Industrial Designs and Folklore: A Comparative Study in Indian perspective

Abstract

The Traditional Cultural Expressions (TCEs), Folklore, as part of a nation's cultural legacy, is seen as a vital component of its identity. Traditional Cultural Expressions, the Folklore, may be described as knowledge that has been produced over the time, perpetuated, and passed down from generation to generation within a community, and which has become a part of that group's identity. Both emerging and developed nations recognise the value of TCEs and Folklores. However, the rights of those who preserve these cultural expressions/ folklores are not adequately safeguarded. The present paper compares the protection of Folklore in India to those of other major countries. With reference to folklore, the paper also analyses probable IPR overlaps in the context of industrial designs, copyrights, trademarks and other IPRs. The strategies and means of protecting folklore in the present IPR regime in India and other major countries are also discussed in this paper.