP."

Concluding her remarks on a personal note, Justice Singh dedicated the honor to her family, colleagues and the nation, saying, "I dedicate this award to my family and to my friends. My husband Maninder Singh and my son Karmanya are here. I miss my daughter who's not here. I also dedicate this award to the Delhi High Court and to my country India."

In her acceptance speech, Justice Prathiba expressed gratitude to her family, colleagues, the Delhi High Court and the country and dedicated the award to them. She accepted the support from her husband senior advocate Maninder Singh and her son Karmanya, and said that she was missing her daughter at the function.

During the ceremony, the 20th anniversary of the International IP Hall of Fame was also celebrated. In the presence, IAM Editor Rachel Mountain emphasized that the Hall of Fame has honored the achievements of the people who have contributed to the growth of the global IP system, driving innovation and inspiring future generations of IP lawyers, policymakers, and business leaders over the last 20 years. The IP Hall of Fame Academy also elects the year's winner of the Q Todd Dickinson Award for excellence in advancing the evolution of IP as a strategic business asset.