EXAMINING THE CONFLICT BETWEEN COPYRIGHT AND TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE PROTECTION VIS-À-VIS YOGA SEQUENCES

Abstract Traditional knowledge systems are very intrinsically linked with the cultural beliefs and lifestyles of the communities developing them; thus, being of more importance to these communities than simply resources for commercial gain. The practical benefits of traditional knowledge havealso morally restrained traditional knowledge holders from restricting the knowledge’s use outside their communities. Efforts of foreign entities to monetarily gain by monopolising this knowledge has therefore, received much criticism and has negatively affected the rights of traditional knowledge holders in this regard. This has precisely been the case with Yoga as the traditional knowledge of India; the Bikram Yoga empire in the United States being one such example. In this paper, the author attempts to analyse the disparaging consequences on India’s traditional knowledge, resulting from the commercialisation of yoga and obtaining yoga-related copyrights by commercial entities; highlighting the need for a change their approach. The launch of the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library, amuch needed initiative of the Indian Government to curb the proliferation of this“yoga piracy”, will also be discussed as a plausible solution to this practice