Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL)

About Traditional Knowledge Digital Library(TKDL)-

• The TKDL is an Indian digital knowledge repository of traditional knowledge, especially about medicinal plants and formulations used in Indian systems of medicine.
• Set up in 2001, as a collaboration between the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Ministry of Ayush. 
• The objective of the library is to protect the ancient and traditional knowledge of the country from exploitation through biopiracy and unethical patents, by documenting it electronically and classifying it as per international patent classification systems.
• It provides information in languages and format understandable by patent examiners at Patent Offices worldwide, to prevent the erroneous grant of patents.  
• The TKDL currently contains information from existing literature related to Indian Systems of Medicine such as Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa and Yoga.  
• The information is documented in a digitized format in five international languages which are English, German, French, Japanese and Spanish.
• Until now, access to the complete TKDL database is restricted to 14 Patent Offices worldwide for the purposes of search and examination.  
• The approval of the Cabinet to widen the access of the database beyond patent offices lays emphasis on integrating and co-opting traditional knowledge with current practices towards enhancing innovation and trade.
• The recent move by the government is aimed to drive research & development, and innovation based on India’s traditional knowledge.