Lok Sabha Question No. 3220 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-19
Subject: Traditional Knowledge Digital Library
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Shri Dineshbhai Makwana

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3220

(TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.03.2025)

## TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE DIGITAL LIBRARY

## 3220.  SHRI DINESHBHAI MAKWANA:

## Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  the  Traditional  Knowledge  Digital  Library (TKDL)  which  has  been  set  up  as  an  Indian  digital  knowledge repository of traditional knowledge; and
- (b) the progress made in this  regard along with the benefits realized thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES

(DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

- (a) The Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) is a prior art database of Indian traditional knowledge established in 2001, jointly by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Department of Indian Systems of Medicine and Homeopathy (Dept. of ISM&H, now Ministry of AYUSH). The TKDL was established to prevent misappropriation  of  Indian  traditional  knowledge  (TK)  by  way  of intellectual  property  rights.  The  TKDL  currently  contains  information from  ancient  texts  related  to  ISM  such  as  Ayurveda,  Unani,  Siddha, Sowa Rigpa and Yoga. The information from ancient texts of medicine and health existing in local languages such as Sanskrit, Hindi, Arabic, Persian,  Urdu,  Tamil,  Bhoti  etc.,  have  been  transcribed  into  five international languages, namely English, French, German, Spanish and Japanese in the TKDL database. The TKDL thus serves as a robust prior art database of Indian TK information therewith offering the information in languages and format understandable by patent examiners at Patent Offices worldwide. The TKDL thus prevents erroneous grant of patents by patent offices.

The access to this database is given to patent offices world-wide that have  signed  Non-disclosure  Access  Agreements  with  the  CSIR,  for search of TKDL evidences in the context of patent applications filed with  them.  The  TKDL  prior  art  database  is  currently  available  to  17 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, Philippines Patent Office, Chile Patent Office, Australian Patent Office,  UK  Patent  Office,  Malaysian  Patent  Office,  Russian  Patent Office, Peru Patent Office, Spanish Patent & Trademark Office, Danish Patent  and  Trademark  Office,  National  Industrial  Property  Institute (INPI, France) and Eurasian Patent Organization. In  addition to the use of TKDL database by patent offices, the CSIRTKDL Unit also files third-party observations/pre-grant oppositions on patent applications that have relevance to Indian traditional knowledge. This defensive protection through TKDL  has been effective in safeguarding Indian traditional knowledge from misappropriation, and is considered a global benchmark. (b) A  total  of  515788  formulations/  techniques  from  the  Indian Systems of Medicine and Yoga practices have been transcribed in the TKDL database so far. This includes 148456 formulations/ techniques in Ayurveda, 264196 in Unani, 88403 in Siddha and 8197 in Sowa Rigpa, and 6536 in Yoga practices. On the basis of TKDL evidences, so far, 375 patent applications have been either refused, amended or withdrawn/ abandoned, thus protecting Indian traditional knowledge from misappropriation.

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