Traditional Knowledge in Modern India: Preservation, Promotion, Ethical Access and Benefit Sharing Mechanisms

Description

This book demonstrates how traditional knowledge can be connected to the modern world. Human knowledge of housing, health and agriculture dates back thousands of years, with old wisdom developing and becoming modern. But in the past few decades, global communities have increasingly become aware that some of this valuable knowledge has fallen by the wayside. This has sparked systematic efforts at the local, national and global levels to connect this neglected knowledge to the modern world. It discusses the origin of the topic, its importance, recent developments in India and abroad, and what is being done and still needs to be done in order to preserve India’s traditional knowledge. The discussions address a broad range of fields and organizations: from Basmati rice to Ayurvedic cosmetics; from traditional irrigation and folk music to modern drug discovery and climate change adaptation; and from the Biodiversity Convention to the WHO, WTO and WIPO. Front Matter ....Pages i-xvii The Manufacture of the ‘Traditional’ (Nirmal Sengupta)....Pages 1-30 Global Mechanisms of Protection and Sharing (Nirmal Sengupta)....Pages 31-51 Traditional Knowledge for Basic Needs (Nirmal Sengupta)....Pages 53-77 Biodiversity and Genetic Resources (Nirmal Sengupta)....Pages 79-103 Traditional Knowledge in Manufacturing and Industry (Nirmal Sengupta)....Pages 105-125 Traditional Cultural Expressions, Expressions of Folklore (Nirmal Sengupta)....Pages 127-152 Miscellaneous Other Uses (Nirmal Sengupta)....Pages 153-163 Conclusion (Nirmal Sengupta)....Pages 165-168 Back Matter ....Pages 169-177