YOGA MAY LOSE INDIAN ESSENCE

If the United States has its way, Yoga may no longer remain an Indian treasure. The US Patent Office has granted American companies patents and copyrights to yoga-related accessories.

That's not all. A Los Angeles-based yoga guru Bikram Chaudhury has patented 26 asanas, which he says are postures developed from the ancient tradition.

Yoga guru Baba Ramdev is one concerned man, all thanks to the United States Patent Office. Ramdev pulls no punches, while slamming American companies with yoga-related patents.
"Jo roz daaru-meat khate ho, aur apne-aap ko yogi likhte hon aur uske baad mein surkhiyon mein bane rehne ke liye ulte-seedhe kaam karte ho, yeh unka sirf surkhiyon mein bane rehne ka prayas rehta hai (People consuming non-vegetarian and liqour cannot be granted patents. They are trying to create an unwanted furore," Ramdev says.

According to the US Patent Office, 150 yoga-related copyrights, 134 patents on yoga accessories and 2315 yoga trademarks have been granted.

The Indian Government has created a traditional knowledge digital library, so that this information is available for the patent offices to see whether a patent should be granted or not.

But work on yoga has not begun, although the task force on yoga was formed in 2003.
"The serious matter is that patentability is an important factor, which is not getting defined as to what should be patented and what should not be patented. Normally, patents should be granted only for basic invention," remarks B K Keayla, convener of National Working Group on Patent Laws.

Section 3 of the Indian Patents Act clearly mentions that known traditional knowledge cannot be patented. Taking this as a cue, Parliamentarians are raising their voices against the American companies.

"Jiste usme asanon ka varnan hai - yam, niyam asan aur pranayam - yeh chaar strong yog hain. Lekin unhone saare ke saare asanon ka bhaashit kiya hai. Sarkar ko turant isme karwayi karni chahiye (Indian Government should do something about this issue as most of the asanas are there in our old books)," BJP spokesperson V K Malhotra reacts.

There has been a hue and cry in the past also on neem and turmeric patents where patents had to be revoked but after spending millions of dollars.

The most viable option perhaps now before the Indian Government is to expedite the database creation process on yoga or probably file an opposition before yoga no longer is considered India's wealth.