NEW DELHI: India has taken a strong view against the granting of copyrights and patents to yoga postures by the U.S. Patents and Trademarks Office (USPTO) and asked its mission in Washington to take up the matter with "relevant authorities" as it amounted to blatant misuse of traditional knowledge.

The Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) has written to the Department of Industrial and Policy Promotion under the Union Commerce and Industry Ministry on the issue that has, in turn, brought the matter to the notice of the Indian mission in Washington to be taken up with the U.S. Trade Representative.

"Since the claims of the USPTO having issued 150 yoga-related copyrights, 134 patents on yoga accessories, and 2,315 yoga trademarks are based only on newspaper reports, we have asked our Indian mission to ascertain the facts first," an official told The Hindu here on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, the Union Secretary Department of AYUSH held a meeting with her counterpart in the Union Commerce and Industry Ministry where the issue was discussed at length and decided to take up the matter with the U.S.

Most of these patents have been obtained by people of Indian origin. The "kriyas," as enumerated in ancient texts, have been known for thousands of years and India can challenge the granting of copyrights on a premise that the product or the postures — in this case — are already known.

Massive project

India has won similar cases in patents granted to turmeric and neem. To ensure that similar situations do not recur, the Government is working on a massive project to compile and digitise formulations on traditional and alternative forms of treatment.

Over 1.20 lakh ayurvedic and unani formulations have already been compiled, while the work on yogic kriyas and asanas and siddha formulations will be completed by December.

These will be made available to patent offices in the U.S. and the E.U.

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