DD India

Daren Tang, the Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) paid a visit to the CSIR-Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) facility in India on October 12.

TKDL is a pioneering initiative of India to protect Indian traditional medicinal knowledge and prevent its misappropriation at International Patent Offices. Traditional Knowledge (TK) is a valuable yet vulnerable asset to indigenous and local communities who depend on TK for their livelihood. The healthcare needs of more than 70% population and livelihood of millions of people in India is dependent on traditional medicine. He discussed the CSIR Innovation System, TKDL, CSIR Technologies, and CSIR’s Intellectual Property (IP) Strength and Strategy.

TKDL is proving to be an effective deterrent against bio-piracy and has been recognized internationally as a unique effort.

DSIR Secretary N. Kalaiselvi discussed CSIR’s proud history of intellectual property, including its policy and strategy. Daren Tang expressed his appreciation for CSIR’s innovations and the potential for collaboration between CSIR and WIPO, which he believes could contribute to the global innovation ecosystem. He emphasized the importance of India’s long-standing science and technology capacity and commended CSIR’s activities related to TKDL, IP focused on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Patinformatics, and IP Audit. WIPO expressed its support for a fruitful partnership with CSIR.

It showcased the digitization of ancient Indian texts on traditional medicine, such as Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa, Yoga, and third-party submissions aimed at preventing the improper granting of intellectual property rights.

WIPO delegates interacted with the CSIR-TKDL team to understand the interdisciplinary nature of their work and its impact as a unique database of traditional knowledge. Daren Tang and his WIPO team acknowledged the significance of TKDL and highlighted its importance for South-South cooperation.

At the exhibition, CSIR presented its globally recognized technologies and potential groundbreaking technological endeavours currently in development. WIPO’s Director General and the CGPDTM praised CSIR’s objective-driven technologies supported by a well-thought-out IP strategy. They also requested that details of these showcased CSIR technologies be included in the national IP Compendium, an initiative by the Office of the CGPDTM.

TKDL is an Indian initiative that safeguards the country’s traditional knowledge from wrongful patents, particularly at international patent offices. TKDL contains digitized information from India’s traditional medicine, including Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, and Sowa Rigpa, making this knowledge accessible in multiple international languages.

WIPO serves as the global forum for intellectual property services, policies, information, and cooperation. As a self-funding agency of the United Nations with 193 member states, WIPO’s mission is to develop a balanced and effective international IP system that promotes innovation and creativity for the benefit of all.

WIPO plays a crucial role in shaping international IP rules, providing global services for IP protection and dispute resolution, and facilitating cooperation and capacity building in all countries.