Abstract

Traditional knowledge is the knowledge, skills, and practices that are established, maintained, and within a community, passed down from generation to generation and which are often integral to the community's cultural or spiritual identity. Because indigenous people have protected and maintained most of the world's biodiversity, traditional knowledge must be preserved in order for the environment to be conserved and developed sustainably. It is critical to be aware of genetic resources and other bio-resources in order to preserve and conserve them. Bio-piracy lies at the base of the dilemma of traditional knowledge protection. Bio-piracy occurs when traditional knowledge is commercially exploited without the consent of the indigenous or local peoples who own the knowledge. India needs to embrace a balanced and diverse strategy as it moves forward in the twenty-first century to become a global area. The marginalized and vulnerable indigenous populations, which make up about 10% of the total population, play an important role in this regard. Their ancestors' expertise can be used to infuse the ethics in a variety of areas. In post-covid 19 circumstances, where the world is rapidly depleting its natural resources, promoting traditional knowledge (TK) could become an endeavour for their regeneration. This paper discusses the basics of traditional knowledge, how it can be protected, international conventions and role of intellectual property rights with respect to traditional knowledge.

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