Celebrating 20 Years of IP Excellence

Accessibility

Accessibility of Science to Persons with Blindness: Miles and Miles To Go

In my earlier post, I spoke about the legal framework for access of information and data to persons with blindness and other disabilities from the copyright and disabilities statute perspectives. In the article, I pointed out that access has been placed at less than one (1) percent and that the proportion of access is diminishing as the universe of information is expanding at a rapid rate. Sources and forms of information are changing so fast that   that accessibility is finding…

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This image depicts a toothpaste tube shaped like a banana. It raises the question of such possibility. This post explores how traditional knowledge is used and misused by patents. Click on the image to read the full post.

Traditional Knowledge: Use or Misuse?

First Publication Date: 28th October 2010.   Misuse of traditional knowledge and measures to prevent the same have been attracting attention since the turmeric patent controversy. After successfully revoking turmeric patent claims that formed part of traditional knowledge, the Indian government has taken numerous initiatives ranging from legislative and policy changes to documentation and creation of a library of information (TKDL). With the press and media joining the effort, the awareness with respect to rights of traditional knowledge holders , actions…

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This image depicts a person in a yoga asana. His body has been divided into the traditional four zones targetted by yoga healing. This post explores if the way of performing yoga may be patented. Click on the image to read the full post.

Can a Method of Performing Yoga be Patented?

  First Publication Date: 9th June 2010   The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has recently incorporated materials on yoga to the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL). The materials include data on various yoga postures and videos relating to them. The information on yoga has been collected by CSIR from ancient Indian texts such as Patanjali. As per Dr. Gupta from CSIR, the addition of the materials to TKDL will play an important role in preventing patent grants relating to yoga…

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Intellectual Property

Public Access to TKDL under an Open Source Model

First Publication Date: 16th January 2010 This is in furtherance of the post on opening the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) for public access in order to further research and development of traditional knowledge. As I had stated in my post, making TKDL available under an open source model would enable the development of traditional knowledge and also safeguard the interests of traditional knowledge holders ("Holders"). The model I am proposing hereunder is based on the success of the…

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The featured image is of the Lion Capital which consists of the Ashoka Chakra, with a horse and bull on either sides, and an hoisted Indian flag below it. The Lion Capital is the national emblem of India. The image is related to the post as it is a part of the Sinapse Series"Intellectual Property (IP) in India: A Decade of Progress". To read the post click here.

Intellectual Property (IP) in India: A Decade of Progress Part 10

The post below highlights the achievements of the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library or TKDL in the previous decade. 20 years ago, two patents pushed the Indian government into a full panic mode. These two patents were none other than the infamous Turmeric and Neem patents. In 1995, Suman K. Das and Hari Har P. Cohly were granted a US patent on ‘Use of Turmeric in Wound Healing’, and in the same year, WR Grace was granted a patent for neem-based bio…

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