THE WEST BENGAL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF JURIDICAL SCIENCES

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND TECHNOLOGY LAWS SOCIETY

PROJECT PROPOSAL

‘EXPLORATION OF TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE IN WEST BENGAL’

PROJECT PROPOSED
Given that West Bengal is the cultural hub of the country, there is immense scope for
exploration of traditional knowledge with respect to cultural expressions in the same.
With close to over 40 tribes in the region, we aim to implement a prototype of the WIPO
Training Programme, i.e. incentivise locals on the need for preserving and recording
their culture and inform them about intellectual property and its ability to create a
sustainable livelihood.

BRIEF BACKDROP
Indigenous and local people from around the world are the creators and custodians of a
rich body of traditional knowledge in the form of traditional cultural expressions, i.e.
music, art, dance, handicrafts, etc. Such expressions form the peoples’ cultural and
spiritual identity. However, such have been repeatedly imitated, reworked and sold
without their authorization. In this paradigm, the concept of traditional knowledge and
intellectual property expounds that communities themselves must be benefited from the
profits made from their culture. They must have the ability to control access to and the
use of their indigenous knowledge not only to prevent exploitation but explore the
scope of possible commercialisation.

The WIPO Training Programme provides hands-on training to local communities for
preserving their culture via video recordings, literary pieces, etc. It first gives technical
training on documentation and then proceeds the incentivisation with respect to
intellectual property. This programme was successful in the Kenyan tribe, Maasai
where an active process of cultural documentation is now in place.

ROADMAP:
Broadly, there are three stages for such a programme to be implemented:
(a) On book identification of local communities and their distinct culture.
(b) On field identification of local communities and their distinct culture.
(c) Filed visits and incentivisation process.

AVAILABLE AVENUES
For the purpose of on-book research, we can resort to institutes such as the Zonal
Cultural Centre, Kolkata (Salt Lake City) and The Lalit Kala Akademi, Kolkata. Both
these institutes maintain extensive records of local culture which are available in public
domain.
This preliminary research can then be accompanied by field visits to the respective sites
and hence, taken further.
Contact details:
Zonal Cultural Centre, Sector 3, Kolkata: 033 2335 6796
Lalit Kala Akademi, 85, AJC Bose Road.

MAN POWER REQUIREMENT

For the purpose of preliminary research, a team of a few students, accustomed with the
field of intellectual property and art and culture are required.
Field visits would require an extensive team of students comfortable with travelling and
proficient in Bengali for the purposes of one-on-one interaction.
We may also require a documentation and blogging team.

BUDGETING
The preliminary research process would not entail much expenditure apart from cab
fares to the aforementioned institutes.
However, the later half of the project, i.e. field visits would entail substantial
expenditure with respect to train travel to villages, access to technical equipment, etc.