The Role of Intellectual Property Rights in Traditional Knowledge Protection for Furthering Sustainability and Biodiversity Conservation

ABSTRACT

India is a country blessed with a rich cultural heritage passed down from generation to generation as a matter of right and duty. As a part of a privileged community, we inherit the right to use the legacy left behind by our ancestors for further growth and development of mankind. Conversely, we also owe an obligation to preserve these endowments we received from our forefathers as traditional knowledge for posterity. Using the resources bestowed upon us in an eco-friendly and participative demeanor is the cornerstone of modern-day parlance on sustainability. The present research paper addresses the exigency of traditional knowledge management through IPR for protection against misappropriation and undue exploitation for commercial gains. It also aims at drawing a confluence between traditional knowledge protection and environmental conservation through robust IPR strategies.