Google to Digitize 800,000 Books at Mysore University

One of the recurring themes here on Mera Bharat Mahan is the protection of India's heritage, be it natural or cultural, tangible or intangible. From Hindustan Times via Hindu Press International:

Google will digitize 100, 000 manuscripts, many inscribed on paper and palm leaves, held by University of Mysore. Topics cover ayurveda, mathematics, medicine, science, astrology and economy. In addition, Google will digitize 700,000 books held by Mysore University. All digitization will be done free of charge.

This is wonderful - using modern technology to protect traditional knowledge.

Traditional Knowledge Digital Library

India: Breathe in, and hands off our yoga | csmonitor.com

I hate the title (because really the article isn't saying hands off "our" yoga; it's saying that traditional knowledges should be attributed to their source in India), but the content of this article is good news:

An online Traditional Knowledge Digital Library has been established so that others can't exploit traditional Indian knowledge as novel for patent and gain.

By documenting traditional Indian knowledge, many formulations would be regarded as "prior art," that is, previously existing knowledge about the applications of a product. Patent applications are usually rejected if there is prior art on the product.

You may visit the Traditional Knowledge Data Library at http://203.200.90.6/tkdl/langdefault/common/home.asp.