The Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) is a pioneering initiative of India, under the joint collaboration of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Ministry of Ayush, to prevent exploitation and to protect Indian traditional knowledge at Patent Offices worldwide. The TKDL includes India’s rich traditional knowledge related to the systems of medicine from classical/ traditional books related to Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Sowa Rigpa as well as practices of Yoga. The information from the ancient texts of medicine and health existing in local languages such as Sanskrit, Hindi, Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Tamil, Bhoti, etc. have been digitized in five international languages, namely, English, French, German, Spanish and Japanese in the TKDL database as prior art.

A total of 418885 formulations including 119269 in Ayurveda, 236399 in Unani, 54689 in Siddha, 4151 in Yoga and 4377 in Sowa Rigpa have been transcribed so far into the TKDL database.

As per the extant Government of India approvals in place, the access of the database is given to patent offices world-wide that have signed non-disclosure access agreements with the CSIR. Fourteen patent offices including the Indian Patent Office (Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trade Marks), European Patent Office, US Patent Office, Japanese Patent Office, German Patent Office, Canadian Patent Office, Chile Patent Office, Australian Patent Office, UK Patent Office, Malaysian Patent Office, Russian Patent Office, Peru Patent Office, Spanish Patent & Trademark Office and Danish Patent & Trademark Office have been granted access to the TKDL database.

The CSIR-TKDL Unit also files third party observations and pre-grant oppositions on patent applications related to Indian traditional knowledge based on the TKDL evidences.

So far, 265 patent applications have been either withdrawn/deemed withdrawn or amended or set aside on the basis of TKDL evidence thus protecting Indian traditional knowledge.

As per the information received from CSIR, The TKDL activity is not supported under a scheme. It is implemented through Projects. The amount allocated for TKDL during FY 2021-22 is Rs. 1141.350 lakh.

 Under the national Biological Diversity Act, 2002 & Rules, 2004, the National Biodiversity Authority has been pursuing efforts on People’s Biodiversity Register (PBR). The register is a tool for formal recording and maintenance of comprehensive information on availability and knowledge of local biological resources, their medicinal or any other use. The CSIR-Traditional Knowledge Digital Library Unit has signed a Non-Disclosure Agreement with the National Biodiversity Authority for evaluating and identifying modalities for possible inclusion of information from the People’s Biodiversity Register (PBR) into the TKDL database.

This information was given by Minister of Ayush Shri Sarbananda Sonowal in a written reply in Lok  Sabha today.

SK

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