AUGUST 2021 | Vol 16 | Issue 09 | Trivandrum, India

Authenticity, Brevity and Clarity in Knowledge Dissemination Issue 188

Crossing the Rubicon OLYMPICS -T.P.Sreenivasan IFS (Retd.) Geographical Indications Athens to Tokyo -Dr. Raju Narayana Swamy IAS

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Dear readers, Editor’s Another edition of Executive Knowledge Lines is now with you. We at EKL always DESK endeavour to make each issue look different in its content diversity. In selection of content, we always earnestly strive to adopt a multi disciplinary approach. How far we succeed in doing that is a matter to be judged by our esteemed readers. Human life still continues to be on a different plane. Though the grip of the pandemic on mankind has been loosening with the passage of time, the threat of a third wave looms large in many parts of the world as cautioned by experts. When certain calamities befall upon the people, the onus of combating them lies as much on the State as on the citizens to the extent both can do so. has been taking a host of measures to ensure that the citizens are equipped well to face the challenge and threat posed by the growing pandemic. The citizens are being empowered with the right information and precautions as per the Health Ministry’s advisories and best efforts are on to get the entire the population vaccinated. The success of the government’s efforts depends largely on the extent of vigil and compliance on the part of the people. A third wave of the pandemic anticipated to cause an extremely precarious situation, any effort to prevent it would not be too much. This is a responsibility cast on every citizen. It is heartening that this awareness has been gaining grounds. We earnestly hope our readers would find the articles and features in this edition interesting and informative and the issue T.P.Sreenivasan IFS (Retd.) would bring them as much joy as it brings to EKL team. Managing Editor [email protected] Happy reading. www.eklines.com AUGUST 2021 3 Authenticity, Brevity and Clarity in Knowledge Dissemination AUGUST 2021 | Volume 16 | Issue 09 | `50 | Annual Subscription `600

Managing Editor T P Sreenivasan IFS (Retd.) Editor Siji Nair* Executive Editor N Vijayagopalan Executive Director Hari Shanker Advertising & Subscriptions Jayaprakash R P EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Dr. C.V. Ananda Bose IAS (Retd.) James K. Joseph (IA & AS Retd.) Dr. James George Email: [email protected] Padma Shri Prof. Dr. P. Pushpangadan Web: www.eklines.com e-magazine: https://issuu.com/metromart Padma Shri G. Shankar Air Vice Marshal R. Somnath VSM (Retd.) Editorial & Marketing Office MERA 44, Eanthivila lane, G. Rajamohan Murinjapalam, Medical College P.O Dr. C.G. Sukumaran Nair Trivandrum 695 011, Kerala, India Prof. Harimohan Bhattathiri Contact: Dr. K.C. Chandrasekharan Nair Manager ( Knowledge Operations) Tel: 0471 4015593 Mob: 91 9995139933/ 9947733339 Founder: N T Nair

Owned, Edited, Printed and Published by Siji Nair, R M Nivas, TMRA F 6 Pangappara (PO) Thiruvananthapuram Pin 695 581. Printed at Akshara Offset TC 25/3230(1), Vanchiyoor, Thiruvananthapuram 695 035. Editor- Siji Nair RNI No. KERENG/2005/16316 Executive Knowledge Lines is a Monthly Journal Published from Trivandrum. Views and Opinions expressed in the Journal are not necessarily those of the Publishers. Executive Knowledge Lines reserves the right to use the information Published here in any manner whatsoever, while every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information published in this edition, neither the publisher nor any of its employees accept any responsibilities for any errors or omissions. *Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act

4 AUGUST 2021 Executive Knowledge Lines CONTENTS

Olympics- Athens to Tokyo 06

AUGUST 2021 | Volume 16 | Issue 09 | `50 | Annual Subscription `600

42 Blood is Meant to Circulate; Pass It Around 45 Laugh It Away India registered its 12 Research and Development best-ever tally of seven 46 efforts in Ethnobotany, medals at the Olympics Ethnomedicine and Ethno- pharmacology Geographical Indications: 16 54 News Reel Test Your GK 27 58 Reflection Crossing the Rubicon 28 Dear Readers COVID-19: An Update On 32 EKL welcomes feedback/opinion/suggestions from Immunity, Safety esteemed readers. And Efficacy & As a part of our policy of encouraging promising young writers, EKL solicits contributions from Breakthrough readers. The article can be on science and technology/environment/life style/economy/health/ history/economics or other matters of general interest. The length of the article may be limited to not more than 1500 words. One article selected by Corporate Musings 41 our Editorial Team will be published in each issue. Please mail them to [email protected]

www.eklines.com AUGUST 2021 5 Olympics

Olympics Athens to Tokyo Abhijit Sankar

he Post-Covid world, in something extravagant sitting mostly in quarantine, is in the comfort of their homes. now eagerly watching This Olympics, peculiar for its the Tokyo Olympics. closed nature- devoid of an THumankind has been firefighting audience, devoid of cheers, and its worst crisis by narrowing devoid of protests will forever life to a microscopic world of remain in the history of world isolation. Tokyo Olympics comes sports as the first-ever “Closed with messages of hope, survival, Olympics”. The Olympics in the motivation, and solace to an wake of the pandemic is not a already devastated world. People new experience to the world. around the globe can now indulge This had happened before in

6 AUGUST 2021 Executive Knowledge Lines as superhuman and even questioning science through their performance. We have witnessed people turning their struggles into milestones and gaining fame for their country. We have even seen people becoming synonymous with their lands and vice versa. We have found people performing their best and even perishing in the ground. The Olympics is life and a dream for many. They lead a life of toil to reach their dream, to become a better version of themselves, and to evolve “ faster, stronger and higher. Every Olympics is the story of the athletes who put their lives on hold for four years, and the Olympics will be remembered in the name of those whose story became the history of the 1920 at Antwerp when the moment. It can be a moment Olympics was held following the of victory, a moment of loss, or Spanish Flu. History repeats after even a moment of resistance. a century, and indeed this year, the Olympics might have started History of Olympics with a single common prayer The history of the Olympics from every sports enthusiast that begins from 776 BC, in this shouldn’t repeat in any far or Olympia of Greece. Olympics near future. was fundamentally a religious The beauty of the Olympics lies festival, featuring sporting in its uncertainty. It has often events alongside ritual sacrifices been a mixture of victory and fall, honoring Greek Gods Zeus and pride and shame, survival and Pelops. It also featured theatre hope. The merit of the Olympics performances and music. The is unfathomable as it surpasses celebrations were held every four the podium finishes and medals. years at the sanctuary of Zeus, The history of the Olympics featuring competitions between is indisputably the history of the different city-states of humankind. Over the years, the Greece. The ancient Olympics is world has seen people evolving shrouded in myths and religion, www.eklines.com AUGUST 2021 7 being the Greeks’ way of saluting with disabilities and youth their gods. The four years were Olympics were also started by called Olympiads and were used the IOC. as a measurement by ancient Greeks. But when Romans gained Olympics and Politics power and influence in Greece, Olympics is an arena where Olympics lost its glory. In 393 athletes representing various AD, Roman emperor Theodosius countries compete, and hence banned Olympics. there are no individuals but countries. And thus, Olympics in Modern games different points of history have The revival of the Olympic become a center of dispute Games took place in 1896 and and controversies. This makes it has been staged every fourth Olympics a game of countries year since World War I and and whatever befalls people World War II (1916, 1940, 1944). befalls Olympics, such as power, Pierre de Coubertin (1863–1937), politics, or protest. The Olympics a young French nobleman, is of 1936 in Germany became a known as ‘the father of modern stage for protest against the Nazi Olympics’. His determination regime during the period. The and organizational skills have Munich Olympics,1972 witnessed helped the Olympics achieve its 11 participants from Israel by current stature. . He founded the a Palestinian terrorist group at International Olympic Council the Olympic Village. The 1976 (IOC) and organized the Olympic Montreal Olympics is noted for Congress in 1894, which acted as the resistance and messages by a catalyst for the rebirth of the African athletes against apartheid Olympics at the Panathinaikos in South Africa Stadium in Athens in 1896. Two Tokyo Olympics 2020, too, has hundred forty-one athletes not been immune to protests. from 14 different countries People of Japan were skeptical participated in the 1896 games, about the economic crisis that and the USA won 9 events out the Olympics would bring to of 12. their country, whose economy The initial years of the modern is already struggling due to Olympics following the 1896 Covid-19. The presence of the Olympics lacked popular Refugee team right from the Rio support. It remained in a Olympics is another instance that period of stagnation until the makes the Olympics truly a game Paris Olympics, 1924. By 1924, and expression of the people separate winter Olympics was and their existential issues. The started for snow and ice sports. matter of refugees has been in Later on, Paralympics for athletes the air for quite a while, raising

8 AUGUST 2021 Executive Knowledge Lines space, ownership, and belonging. said to be against the Olympics. Their presence in an acclaimed Even the Japanese government’s event like the Olympics throws medical advisor called it some light to an already “abnormal” to hold the Olympics controversial issue. during the Covid-19 pandemic. There are calls from different Tokyo Olympics parts for the cancellation of the It was actually set to be held in event. But more than that, the 2020. But the Covid pandemic real stake in the conduct of the made the event postpone to July games is money itself. Japan, 2021. It is the second time Japan in official figures, spent around is hosting a summer Olympic 15.4 billion USD for this event; Games, the first being in 1964. the unofficial figure could be Earlier in 1940, IOC awarded the double this. Cancellation of the hosting privilege to Tokyo, but games would cost about 3-4 it was cancelled due to Japan’s billion USD from broadcasting invasion of China. The 1964 itself for IOC. But the Japanese Olympics showed the revival of government, despite all the Japan after the Nuclear Disaster. criticism in the air, went ahead This Olympics, too will be a with the games with Naomi symbolic revival of Japan from Osaka lighting the Olympic the Fukushima and Tsunami cauldron, officially inaugurating disasters the country faced in the the event. Now the entire world recent past. has turned its attention to Tokyo. It is an International event The public sentiment in Tokyo is that symbolizes inclusiveness. www.eklines.com AUGUST 2021 9 To an extent, almost all world Refugee Olympic events are global movements of togetherness, as exemplified Team by the Tokyo Olympics’ motto In 2016, in Rio De Janeiro, there “United by Emotions.” Eleven was a Refugee Team that had thousand six hundred fifty-six ten members. In 2015, the IOC athletes and 80000 officials from established a Refugee Emergency 206 countries are participating Fund to help International aid in the event representing the agencies integrate refugees into world’s emotions. This year, 15 the sport and invited refugee new events have been added, athletes to compete in the taking the total number of events Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. to 339 across 33 different sports. This year the team’s size tripled Tokyo Olympics also aims to be to 29 members. It is a message the ‘Greenest Ever’ Olympics, of hope, solidarity, and inclusion powered by renewable energy to the displaced refugees and recycled medals. The game around the world. It shows the is powered solely by renewable commitment of the IOC towards energy. The citations are showcasing the magnitude created from recycled mobile of the Refugee Crisis to the phones and other electrical International Community. items. Japan is paving its own way to champion Clean and India and Olympics Green Energy’s idea and make India is deeply attached to Tokyo a Sustainable city and an cricket, and for many Indians, inspiration to the world. it means to a larger extent, cricket alone. That’s why India is

10 AUGUST 2021 Executive Knowledge Lines far away from being a genuine by Meera Bhai Chanu. sporting nation. But now there India winning only 29 medals are some silver lines. From in the history of the Olympics 2008 onwards, there are signs from 1900 despite being a 1.3 of return with something in the billion people country is not pocket. In many of the events, a big deal and may not be of we have a strong presence and much comfort. Apart from some chance of winning medals. Our sports, we are nowhere in the athletes are no more interested international sporting pursuits, in being identified as Olympians be in football or athletics, and anymore, nevertheless but they in many others. But this tally is want to fetch their names as enough to change our mindset champions. and to cheer for our young The history of India in the athletes. In India for athletes, Olympics begins with a lone a mostly single individual athlete Norman Pritchard from movement where we can cheer 1900 onwards, who won 2 about medals. India has won 29 medals India can become a Sports so far in the Olympics, of which superpower nation but needs our hockey team itself has won a long-term project with 11 medals. K D Jadhav, in the investment and vision. Except 1952 Olympics, won the first for Gopichand academy, we individual medal for independent don’t have expert running India. The next individual medal centers to train our athletes. We was won by Leander Paes in 1996 need advanced training centers at Atlanta Olympics. From there and world-class expertise. on we have had medals in every We have to build a top-class Olympics at the individual level domestic sporting system from through Karnam Malleswari, the ground level itself. The Rajvardhan Singh Rathode example of Germany making and so on. In the 2012 London its mark in football through its Olympics, we secured six medals football academies and clubs which is our best performance to is an example that can be date. emulated in this regard. Here, it This year we have sent our is primarily red taped with our most significant contingent of bureaucratic meander, which is 126 athletes to compete and to be eliminated. Presently our make their mark in Tokyo. We government had initiated some have high hopes in Badminton, solid steps in this direction, but Boxing, Wrestling, Shooting, more steps are needed to make Archery, Hockey, etc. in this year. our nation a genuine sporting In Tokyo, we have won our First nation. Medal, a Silver in Weight Lifting www.eklines.com AUGUST 2021 11 Olympics

INDIA REGISTERED ITS BEST-EVER TALLY OF SEVEN MEDALS AT THE OLYMPICS Secured one gold, two silver, and four bronze medals in Tokyo

eeraj Chopra creates Mirabai Chanu history with Olympic Gold Medal in Javelin (Weightlifting) - throw, 1st ever Athletic Silver Medal Nmedal for India & 2nd ever individual olympic gold medal India has won an Olympic GOLD Medal courtesy Neeraj Chopra’s mammoth throw of 87.58 meters. This is India’s first-ever Athletics Gold Medal & only 2nd ever INDIVIDUAL GOLD medal after Abhinav Bindra’s GOLD in shooting in 2008 Beijing. Here’s a look at all the Indian Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu medallists in Tokyo: won a silver medal as she lifted a total of 202kg (87kg+115kg)

12 AUGUST 2021 Executive Knowledge Lines in the women’s 49 kg category. Chanu finished behind Hou Zhihui of China, who took the gold medal while Indonesia’s Windy Aisah won bronze. This was India’s second overall medal in weightlifting at the Olympics. Weightlifter Karnam Malleswari had previously won bronze at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

PV Sindhu ever Olympic medal in boxing (Badminton) - when she secured a bronze in Bronze Medal the women’s welterweight (64- 69kg) category, following in the footsteps of Vijender Singh and MC Mary Kom’s bronze medals in 2008 and 2012, respectively. She displayed immense grit in her semi-final bout against eventual champion Busenaz Surmeneli of Turkey but lost via unanimous decision. Hong Gu of China secured silver after losing the final to the Turk. India’s badminton star PV Sindhu carried on from where she left at Indian Team (Men’s the last Olympics and brought back another medal for the Hockey) - Bronze country in the women’s singles Medal event. After winning silver in Rio 2016, Sindhu picked up a bronze this time when she overcame China’s He Bing Jiao 21-13, 21-15 in the bronze medal match. Lovlina Borgohain (Boxing) - Bronze Medal The Indian men’s hockey team ended a 41-year medal drought Indian boxer Lovlina Borgohain at the Olympics after defeating picked up the country’s third- Germany 5-4 in a thrilling www.eklines.com AUGUST 2021 13 comeback victory in the bronze country. However, Uguev used his medal match. experience to get over the line, leaving Dahiya to be content with the silver medal. Bajrang Punia (Wrestling) - Bronze Medal

India, eight-time winners of the men’s hockey gold at the Olympics, had last clinched an Olympic medal in the sport at the 1980 Moscow Games, where they won the gold. Bajrang Punia won India’s second wrestling medal as he defeated Ravi Dahiya Kazakhstan’s Daulet Niyazbekov 8-0 in men’s 65kg freestyle to win (Wrestling) - Silver bronze. After losing to Azerbaijan’s Medal Haji Aliyev in the semi-finals, Bajrang dominated his Kazakh opponent to ease to victory in the bronze medal bout. Neeraj Chopra (Javelin Throw) - Gold Medal India’s first-ever Olympic gold in athletics came in Tokyo when Indian wrestler Ravi Dahiya Neeraj Chopra put on a stellar took the second spot in the display to register the best throw men’s freestyle 57kg category of 87.58m in the final to seal the after losing a close final bout to victory. Czech Republic’s Jakub ROC’s Zavur Uguev 4-7. Dahiya Vadlejch and Vitezslav Vesely won showcased great determination silver and bronze, respectively. as he pushed two-time world This was also India’s first gold champion Uguev to his limits medal since Abhinav Bindra in and came agonizingly close to Beijing 2008 and only the second- earning a gold medal for the ever individual gold medal.

14 AUGUST 2021 Executive Knowledge Lines

Industrial Property

Geographical Indications: The Trans Border Dimension: Certain Case Studies from the Indian Subcontinent Dr. Raju Narayana Swamy IAS The Background temperature, moisture etc) or the method of manufacture A geographical indication(GI) or preparation of the product is a sign used on goods that (such as traditional production have a specific geographical methods) or other human origin and possess qualities, factors (such as concentration reputation or characteristics that of similar business in the same are essentially attributable to region). Aranmula Kannadi that place of origin . To put it a , Kancheepuram Silk Saree, bit differently, GI is a category of Pochampally Ikat, Darjeeling Tea IPRs with collective ownership. and Balaramapuram Handloom The special characteristics, are classic examples. Varanasi, quality or reputation may be it must be mentioned here,has due to natural factors (raw emerged as a confluence of material, soil, regional climate, products protected by GIs with

16 AUGUST 2021 Executive Knowledge Lines five GI registrations assigned having a link to their place to this region alone , the most of origin were known by important of which is Banarasi different terminologies such as silk sarees. However, Surat made appellations of origin, indications synthetic sarees and Chinese of source and designations of made sarees are regularly geographical origin. Appellations passed off as Banarasi products of origin, for instance, have been in different markets across defined in the Lisbon Agreement India, much to the chagrin of (Article 2(1)) to mean: “the the genuine Banarasi saree geographical denomination of a producers. country, region or locality which serves to designate a product In the ‘natural chaos’ of originating therein, the quality asymmetrical information, GIs or characteristics of which are can help restore the symmetry due exclusively or essentially to thereof by offering consumers the geographical environment, additional information on the including natural and human product’s quality and reputation factors”. so that they are not adversely placed against the producers . In Thus an appellation of origin his model on reputation, Shapiro is a special category of GIs . suggested that reputation The basic difference between operates as a signalling device the two terminologies is that which transmits information appellation of origin implies a about a certain quality to the stronger link with the place of consumers thereby reducing the origin. Examples of appellations consumer’s search costs . The of origin are Champagne and operation of GIs is quite similar. Tequila. The former indicates a In fact, surveys conducted by special kind of sparkling wine UNCTAD among EU consumers originating in Champagne region show that for GI-registered of France. As regards the latter, agricultural products, consumers which owes its origin to Mexico, are willing to pay a premium there are federal regulations in of upto 10 to 15% whereas for place which governs specific non-agricultural products, the details before it can be labelled premium could range between 5 as Tequila . to 10 percent . As regards indication of source, Appellations WIPO defines it as “an indication referring to a country (or to a of origin and place in that country) as being indications of source the country or place of origin of a product”. Prior to the conclusion of the TRIPS Agreement, products Unlike GI, an indication of source www.eklines.com AUGUST 2021 17 does not imply the presence of states that “there shall be no any special quality, reputation obligation under this Agreement or characteristic of the product to protect GIs which are not or essentially attributable to its cease to be protected in their place of origin. country of origin or which have fallen into disuse in that country”. GI Protection under It is worth mentioning here TRIPS that the TRIPS-mandated GI Article 22 of the TRIPs regime suffers from some Agreement provides a definition inherent limitations including of GIs. Article 22.2 provides that the extended protection for only WTO members “shall provide selected GIs and difficulties of the legal means for interested obtaining protection in foreign parties to prevent jurisdictions . a. The use of any means in the The Indian Scenario designation or presentation of a good that indicates or suggests In India, GI protection is available that the good in question through a sui generis system originates in a geographical operationalized through the area other than the true place Geographical Indications of origin in a manner which of Goods (Registration and misleads the public as to the Protection) Act of 1999 geographical origin of the good. (which came into force on 15th September 2003) and b. any use which constitutes an the Geographical Indications act of unfair competition…”. of Goods (Registration and Thus the use of a GI which does Protection) Rules of 2002. The not mislead the public as to its Intellectual Property Office true origin is not an infringement in Chennai is in charge of GI of the TRIPS Agreement. This Registry in India. is one of the key differences Indian GI Act specifies the goods between the TRIPS protection to be either agricultural goods or given to all goods and the natural goods or manufactured special protection given to wines goods that can qualify as a GI. and spirits. In fact, Art. 23 & 24 Further in the Indian Act if a provide broader protection for producer applies for a GI for GIs for wines and spirits than for a manufactured good, he/she other products. Special mention must make sure that at least one must be made here of the TRIPS of the activities of production, requirement of home protection processing or preparation of (Art. 24.9) which categorically the good must take place in the

18 AUGUST 2021 Executive Knowledge Lines territory. In that sense, the GI the map thereof), particulars of Act is more restrictive than the appearance, details of producers, TRIPS definition. But under the affidavit of how the applicant Act, names that do not denote claims to represent the interest, the name of a country or region special human skill involved if or locality can still be considered any, number of producers and for registration as long as they particulars of inspection structure relate to a specific geographical to regulate the use of GI. areaand are used in relation The application will be examined to goods originating from that by experts appointed by the region, providing a leeway GI Registry. If accepted, the for extending protection to application will be advertised in Alphonso mangoes and Basmati the GI journal for public scrutiny. rice. But if the application is objected Various stages of filing and to by experts, a hearing will take granting of GIs have been place. After advertisement in prescribed by the Registry. In the GI journal, if no objections the first step, the producers’ are received from any public organization or a collective body organization or individual, then ofproducers (like the Tea Board it is deemed as accepted to of India) has to file an application be awarded GI certification. in the prescribed form. The However, if any individual details that need to be provided or producer organization or in the application include: the NGO objects the validity and class of goods, the territory genuiness of the GI, a hearing (including certified copies of takes place and if allowed, the www.eklines.com AUGUST 2021 19 application goes for acceptance Trademarks along with the and registration certificate regulations governing the use is issued. It also needs to be of the mark, specifying the mentioned here that the Indian persons authorized to use the GI Act (Section 32) specifically mark, conditions for membership bars the jurisdiction of civil of the association, conditions courts in this regard. for use of the mark and any sanctions against misuse in the The Pakistani case of a collective mark. The and Bangladeshi regulations are to be approved by the Registrar taking into Scenarios account compliance with the Pakistan has afforded protection requirements to be furnished of GIs through trade mark law- along with the application and namely, Trade Mark Ordinance that they are not contrary to 2001 implemented through Trade public policy or morality. If all Mark Rules 2004. In fact, the the requirements are met, the definition of GI of Pakistan is in application would be accepted. confirmity with TRIPS and could Bangladesh, by contrast, designate goods and services. has enacted a sui generis The Trade Mark Ordinance of GI legislation namely the Pakistan defines goods broadly Geographical Indications to include anything subject to of Goods (Registration and trade, manufacture or commerce. Protection) Act 2013 which However, the Pakistanian legal provides a registration system regime is silent on protection of for some of its reputed local homonymous indications (those and indigenous products. which may be similar in terms However, GI registration is not of spelling or pronunciation compulsory. The Bangladeshi but differ in their meaning and GI Act also provides equal designate goods originating protection for foreign GIs which from different countries). This is are designated as such in the in contrast with the Indian Act official notifications by the which under Section 10 deals Government. The Act recognizes with registration of homonymous the concept of homonymous GIs. GIs and stipulates to consider the Section 28(d) also provides that practical question to differentiate “a registered GI shall be infringed them to ensure equitable by a person if he, not being an treatment of producers of the authorized user thereof…. uses goods concerned and avoiding any other GI to such goods not confusion in the market. originating in the place indicated In Pakistan, the application by such other GI or uses other for registration of GIs is to GI to such goods even indicating be filed with the Registrar of the true origin of such goods or

20 AUGUST 2021 Executive Knowledge Lines uses of other GI to such goods There are other examples in translation of the true origin too-for instance Irish or accompanied by expressions such as kind, style, imitation Whiskey and Ouzo. The or the like…”. Section 21 of the latter, it needs to be Act specifies that registration of mentioned here, comes trademarks can be opposed if it can be shown that the trade from both Greece and mark contains or consists of a Cyprus. Needless to say, GI. the recognition and Cross Border GIs enforcement of shared GIs across borders Cross Border GI (also called trans-border GI) has been should claim more defined as “a GI which originates attention due to its from an area that covers economic attractions in regions, territory or locality of two or more countries where a multilateral trading a given quality, reputation system. or other characteristic of the good is essentially attributable to its geographical origin extending over those countries TRIPS and Cross- ”. Though the majority of GIs are essentially located within Border GIs the territory of a state, there are TRIPS does not explicitly prohibit also a number of GI products the protection of cross-border across the world that have GIs. But it remains silent as to the originated from the territory way out for the determination of two or more countries. A of the precise geographical classic instance is Basmati rice- a origin of a GI where two or more product originating from both countries have competing claims. India and Pakistan. There are In such a situation, member other examples too-for instance countriesmay depend on historical Irish Whiskey and Ouzo. The and geographical evidence, latter, it needs to be mentioned objective legal requirements and here, comes from both Greece shared cultural understandings and Cyprus. Needless to say, the to substantiate their claims over recognition and enforcement GIs across borders . Further, of shared GIs across borders except for a few legislative should claim more attention due provisions in the EU to protect to its economic attractions in a cross border GIs which provide multilateral trading system. for transborder GI registration for agricultural products, www.eklines.com AUGUST 2021 21 foodstuffs and wines (but protection. not for spirits), international The manner in which practices in this regard are WOOLMARK is protected can quite heterogeneous. Classic also be a leading light in this examples of first EU legislations regard. The said mark is a are Regulation 1151/12 of the certification mark collectively European Parliament and of shared by the Wool Boards of the Council of 21st November Australia, New Zealand, South 2012 on Quality Schemes Africa and Uruguay. These for Agricultural Products respective Boards have set up a and Foodstuffs as well as common Secretariat called the Regulation 479/2008 of the International Wool Secretariat European Parliament and of which in turn has established the Council of 29th April 2008 a company called IWS on the Common Organization Nominee Company Ltd which of the Market in Wine. In the is responsible for protection of EU case several groups within the WOOLMARK name and logo different territories may lodge a against all acts of infringement. joint application within the EU Nevertheless, while drawing centralized system. lessons from this example, one Mention must also be made must not forget the basic and here of Art 24.1 of the fundamental differences between Swakopmund Protocol on a private right (certification mark) the Protection of Traditional and the public element (rights of Knowledge and Expressions of a GI). Folklore within the Framework The Geneva Act of the Lisbon of the ARIPO (African Agreement on Appellations Regional Intellectual Property of Origin and GIs which was Organization) adopted by adopted in 2015 extends the the Diplomatic Conference Lisbon system of appellations at Swakopmund (Namibia) of origin to GIs and such which read as follows: “Eligible protection extends further over foreign holders of traditional transborder geographical areas knowledge and expressions of origin. Article 5.4 of the Act of folklore shall enjoy benefits lays down the procedure for of protection to the same joint application in the case of level as holders of traditional a trans-border geographical knowledge and expressions of area. This paves the way for folklore who are the nationals a single registration of cross- of the country of protection”. border GI. But it is only a humble This Article can no doubt be beginning. extended to trans-border GI

22 AUGUST 2021 Executive Knowledge Lines Cross-Border succeeded. In the light of the above jurisprudence, resolution Protection of GIs and of conflicts between trademark the GI- Trademark protection and GI protection in the cross border market place is Imbrogilo crucial . Ensuring cross-border protection of GIs in countries where the The India- same GI is protected as a Bangladesh Trans- trademark poses insurmountable difficulties. This is amply born Border GI Issues: out from the Canadian case of Scotch Whisky Association vs. From Jamdani Sarees Glenora Distillers International Ltd. to Nakshkantha ((2008) 65CPR (4th ) 441) where Quilt the Scotch Whisky Association filed a statement of opposition Bangladesh feels that some of against the application by Glenora its GI products which they assert Distillers to register the trade mark are culturally and geographically GLEN BRETON for single malt associated with that country whisky in Canada, contending are exclusively claimed by India that the word GLEN is of Scottish through registering them under origin and when used with whisky the Indian sui generis system. would connote the Scotch Whisky- Jamdani sarees, Fazil mangoes a registered GI in Canada. On and Nakshkantha (embroidered appeal to the Federal Court, the quilt) are classic examples. opposition to the registration Jamdani, it must be mentioned www.eklines.com AUGUST 2021 23 here, is the first ever GI product regard. Basmati, it needs to be registered in Bangladesh . The ire mentioned here, is distinguished of Bangladesh is that due to its by the grain’s tall and slender sui generis registration system shape, tapering at both ends being in a nascent stage as but not bulging at the belly well as due to the absence of a and its distinct aroma, which is universal policy regime to ensure said to be a complex effect of trans-border GI protection, the over 40 compounds and not trading interests of that LDC only 2-acetyl-pyrolline. The (Least Developed Country) are chalkiness of the grain is also being seriously undermined. In a distinguishing characteristic, fact the procedure prescribed as its elongation on cooking to at present (i.e.) separate almost double its length, with registration in both countries the width remaining the same. under respective domestic law The traditional Basmati growing resulting in separate GIs- Indian areas in India are in the sub- Jamdani and Bangladeshi Himalayas and particular tracts Jamdani for instance- is of the Indo-Gangetic plain in the cumbersome and may make states of Haryana, Punjab, Uttar the GI product semi generic in Pradesh and Uttarkhand and other counties leading to losing the Union Territory of J&K. In protection in those countries terms of area, Haryana is leading . The situation is all the more accounting for 44% of the area complicated as the laws of both under Basmati followed by UP India and Bangladesh recognize (28%), Punjab (22%), J&K (5%) the concept of homonymous GIs. and Uttarkhand (under 1%). Two- thirds of the annual production is The Indo-Pak Issues: exported. Basmati and Beyond The Indo-Pak joint efforts vis-à- The trans-border GI issues vis Basmati date back to 2005 between India and Pakistan when the Indian Minister for largely revolve around Basmati Commerce and Industry wrote whose regulatory landscape to his counterpart in Pakistan is incidentally complicated proposing mechanisms to hold by patents, trademarks consultations. In 2006, a joint and brands. Both India and study group was constituted Pakistan have been aware of and meetings between the need for joint registration representative trade bodies of Basmati rice to protect it from both the countries took from foreign conglomerates, place. In the November 2008 but to date they have failed to meeting in Islamabad both arrive at any consensus in this groups agreed to deem 2009

24 AUGUST 2021 Executive Knowledge Lines as Year of Basmati as a means Indian legal regime and the to emphasize efforts towards Pakistani framework. In India, joint registration. However, any association of persons or there have been contrasting producers or any organization movements too-namely or authority established by efforts to acquire independent any law which represents the rights. Thus in India in 2004, interest of the producers of the a NGO filed an application concerned goods can apply at the GI Registry whereas in for GI registration. By contrast, Pakistan an application was Pakistan follows the trademark filed in December 2005 by the route and hence private entities Basmati Growers Association. can acquire rights in Basmati in APEDA (which has now been that country leading to a tussle empowered to register Basmati between different representative as a GI) filed opposition bodies. What is needed is proceedings in Pakistan’s Sindh going beyond these two High Court. frameworks and empowering the farmers who toil and moil Suggestions have been galore- in the field. Add to these the from forming a company with complications of generating participation from Indian and the technical content of the Pakistani entities to a Joint GI or as Vidal terms creating Commission of India and a “Basmatisthan” and the Pakistan on Basmati . Mention complexities of an exercise that must also be made here of the involves negotiating multitude of basic differences between the interests, nay drawing out shared www.eklines.com AUGUST 2021 25 understandings on attributes, International Law, Vol 18(2). specifications and geography of 2. Munzimger, Peter (2012), ‘Blue Jeans cultivation amidst the politics of and Other GIs: An Overview of Protection a trans-border reality will unfold. Systems for Geographical Indications’, Journal of Intellectual Property Law and Conclusion Practice, Vol.7(4). Cross-border GI protection 3. Mukherjee, Ulstav (2017), ‘A study of requires maintaining an the Basmati Case (India US Basmati Rice appropriate balance between Dispute): The Geographical Indications national sovereignty-based Perspective’, Available at http://dx.doi. policy considerations and a non- org/10.2139/ssrn.1143209 discriminatory approach with 4. Karim, Mohammad Ataul (2016), ‘Indian regard to foreign right holders. Claims over Geographical Indications of It also needs amendment of Bangladesh: Sustainability under Intellectual the domestic legislation and a Property Regime’, Queen Mary Journal of more uniform, consistent and Intellectual Property, Vol. 6(1). flexible enforcement system. 5. Karim, Mohammad Ataul & Mohammad We have miles to go towards Ershadul Karim (2017), ‘Protection of such a framework which can Handicraft as Geographical Indications under only be achieved through Municipal Law, TRIPS and BTAs vis-à-vis shared understanding between CETA: Bangladeshi Jamdani A Case Study’, neighbouring countries, mutual Queen Mary Journal of Intellectual Property, Vol. 7(1). consultation and consensus to enable maximum protection 6. Josling, Tim (2005), ‘What’s in a Name? for GIs across borders. To put The Economics, Law and Politics of it a bit differently, we have to Geographical Indications for Foods and tide over the legal vacuum Beverages’, IIIS, Discussion Paper No. 109, in trans-border GI protection Trinity College, Dublin. through bilateral, plurilateral 7. Islam, Mohammad Towhidul (2014), or regional arrangements, nay ‘Protecting Jamdani with Geographical inter-governmental bodies or Indications’, The Daily Star, Dacca, 6thNov. joint commissions which can only 8. Islam, Mohammad Towhidul & Md. Ahsan be arrived at through political Habib (2013), ‘Introducing Geographical initiatives accompanied by the Indications in Bangladesh’, Dhaka University administrative will to execute. Till Law Journal, Vol.24(1).

then, cross-border GI protection 9. Cerkia, Bramley (2011), ‘A Review will at best remain to be a of the Socio-economic Impact of premise on paper. Geographical Indications: Considerations References for the Developing World’, WIPO Worldwide Symposium on Geographical Indications. 1. Raustiala, Kal & Stephen R. Munzer (2007), ‘The Global Struggle over 10. Blakeney, Michael (2012), ‘Geographical Geographic Indications’, European Journal of Indications and TRIPS’, University of Western Australia, Faculty of Law.

26 AUGUST 2021 Executive Knowledge Lines GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

Y Test O U GK R

1. Who won the Men’s Singles 11. Which Bollywood personality has tennis title at the 2021 French been honoured by European Union Open? for strengthening Europe-India cultural ties? 2. Which is the State in India where Diamond cutting is undertaken as a 12. Raut Nacha is the folk dance cottage industry? performed mainly by the tribal communities of which state? 3. What is the name of the science that deals withthe study of altering 13. What does EPROM stand for in human beings by changing their computer terminology? genetic components? 14. Which is the world’s largest 4. Which country is known as railway station? ‘Economic Power House of Europe’? 15. What is the common name for 5. Granadilla is another name for Calcium Sulfate Dihydrate? which fruit? 16. What is the term used for the 6. Which flower revered as a holy study of the history of words? flower in India has the scientific 17. Who was the first Indian Chief of name Clitoria ternatea? Army Staff of the Indian Army ? 7. Who wrote the book “Beyond 18. What is the name of the medical Survival: Emerging Dimensions of condition in which the ability of the Indian Economy”? blood to clot is severely reduced, 8. Who is the only person to have causing the sufferer to bleed won a Nobel Prize and an Oscar? severely from even a slight injury? 9. The words ‘SatyamevaJayate’ 19. What is the basic principle of inscribed below the base plate of Miss Universe Competition? the emblem of India are taken from 20. What is the scientific name for where? lie detector used by the police for 10. Night blindness is cause by lack proving lies? of which vitamin? (Answers on page 31) www.eklines.com AUGUST 2021 27 Pandemic

Crossing the Rubicon T.P.Sreenivasan IFS (Retd.)

hen President Bill may have been unable to gain Clinton set forth enough strength to cross the on his first journey Rubicon and stayed on their side to India in 2000 to in resignation. fill “a wide gap in his knowledge W Today, the world has been of the world,” he said that there divided clearly into two sides were “only two kinds of people without any power to prevent on this earth, those who have the crossing of the Rubicon visited the Taj Mahal and those from a relatively stable and who have not visited it.” He prosperous side to the other added that the purpose of his afflicted with a virus whose visit to India was to cross the course is indeterminate. Those Rubicon from the side of the less who get blown away to the other fortunate to the side of the lucky side wish to return to the original ones. All humans must have place, but that is a hard task. wished to cross a formidable Contrary to the historic crossing Rubicon in front to find new of the Rubicon by Julius Caesar, pastures beyond it. They may here it is an involuntary crossing have been disappointed that which has a bearing on the the other side was not as sunny course of human history. or bright as anticipated. Others

28 AUGUST 2021 Executive Knowledge Lines Each one of us is like a soldier going into a fierce battlefield The novelty of with bullets flying around. The soldier may survive the whole reading about war and return home after the experience of seeing many of his comrades being carried away injured Covid-19 of others or dead. It may also happen that the proverbial bullet with has faded as there his name on it might fell him have been many with unknown consequences, depending on his destiny. This is narratives around us. why every war is a crime because people fight it in the name of the country, which does not benefit him or the country. washing hands and keeping a In the case of the pandemic, safe distance from fellow human it is an invisible enemy that beings, the unexpected arrival has created the battlefield, of the virus at my door led to and humankind has no escape a sense of defeat as my initial route. Survival depends on the reaction. But the consoling possibility of the absence of a thought was that escape from virus with the person’s name virus is a matter of pure chance on it. Even if one is not hit by as the science of the virus is still the virus, the fear makes life an enigma. Many years from difficult for every human being. now, science will reveal that Gone are the days when there there were other ways to deal was a certain life expectancy with the virus that mankind was which facilitated a normal life, not aware of. Even the recently but a new sense of insecurity introduced Roche’s antibody has set in and there are new cocktail, the “Trump Cocktail”, intimations of mortality. Nobody which is effective in preventing wins outright as the fear haunts complications, is not very widely you nevertheless. Those who known. Much depends on many have escaped infection are factors that determine the gravity not liberated even if they give of the attack when the virus is up many pleasures of life and constantly mutating. observe Covid-19-appropriate The novelty of reading about behaviour. the experience of Covid-19 Having fought the pandemic in of others has faded as there various ways since March 2020, have been many narratives including taking both the doses around us. The first account of Covishield, wearing masks, of the experience was like that www.eklines.com AUGUST 2021 29 of a young foreign lady who coronavirus and the sacrifices delivered a baby behind the they have made for nearly two Russian Iron Curtain and earned years. They are the unsung enough to pay the hospital bills heroes of the pandemic and the by writing about it in the London demands on them have only Times. Since then, many babies been increasing over time. To have been born behind the Iron me, the worst tragedy is that Curtain without making news they, who have once been the or money. I shall refrain from faces of assurance, comfort and narrating my experience except charm when the patients were to say the fear is worse than the desperate, have literally lost their reality, now that the faces behind multiple masks and are at least reducing the blow PPE kits. The proverbial Florence in most cases. Trust in science Nightingales with compassion as we know it today and apply writ large on their faces have it to your best advantage. This disappeared from the hospital generation cannot benefit from scene. Who will give those the future technologies that may charming smiles and reassuring perpetuate lives. Each epoch has words to the patients? Living its own curses and blessings, and with PPE kits and masks may be we should suffer the curses and another hazard of living with the enjoy the blessings. coronavirus. The good thing is that though we do not see their Much has been said about the faces, their sense of responsibility frontline warriors against the

30 AUGUST 2021 Executive Knowledge Lines Y Test O U GK R ANSWERS and compassion shine through the thick plastic. 1. Novak Djokovic The emergence of worship of 2. Gujarat Corona Devi in several villages in India has not been receiving 3. Eugenics much attention lately, but 4. Germany prayers in these makeshift temples may well have brought 5. Passion Fruit comfort to many in the middle 6. Asian pigeonwings (Butterfly pea) of the pandemic. If only travel was easy, some could have gone 7. Pranab Kumar Mukherjee visiting the small community of 8. George Bernard Shaw Sankt Corona, a lovely village up in the mountains near the 9. Mundak Upanishad Austrian capital, Vienna. A place 10. Vitamin A popular with skiers, hikers and mountain bikers, St Corona 11. Amitab Bachan has recently been attracting 12. Chattisgarh people who seek comfort in the Christian martyr the town 13. Erasable Programmable Read is named after, now invoked as Only Memory the patron saint of diseases and 14. Grand Central Terminal, Park epidemics. “The holy Corona Avenue, New York is standing near the holy of 15. Gypsum holies and she is helping us with our prayers, especially with 16. Etymology pandemics, pests and dangers,” 17. Gen. K.M. Cariappa says the village priest. Whatever be the reason, the village has 18. Haemophilia not had a single corona infection 19. Beauty with brain so far. The picture of a Corona goddess is also visible near the 20. Polygraph landmark plague memorial in the heart of Vienna. One thing is certain: we need all the divine and human resources to keep the second wave at bay and to prevent the third.

www.eklines.com AUGUST 2021 31 Virology

COVID-19: AN UPDATE ON IMMUNITY, VACCINE SAFETY AND EFFICACY & BREAKTHROUGH INFECTION Dr. P. Pushpangadan & T. P. Ijinu

(Editor’s note : This is Part-2 of the article published in July 2021 edition of EKL.)

7. HOW WAS THE This means enrolling people from diverse geographic areas, COVID-19 VACCINES racial and ethnic backgrounds, DEVELOPED SO genders, and ages, as well as those with underlying health QUICKLY? conditions that put them at Usually, after pre-clinical (cell higher risk for COVID-19. line and animal) studies, small Including these groups in clinical (phase I) safety clinical studies trials is the only way to make of COVID-19 vaccines should sure that a vaccine will be safe enrol healthy adult volunteers. and effective for everyone who Larger (phase II and III) clinical needs it. Pregnant women and studies should include volunteers children have not been included that reflect the populations for in clinical trials of COVID-19 whom the vaccines are intended. vaccines, and these studies must

32 AUGUST 2021 Executive Knowledge Lines eventually be completed, both of early development and initial for efficacy and, importantly, for clinical safety trials for a typical safety. vaccine to be in the range of $31-68 million. Large scale trials 1. In the past, vaccines have to determine the efficacy of a taken many years to develop. vaccine candidate would add to However, the relatively quick these figures. development of this vaccine does not mean safety measures 6. Some types of COVID-19 were skipped. There are several vaccines ( & MODERNA) reasons why the COVID-19 were created using messenger vaccines were developed faster RNA (mRNA), a new technology than other vaccines (www. that allows a faster approach lakecountyil.gov). than the traditional way. 2. The technologies used to 7. Social media enabled develop the COVID-19 vaccines companies to reach out to and have been years in development enroll study volunteers, and to for outbreaks plenty of people wanted to help, of infectious viruses. The so there were enough research manufacturing processes were participants to test the COVID-19 ready very early in the pandemic. vaccines. 3. Countries shared genetic 8. Because the SARS-CoV-2 is information about the SARS- so contagious and widespread, CoV-2 coronavirus when it was many volunteers who got available, which gave vaccine the vaccine were exposed to developers an early start in the virus, and with so many finding a vaccine. exposures, the trials took a shorter time to see, if the vaccine 4. The testing processes for the worked. vaccines didn’t skip any steps, but the vaccine developers 8. THERE ARE FOUR conducted some stages of the process simultaneously to gather CATEGORIES OF as much data as quickly as COVID-19 VACCINES possible. IN CLINICAL TRIALS 5. Governments gave money to Many vaccine developers (especially 1. WHOLE VIRUS: conventional vaccines use whole to private sectors) in advance, viruses to trigger an immune so the companies had resources response. There are two main they needed. Vaccine research approaches. a. LIVE ATTENUATED is very costly. In 2018, a study vaccines use a weakened published in Lancet Global form of the virus that can still Health (Gouglas et al., 2018, 6: replicate without causing illness. 1386-1396) estimated the cost www.eklines.com AUGUST 2021 33 b. INACTIVATED vaccines use response. Doing so minimises viruses whose genetic material the risk of side effects, but it also has been destroyed so they means the immune response cannot replicate, but can still may be weaker. This is why they trigger an immune response. often require adjuvant, to help Both types use well-established boost the immune response. technology and pathways for e.g., COVOVAX (), Sanofi/ regulatory approval, but the GSK & (Biological E) live attenuated ones may risk causing disease in people Earlier examples in human use, with weak immune systems e.g., and often require careful cold Note: The traditional vaccines are storage, making their use more linked to several disadvantages; challenging in low-resource indeed, they can cause allergic countries. Inactivated virus and autoimmune reactions, vaccines can be given to people have low stability and need with compromised immune storage at a cold temperature. systems but might also need The use of peptides as antigens cold storage. is a novel approach that involves a. Live attenuated – e.g., minimal microbial components Codagenix to stimulate adaptive immunity against a microorganism. These Earlier examples in human use, vaccines are able to target very e.g., Oral specific epitopes (antigenic b. Inactivated – e.g., Sinovac, determinant, is the part of an Sinopharm & antigen that is recognized by () the immune system, specifically by antibodies, B-cells, or T-cells) Earlier examples in human use, removing the risks associated e.g., with allergic and autoimmune Note: Attenuated types of responses. Conformationally vaccines typically produce long- designed epitopes may require term immunity with a few doses. adjuvants that do not denature The main disadvantage is that live or emulsify the antigens. Earlier microorganisms are potentially studies showed that some risky: a reversion to the original adjuvants that are utilized in virulence is sometimes possible rodents (rats) are not approved (vaccine-associated enhanced for use in larger animals (e.g., respiratory disease, VAERD). non-human primates) or humans. It is difficult to predict a priori

2. PROTEIN SUBUNIT: which adjuvants may yield the Subunit vaccines use pieces of best immune response, and the pathogen - often fragments often an adjuvant screen can be of protein - to trigger an immune informative.

34 AUGUST 2021 Executive Knowledge Lines 3. VIRAL VECTOR: Viral they may have antibodies to the vector vaccines also work by virus (against adenovirus). This giving cells genetic instructions means that their body will try to to produce antigens. They make fight and destroy the viral vector use of a harmless virus to deliver (adenovirus), potentially making a a piece of genetic code from vaccine less effective. a pathogen (bacteria, viruses 4. NUCLEIC ACID (RNA & etc.) to our cells to mimic an DNA): Nucleic acid vaccines infection. The harmless virus acts use genetic material-either RNA as a delivery system (vector), for or DNA – to provide cells with that particular pathogen genetic the instructions to make the sequence (e.g., The Oxford- antigen (protein). In the case of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine COVID-19, this is usually the viral uses a chimpanzee adenoviral spike protein. Once this genetic vector. It delivers the gene that material gets into human cells, encodes the SARS-CoV-2 spike it uses our cellular machinery protein to our cells). Our cells to make the antigen that will then make the viral protein trigger an immune response. that the vector has delivered The advantages of such vaccines and present it to our immune are that they are easy to make, system to make corresponding and cheap. Since the antigen antibodies. is produced inside our own e.g., Johnson & Johnson cells and in large quantities, (Janssen), Oxford/AstraZeneca the immune reaction should be (COVISHIELD) & Gamaleya strong. In addition, RNA vaccines (Sputnik V Vaccine) need to be kept at ultra-cold temperatures, -70ºC or lower, Earlier examples in human use, which could prove challenging e.g., for countries that don’t have Note: Viral vector vaccines can specialised cold storage mimic natural viral infection and equipment, particularly low- and should therefore trigger a strong middle-income countries. immune response. The viral vector e.g., Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna- (adenovirus) has been genetically NIAID & HGC019 (Gennova) are modified so that it cannot mRNA vaccines. replicate. Therefore, it is unable to cause an adenovirus infection in ZyCoV-D (Zydus Cadila) is a DNA people who have had the vaccine. vaccine. With all viral vectors, one issue to Note: The major advantage of consider is pre-existing immunity. DNA vaccines are the easiness of If a person encountered the virus manipulation to induce efficient (in this case, adenovirus) that B- and T-cell responses but often serves as the vector in the past, they present lower immunogenic www.eklines.com AUGUST 2021 35 responses in humans with respect against an antigen (e.g., bacteria, to other vaccines. viruses etc.) so that when the RNA vaccines provide flexibility individual is again exposed to in the design and expression of the antigen, a much stronger vaccine antigens that can mimic secondary immune response antigen structure and expression will result. Vaccines contain during natural infection. the same antigens that are RNA is required for protein found on pathogens that cause synthesis, does not integrate the associated disease, but into the genome, is transiently exposure to the antigens in expressed, and is metabolized and vaccines is controlled. By priming eliminated by the body’s natural the immune system through mechanisms and, therefore, is , when the vaccinated considered safe. individual is later exposed to the same live pathogens RNA-based prophylactic (e.g., bacteria, viruses) in the infectious disease vaccines and environment, the immune system RNA therapeutics have been can destroy them before they shown to be safe and well can cause disease. tolerated in clinical trials. In general, vaccination with RNA There are two ways of acquiring elicits a robust innate immune immunity to a pathogen - response. RNA directs expression by natural infection and by of vaccine antigen in host cells. vaccination. Natural and vaccines produce a very Once a pathogen’s genome similar end result - immunity has been sequenced, it is - but the person who receives relatively quick and easy to a vaccine does not endure the design a vaccine against any illness and its potential life of its proteins. For instance, threatening complications. The MODERNA’S RNA vaccine against very low risk of an adverse event COVID-19 entered clinical trials caused by a vaccine greatly within two months of the SARS- outweighs the risk of illness and CoV-2 genome being sequenced. complications caused by natural This speed could be particularly infection. important in the face of new emerging epidemic, pandemic 10. ADVERSE EVENTS pathogens or pathogens which Any health problem that are rapidly mutating. happens after vaccination is considered an ADVERSE EVENT 9. HOW VACCINES following . An WORK? adverse event can be a true The goal of all vaccines is to adverse reaction, also known as elicit an immune response a side effect that is related to

36 AUGUST 2021 Executive Knowledge Lines the vaccine, or a coincidental The routes of administration event that happened following (intra-dermal, subcutaneous vaccination. or intramuscular injection, drops given orally, or intranasal Usually, vaccine side effects administration) also contribute are identified during clinical to the risk of an adverse trials. The intensity of these reaction. The manufacturers reactions may range from mild usually recommend the route of to moderate to severe. They administration that limits adverse often resolve on their own, and reactions of the respective may or may not require medical vaccine. intervention. Depending on severity, an adverse reaction Based on the previous may also be considered a serious reports, from the beginning of adverse event. vaccination history, the only contraindication applicable Vaccines contain different to all vaccines is the history components to make them of a severe allergic reaction effective. However, each (ANAPHYLAXIS) after a prior component in a vaccine adds dose of vaccine or to a vaccine a potential risk of an adverse constituent. Precautions are not reaction. Regulatory authorities contraindications, but are events (U.S. FDA, European Medicines or conditions to be considered Agency (EMA), Drugs Controller in determining if the benefits of General of India (DCGI) etc.) the vaccine outweigh the risks. must ensure that all vaccine Precautions stated in product components, singly and in labelling can sometimes be combination, do not compromise inappropriately used as absolute vaccine safety. contraindications, resulting Vaccines are prepared with in missed opportunities to different types of antigens, using vaccinate. different scientific methods such Usually side effects occur as 1. as attenuation, inactivation, and LOCAL REACTIONS occur where recombinant DNA technology the shot was given. They are etc. Some vaccines include usually mild and occur within a components to enhance immune few hours of the shot. Injections response, such as adjuvants and site pain, redness or swelling conjugated proteins. Vaccines are most commonly reported can also include antibiotics, local adverse reactions, and 2. stabilizers, and preservatives to SYSTEMIC REACTIONS include reduce contamination during fever, headache, body aches, the manufacturing process and fatigue, etc. These reactions are to maintain their effectiveness usually mild and can last for during transport and storage. several days. www.eklines.com AUGUST 2021 37 11. REPORTED etc.) may last about a day or two, and do not signify illness. ADVERSE EVENTS These are signs that our RELATED TO immune system is responding and preparing to fight the COVID-19 VACCINES coronavirus, if we catch it. If Many reports showed that the symptoms persist, we should present vaccination significantly consult doctor. A report by prevented severe disease and CDC (report of June 7, 2021) death, and definitely reduced showed mRNA vaccines reduce infections (Haas et al., 2021, risk of infection by 91% in fully Lancet; Britton et al., 2021, vaccinated people. Besides other Morbidity and Mortality Weekly earlier reports, this recent study Report, 70: 396–401; Bernal et al., also indicated that those who 2021, medRxiv). In clinical trials, became infected after being the two-doses of COVISHIELD fully or partially vaccinated were and COVAXIN have been shown more likely to have a milder to lower the risk of death, severe and shorter illness compared to disease and mild infections in those who were unvaccinated. vaccinated individuals, even after Other findings suggest that fully only the first dose. Phase III trial or partially vaccinated people results of COVISHIELD showed who got COVID-19 might be 70% efficacy in preventing less likely to spread the virus symptomatic Covid-19 and 100% to others. For example, fully efficacy in preventing severe or partially vaccinated study disease and death. The COVAXIN participants had 40% less showed 81% efficacy and the detectable virus in their nose (i.e., SPUTNIK V has 92%. a lower viral load), and the virus was detected for six fewer days The CDC recommends that the (i.e., viral shedding) compared to people with allergies to certain those who were unvaccinated, foods, insects, latex and other when infected. common allergens can safely receive the COVID-19 vaccine. 82% of MODERNA recipients Those with a history of severe reported injection site reactions, allergic reaction (ANAPHYLAXIS) compared with 69% of PFIZER to injectables or other vaccines recipients (Chapin-Bardales et should discuss the vaccination al., 2021, Journal of the American with their doctor, who can Medical Association, 325: 2201- evaluate and assess their risk. 2202). An unpublished data of COVID-19 vaccine side effects CDC (CDC Report, February 2021) (pain or swelling, muscle aches, showed that after administration fever, chills, fatigue, headaches of 99,43,247 doses of the

38 AUGUST 2021 Executive Knowledge Lines PFIZER and 75,81,429 doses of that from 3 May to 17 May MODERNA, 66 anaphylaxis cases 2021, COVID-19 vaccines caused reported (4.7 cases/million doses 469 deaths, which equates to & 2.5 cases/million respectively, 34 deaths per day. The reality approximate total of 0.001%). No is that many people die every deaths from anaphylaxis after day for many reasons. To put vaccination with either product this number in context, the U.S. were reported (Shimabukuro et reported in 2017 an average of al., 2021, Journal of the American 7,708 daily deaths. Assuming Medical Association, 325: that the U.S. population is 1101-1102). In April 2021, the similar to that in 2017 and JOHNSON & JOHNSON vaccine considering that 49.7% of them was paused while the FDA received at least one dose of and CDC investigated a small the COVID-19 vaccine, we would number of cases of rare blood expect about 3,830 deaths per clots. Nearly all reports of blood day. Comparing that figure with clots have been in adult women that presented above shows younger than age 50. After those 34 deaths each day don’t careful review, the FDA and CDC indicate a problem with vaccine recommend that administration safety. We can only infer that of the JOHNSON & JOHNSON the vaccine might cause deaths vaccine could safely resume (FDA if the number of deaths among Report April, 2021). vaccinated individuals exceeded the expected number of deaths The in unvaccinated individuals Reporting System (U.S.CDC- (Wendy Bell, 10 May 2021). VAERS) is a surveillance system that helps ensure the safety of Among 707 health professionals, vaccines used in the U.S. The SPUTNIK V showed 71.3% VAERS system had 4,434 reports reported at least one case of of deaths after coronavirus adverse events (Pagotto et al., as of May 10, 2021, 2021, medRxiv). The safety of represents a mortality rate of SPUTNIK V vaccine in 21,977 0.0017%. CDC explained that adults (19,866 received two none of these deaths has been doses) reported mostly mild definitively attributed to the adverse events (94%), which are vaccine, and the CDC together very common in all vaccinations with FDA started investigation on (Logunov et al., 2021, Lancet, each death report to determine 397: 671-681). Adverse Event whether it might be associated Following Immunization (AEFI) with the vaccine. Based on VAERS Committee of India (report on reports and some posts/ news May 17, 2021) noted that, as of appeared in the media claimed 03 April 2021, 68,650,819 doses www.eklines.com AUGUST 2021 39 of COVISHIELD and 6,784,562 with COVISHIELD, about 10 per doses of COVAXIN had been cent came back with mild to administered. More than 23,000 moderate fever, body pain or adverse events were reported loose stools. Two people, with through the Co-Win platform bronchial asthma and severe from 684 of the 753 districts of headache, were admitted for the country (9.3 cases /million observation and discharged after doses). AEFI data showed 12 hours. Adding that of 2,000 that there is a minuscule but people administered COVAXIN, definitive risk of thromboembolic few reported any serious side events (blood clotting) after effects. the COVISHIELD vaccine (0.61/ From all above data it is evident million doses, while UK reported that Adverse Events appeared 4/million and Germany reported after vaccination are usually mild 10/million). There were no and self-limited and rarely have potential thromboembolic serious consequences. Thus there events reported following is no serious risk in vaccination administration of COVAXIN. In a based on the reports till date. Dr report (April 18, 2021) from Tamil Gagandeep Kang, FRS said that Nadu showed that the chance the risk factors for a vaccine can of dying from getting a vaccine only be assessed at a population is 0.0002%, based on data level. The assessment showed derived from 43 lakh vaccine that the benefits outweigh the doses administered. Another risk. report from Sri Ramachandra Medical College, Tamil Nadu, (Will be concluded in the next 17,000 individuals vaccinated edition of EKL.)

SUDOKU-13 5 3 7 6 1 9 5 Why not give a small exercise to your brain by 9 8 6 trying to solve this puzzle? 8 6 3 (Clue : Fill the given 9×9 4 8 3 1 grid with digits so that each 7 2 6 column, each row, and each of the nine 3×3 subgrids 6 2 8 that compose the grid 4 1 9 5 contain all of the digits from 1 to 9.) 8 7 9 (Solution on page 51)

40 AUGUST 2021 Executive Knowledge Lines HUMAN RESOURCES

CORPORATE MUSINGS

Organisations need to build and Many new Managers think power preserve passion in people, because and authority come with the job if people work from their heart, and are surprised by how difficult everything else falls in place. People it is to earn people’s respect with passion to excel and deliver and trust. Actually power and is the main factor behind the authority come only as a Manager prosperity of any organization. establishes credibility with sub- ordinates, peers and superiors.

A Manager’s most important job is to train his staff to manage in his Even in this technology driven absence. Only an effective Manager era, the source of competitive will be able to create a second line. advantage for an organization is its human resources, precisely because technology The real loyalty of an organisation’s itself has created an increased workforce comes to the fore only at dependence on human a time when the organisation passes resources. through difficult days.

It is the employees’ loyalty or More than the business model, lack of it to the employer, that is the key driver of the growth of an reflected in their treatment of the organisation is its culture, which customers. involves maintaining customer relationships, understanding of the market and proactive rather than The most important factors which reactive steps. go behind the brand image of a service oriented company are ability of its human resources to One of the defining traits of a good create customer delight, the value leader is the ability to sense the addition created by them through future, much before others do, and professionalism and strong inspire others to buy into his / her customer relationships. vision.

www.eklines.com AUGUST 2021 41 Blood Donation

BLOOD IS MEANT TO CIRCULATE; PASS IT AROUND

G.B.Sharma

eopold Landsteiner was knowledge in chemistry. a Doctor of Law and a For the next twenty years he newspaper publisher in worked in various medical and Vienna. His only son Karl research institutes and chemical Landsteiner was born on June L laboratories as a student, 14, 1868. Leopold died when teacher, and researcher at the Karl was six. His mother Fanny same time. Immunology was his Hess brought him up. Karl was favourite subject now. He made awfully close to his mother. fundamental contributions to He graduated in medicine in our knowledge of paroxysmal 1891. He did some research in haemoglobinuria. (A life- biochemistry during those days threatening blood disease that and published a paper on the causes destruction of red blood influence of diet in blood ash in cells followed by other ailments.) the same year. He spent the next five years in various laboratories He elaborately studied on in Germany expanding his Syphilis, Poliomyelitis and many

42 AUGUST 2021 Executive Knowledge Lines other diseases and published Through deductive reasoning he several papers on various discovered the existence of three medical and biochemical topics. blood groups, which he called A, B, and C. (Later group C was renamed Landsteiner made remarkable as O) In 1902, he identified a contributions to both fourth type – the AB group. pathological anatomy, histology, and immunology. He took In 1903, with his colleague Max meticulous care in observation Richter, Landsteiner showed how a and description and had a deep blood group could be determined understanding of biology. He from a sample of dried blood and will be remembered for his most suggested this could be used in significant discovery on the crime detection to close in on blood groups for which he won the possible suspects. Today, this the Nobel Prize for Physiology or technique is used all over the Medicine in 1930. world for identifying criminals. Karl Landsteiner revolutionized The first successful blood medicine in 1900-1901, when transfusion to a human was he identified three major human done in 1667 when the French blood types: A, B, and O, which physicians Denis and Emmerez led to safe blood transfusions transferred 9 ounces of blood and saved millions of lives. from the carotid artery of a lamb He also suggested the use of into the vein of a young man. blood types to assist in criminal This was followed by other similar investigations. procedures until a fourth patient died. Subsequently the French In 1896, he continued pursuing parliament, the Royal Society and his immunology and blood the Catholic Church subsequently serum work with enormous issued a general prohibition energy, performing thousands against transfusions. of autopsies, and publishing 75 research papers. Over 50 of these Dr. Reuben Ottenberg carried were on serology, the study of out the first clinical blood body fluids such as blood serum. transfusion based on Landsteiner’s classification of blood groups in In 1900, age 32, Landsteiner 1907 at Mt. Sinai Hospital, New studied the effects of mixing red York. blood cells from one person with serum from another. He found Even after establishing the that in some cases the mixtures different blood groups, often produced clumping of the transfusions between the same red cells – or hemagglutination group also sometimes led in medical jargon while in some to problems. They were not other cases clumping did not compatible at times. occur. www.eklines.com AUGUST 2021 43 In 1937, Landsteiner along with Dedicated completely to his Alexander S. Wiener started work, Landsteiner did not marry working on it. He officially retired until age 48. He met 36 year old in 1939 but continued to work. Leopoldine Helene Wlasto, at In a paper published in 1940, a war hospital. They married in they revealed their important 1916 and their only son Ernst discovery of the Rhesus factor, Karl was born in 1917. Ernst now known as the Rh factor. became a doctor. The name came from the In 1929 Landsteiner became a Rhesus monkeys on which they United States citizen. He did not conducted their experiments. like the crowds and did not care The Rh denotes the presence to be a celebrity. He shunned of different antigens on the publicity when he won the Nobel surfaces of red blood cells. After Prize in 1930. the discovery of the Rh factor, a Besides the Nobel Prize plus or minus sign was added to Landsteiner received several a person’s blood group to show honours from various academies its presence or absence. For and institutions in different example, people whose blood nations. was once classed as A, are now classed as A+ or A-. He was an excellent pianist and a fan of detective novels. To the end of his life, Landsteiner continued to investigate blood Karl Landsteiner died at 75 of groups and the chemistry of heart failure on June 26, 1943. antigens, antibodies and other Two days earlier, working in his immunological factors that occur Rockefeller Institute laboratory, in the blood. It was one of his he had suffered a heart attack. great merits that he introduced His wife died on Christmas day chemistry into the service of six months later. Survived by serology. their son Ernst, they were buried side by side in the Prospect Rigorously exacting in the Hill Cemetery, Nantucket, demands, he made upon Massachusetts. himself, Landsteiner possessed untiring energy. Throughout Karl Landsteiner’s birthday June his life he was always making 14 is observed as The World observations in many fields other Blood Donor Day under the than those in which he primarily auspices of W H O since 2005. worked. He has made several The theme of World Blood Donor other discoveries which are not Day 2021 is ‘Give blood and mentioned here as they cannot keep the world beating’. be contained in a small note.

44 AUGUST 2021 Executive Knowledge Lines HUMOUR

Laugh It Away

Isha came out of the examination hall very sad. When asked she said, “I didn’t know the past tense of THINK. I THOUGHT and THOUGHT and finally wrote THUNK!” In a boutique: “Could I try the dress in the shop Police officer to the driver: “Your tail window, please?” light is broken, your tires must be “I’m sorry madam, that’s not exchanged and your bumper hangs allowed there. We have cabins halfway down. That will be 2000 for that.” rupees. Driver: Alright, go ahead. They want twice as much as that at the “Have you been sleeping by an work shop. open window, like I told you?” asks a doctor to his patient. “Yes, just like you said, doc.” A boy breaks an old vase at a rich uncle‘s house. The uncle gets “And is the bronchitis gone extremely angry and yells: “Do you now?” even know how old the vase was? “Not yet, so far the only things It was from the 17th century!” The gone are my laptop and cell boy sagged in relief: “Oh, good that phone.” it wasn’t new.”

A man hired a lawyer when he Man to his wife: “Do you know got sued by his company for what our 6 year old son wants to be misappropriation of a huge once he’s big?” amount. At the beginning of Wife: “No.” the process, the lawyer kindly reassured him: “Don’t worry, Man: “A garbage man. And you you’ll never go to jail with that know why?” amount of money.“ Wife: “No, why?” And the lawyer was right. When Man: “Because he thinks they only the man did go to jail eventually, work on Tuesdays and Fridays.” he didn’t have a rupee anymore. www.eklines.com AUGUST 2021 45 Science

Research and Development efforts in Ethnobotany, Ethnomedicine and Ethnopharmacology

Dr.Pushpangadan. P and Ijinu T. P

(Editor’s Note : This is the concluding part of the article published in June and July 2021 editions of EKL)

Resource Base of as a meeting place of the three major biogeographic zones, Traditional Medicine offering diverse ecoclimatic and Resource base of all traditional edaphic conditions afforded medicines is mainly the plants, diverse ecosystems ranging animals. Animal products and from the humid tropics of the minerals also find applications Western Ghats to the alpine in some of these traditional zones of Himalayas, from the medicines. The unique dry deserts of Rajasthan to geographic position of India, the tidal mangroves of the

46 AUGUST 2021 Executive Knowledge Lines Sunderbans. Although the number of flowering plants reported so far are only 17000, It was with such a the intraspecific variations and the habitat diversity that frame of mind that accommodate them make India Dr. P. Pushpangadan one of the richest medicinal plant genetic resource centers of developed a research the world. Out of these plants, methodology in Ayurveda use about 800 plants in its various formulations. Ethnopharmacology in Siddha system use about 600 the Indian context with plants, Unani about 600 plants and Amchi and Tibetan together a team drawn from make use of about 700 plants. Thus the total number of plants diverse disciplines like used in these classical systems Ayurveda, Siddha, and of traditional medicine is about 2000 species. Apart from these scholars of Sanskrit classical traditions the rich and Tamil languages. and varied oral and other folk traditions use a large number of wild plants for medicine. According to an all India survey conducted by the All India Co- ordinated Research Project on Jammu in 1985 by Dr. C.K. Atal Ethnobiology (AICRPE) during and his student Pushpangadan, the last two decades among the chief Co-ordinator of this the tribal communities of India project. Dr. Atal, however about 8000 plants are used by left RRL in mid 80s. Inspired these communities for medicinal by the initiatives of Dr. Atal, purpose. Important medicinal Pushpangadan along with a plants useful in primary health few other enthusiasts realized care in India available at JNTBGRI the need to develop the database on medicinal plants ethnopharmacology in India will be made to the project in a line that agrees with the implementing agencies. systems of medicine developed in the country. They observed Ethnopharmacology that evaluating the traditional medicines with the parameters research of modern medicine is not Ethnopharmacology research in only foolish, but also at times India was initiated at Regional suicidal. Both these systems Research Laboratory (RRL), are conceptually apart. The concept of disease, its etiology, www.eklines.com AUGUST 2021 47 manifestation and approach objective of his team was to to treatment of disease etc. develop appropriate techniques are all entirely different. An to evaluate the traditional integrated approach that remedies in line with the classical combines the theory concepts concepts of Ayurvedic pharmacy and valuation methods of the and pharmacology such as classical systems of medicine the ‘Rasa’, ‘Guna’, ‘Veerya’, such as Ayurveda, Siddha and ‘Vipaka’ and ‘Prabhava’, in Unani with the modern scientific other words ‘SamagrahGuna’ knowledge (Phytochemistry& of the ‘DrayaGuna’ concept Pharmacology), tools and of Ayurveda. Our group was technology available in modern successful in convincing Prof. science/medicine can be the M.G.K. Menon who then only viable approach to the agreed to be the Chief Patron development of scientifically of the new Society, National verified and standardized drugs Society of Ethnopharmacology based on herbals and traditional mooted in 1985. This society knowledge system. was formally registered in 1986 with Dr.Pushpangadan It was with such a frame as its first founder president. of mind that Dr. P. The first ethnopharmacology Pushpangadan developed laboratory started functioning at a research methodology in Regional Research Laboratory, Ethnopharmacology in the Indian Jammu under the “All India context with a team drawn from Coordinated Research Project diverse disciplines like Ayurveda, on Ethnobiology” (AICRPE) Siddha, and scholars of Sanskrit funded by the Ministry of and Tamil languages. The main Environment and Forest, Govt

48 AUGUST 2021 Executive Knowledge Lines of India. However, the first ever full-fledged Ethnopharmacology Ethno-medical Laboratory was started in 1992 at Tropical Botanic Garden knowledge from & Research Institute (TBGRI) source country where Dr.Pushpangadan joined in 1990 as its Director. The participants can also ethnopharmacology research be explicitly rewarded team at TBGRI could successfully develop a number of scientifically in the royalty structure verified standardized herbal drugs, of agreements some of which are now released for commercial production. The as intellectual Ethnopharmacology Society contributions to an in association with TBGRI and with the financial assistance invention. of DANIDA organized the first National Conference on Ethnopharmacology in Trivandrum, Kerala from 24th to phytochemical, pharmacological 26th May 1993. Selected papers and pharmaceutical knowledge, in this conference were compiled tools and technology to evaluate, and published as ‘Glimpses of standardize the traditional Indian Ethnopharmacology’ in medicine and in developing 1995. In 1999 Dr.Pushpangadan novel herbal products, herbal moved from TBGRI, Trivandrum to drugs/pharmaceuticals, National Botanic Research Institute cosmaceuticals and nutraceutical (NBRI), a pioneer plant research products. institute under the umbrella of Ethno-medical knowledge from Council of Scientific and Industrial source country participants can Research (CSIR). International also be explicitly rewarded in the Society of Ethnopharmacology royalty structure of agreements in association with National as intellectual contributions to Society of Ethnopharmacology an invention. Such a reward may and National Botanical Research provide incentives for “in-situ” Institute (NBRI) organized the conservation of the knowledge Vth International Congress and the plant or animal species on Ethnopharmacology in to which it relates. From the November 1999 at NBRI, research standpoint this makes Lucknow. At NBRI, a full-fledged most sense when sample Ethnopharmacology and Herbal collection is guided by traditional Product Development division uses, or when the information is was established. It adopted provided with the sample and the latest pharmacognostical, helps guide the assays used. www.eklines.com AUGUST 2021 49 The latter is most likely to be of and sustainable use of natural interest to industrial partners resources. The key to its success for a small number of assays will lie in the ability to provide that are expensive to run or not near and long term benefits that part of their main focus. Most effect changes in the behaviour screening is now so mechanised of individuals, communities and efficient for large companies and private companies, as well that the majority of samples they as natural resource policies of receive are generally run through both developed and developing the entire battery of assays that country governments. Toward may be active at the moment, this end contractual agreements regardless of background for benefit sharing offer information on the sample. For flexible, powerful instruments. the less mechanized operations They will be most successful that academic and small when they can simultaneously companies rely upon, traditional suit local needs, maximize uses may have a much greater local strengths, and address role. Impact on Conservation It is international political and still too early to know how much economic conditions. bioprospecting will contribute to Governmental and other non- biodiversity conservation. Clear profit sources of funding may opportunities and examples exist continue to be important for providing benefits to source to exploit the full range of countries as well as indigenous conservation and development and local communities in benefit opportunities that terms of health improvement, bioprospecting offers. Nonprofit resource management capacity, funding increases stability of

50 AUGUST 2021 Executive Knowledge Lines partnerships and stimulates these take, governments that a broader set of near term wish to develop international benefits than purely commercial bioprospecting partnerships relationships would likely will probably be most return. Corporate research and successful when they define development budgets for natural clear policies, relatively simple products research in the US are bureaucratic procedures not likely to grow significantly in and allow for 21 innovative the next few years, and demands and flexible collaborations. on those budgets are multiplying Legislation on equitable benefit as conservation and development sharing agreements that is goals are linked to the research consistent with long-range process. Private, national and national biodiversity strategies, multi-lateral funding agencies development needs and other are currently encountering great biodiversity incentive measures demand for resources to finance may yield some of the most bioprospecting projects. Given powerful conservation tools at the complexities and inevitable our disposal. delays in establishing equitable The international cooperative partnerships in this young Biodiversity Groups (ICBG) field, one productive option for program is a unique funders may be to begin with biopartnership on drug small planning grants for source discovery, biodiversity country organizations. Established conservation, and sustainable source country partnerships economic growth sponsored with well defined objectives by National Institute of Health and strengths may be poised to (NIH), the Biological Sciences take advantage of international funding opportunities and be more attractive to private Solution for Sudoku-13 companies. Governments of many source countries are 5 3 4 6 7 8 9 1 2 currently defining their laws 6 7 2 1 9 5 3 4 8 regarding international trade in genetic resources and standards 1 9 8 3 4 2 5 6 7 for equitable benefit-sharing 8 5 9 7 6 1 4 2 3 agreements. Some of these laws and policies may develop 4 2 6 8 5 3 7 9 1 as multi-lateral agreements to 7 1 3 9 2 4 8 5 6 assure consistency and minimize 9 6 1 5 3 7 2 8 4 conflict between neighbouring states with overlapping genetic 2 8 7 4 1 9 6 3 5 resources. Regardless of the form 3 4 5 2 8 6 1 7 9 www.eklines.com AUGUST 2021 51 Directorate of the national among the APTMNET members Science Foundation (NSF) and on a number of key areas such the Foreign Agriculture Service as biodiversity conservation and of the USDA. The cooperating its sustainable utilization; R & six NIH components are the D and Processing of traditional Forarty International Center (FIC), medicine quality control and National Cancer Institute (NCI), standardization of traditional National Institute of Allergy medicine production; protection and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), of intellectual property as National Institute of Mental traditional medicine; technology Health (NIMH), National Institute transfer exchange of experts on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the organization of relevant training National Heart, Lung, and Blood programs among and R & D Institute (NHLBI). institutions in the Asia – Pacific region. The initial fruitful Asia Pacific Traditional discussion for the establishment Medicine and Herbal of APTMNET were held in Technology network an international seminar on Traditional medicine and Herbal (APTMNET) Drug Technology held in Wuhan Department of AYUSH, (China) on 16-20 September, Govt. of India has approved 2003. Subsequently as a follow Dr.Pushpangadan to function as up of the Wuhan Workshop, a nodal officer for Asia Pacific India and China had jointly Traditional Medicine and Herbal organized a workshop on Quality Technology network (APTMNET), Control and standardization in India. NBRI Bioinformatics of Traditional Medicine.- Indo Division was assigned the China Experience at the National responsibility to act as a National Botanical Research Institute, node by Global Biodiversity Lucknow on 8-10 january 2004. Information Facility (GBIF). This This joint Indo – China workshop facility has helped in establishing was a historical event that India’s Virtual Herbarium brought two great civilizations Network (IVH- Network) at NBRI. with very strong heritage of traditional medicine systems The establishment of the Asia together to discuss and evolve Pacific Traditional Medicine and strategies for strengthening the Herbal Technology network collaboration between India and (APTMNET) under the United China in the fast emerging areas Nations Asian and Pacific Centre of herbal drug research plant for Transfer of Technology based pharmaceuticals and other (APCTT) in 2003 is a significant related areas. initiative to promote cooperation (Concluded)

52 AUGUST 2021 Executive Knowledge Lines Acknowledgements Books/P K Brothers, Calicut. The author expresses his sincere thanks to Manilal K S. 2005. HortusMalabaricus, a book Dr. Ashok K Chauhan, Founder President of on the plants of Malabar, and its impact on RBEF and Amity Group of Institutions, Dr.Atul the religious of Christianity and Hinduism Chauhan, President, RitnandBalved Education in the 17th century Kerala. Indian Journal of Foundation, Chancellor, Amity University and Botanical Research. 1 (1):13-28. Dr.Aseem Chauhan, Additional President, Manilal, K.S. 2012. HortusMalabaricus and RitnandBalved Education Foundation, CEO, the Socio-Cultural Heritage of India. Indian Amity Capital Ventures for giving facilities and Associaton for Angiosperm Taxonomy (IAAR), encouragement Dept. of Botany, University of Calicut References Manilal K S., C . Sathish Kumar and Jain, S.K., Ranjan Vinay, Sikarwar, R.L.S. and M. Ramesh. 2003. Carl Linnaeus and A.Saklani .1994. Botanical distribution of HortusMalabaricus: a 250th anniversary psychoactive plants of India. Ethnobotany Tribute to Species Plantarum, Rheedea 13 6:65-75. (1&2): 3-18. Jain, S.K., R.L.S. Sikarwar and V.Pathak .1997. Mohanry, R.B.2003. Oral and dental health Ethnobotanical aspects of some plants in Latin care in folklores of Orissa: An ethnobotanical America. Ethnbotany 9:16-23 observations. Ethnobotany 15:125-126. Janaki Ammal, E.K.1956. Introduction to the Mohanty, R.B.2010. New wild edible plants subsistence economy of India. In: William, from some tribal pockets of Dhenkanal L.T.Jr.Ed. Man’s role in changing the face of the district, Odisha. Ethnobotany 22:113-113. earth. University of Chicago Press. Chicago, NoureddineChaachouay, USA. pp.324-335. ∗OuafaeBenkhnigue, Mohamed Fadli, Joshi, Prabhakar.1995. The wisdom in proverbs. Hamid El Ibaoui, and Lahcen Zidane (2019) In: Ethnobotany of The Primitive Tribes In Ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological Rajashthan. Pp.168-183. Printwell, Jaipur, India. studies of medicinal and aromatic plants used in the treatment of metabolic diseases Joseph, J and Kharkongor P. 1981. A in the Moroccan Rif, Heliyon. 2019 Oct; 5(10): preliminary ethnobotanical Survey in the Khasi e02191 and Jaintia hills, Meghalaya, In: Glimpses of Indian Ethnobotany, Edited by SK Jain, (Oxford Pushpangadan, P., and Atal CK (1984). Ethno- & IBH Publishing Co. New Delhi), 115-123. medico botanical investigation in Kerala 1. Some primitive tribals of Western Ghats and Manilal K S. 1978 HortusMalabaricus of Van their herbal medicine. J Ethnopharmacology. Rheede and Floristic andEthnobotanical studies 11: 59-77. in India. Madras Herbarium (MH) 125th Anniv. Sem. Proc., coimbatore, 1978:45. Pushpangadan, P., and Atal CK (1986). Ethnomedical and ethnobotanical Manilal K S 1980a. Malayalam plant names investigations among some scheduled caste from HortusMalabaricus. Bot. Hist. Hort. communities of Travancore, Kerala, India. J. Malab., 1980: 113-120. Ethnopharmacology. 16: 175-190. Manilal K S. 1980b. Malayalam plant names Pushpangadan, P. 1993. Ethnobiology from HortusMalabaricus in medern botanical in India- A status Report, Ministry of nomenclature. Bot. Hist. Hort. Malab., 1980: Environment and Forests, Govt. of India, New 70-77. Delhi. Manilal K S. 1980c. The implecation of Pushpangadan, P (1995). Prospect of HortusMalabaricus with the botany and history Horticulture in Kerala with special reference of penisular India. Bot. Hist. Hort. Malab., 1980: to ornamental medicinal and aromatic plants. 1-5. Science and Technology for Development, Govt. of Kerala, State Committee on Science, Manilal K S 1981. Ethnobotany of the Nagari Technology and Environment. pp. 240-253. Script in HortusMalabaricus. In Recent Researches in Indian Ethnobotany. Society of P. Pushpangadan and PRJ Pradeep. 2008. Ethnobotanists, Lucknow, (Abst). 1981:1. Aglimpse at Tribal India- An ethnobiological enquiry, Published by Amity Institute for Manilal K S 1996. HortoosMalabarikoosum Herbal and Biotech products Development, Itty Achudanum: A study on the role of Trivandrum – 695 005. itty Achudan in the compilation of the Hortusmalabaricus (in Malayalam). Mentor www.eklines.com AUGUST 2021 53 CURRENT CURRENT AFFAIRS News Reel AFFAIRS Current Affairs News Reel Current Affairs News Reel

Rules related to existing company. It has to be implemented by the concerned incorporation of company within three months. companies changed New rules have been introduced by the ministry of Corporate Affairs wherein the ‘ORDNC’ (Order of Regional Director Not Complied) tag would be attached to a company’s name that does not comply with name changing direction within the time period. India’s economic growth downgraded to 10% by ADB

The government has amended the rules concerning to the incorporation of companies which comes under the Companies Act, 2013. From 1st September, these changes will come into effect. Companies Act, 2013, is being implemented by the corporate affairs ministry and they have amended the Companies (Incorporation) Rules, 2014. The Asian Development Bank has Changes have been made to downgraded India’s economic the Section 16 of the Act which growth forecast for the current relates to the allotment of a new financial year to 10 % from 11% name to an existing company. that it had previously projected Section 16 relates to rectification in the month of April. This of the name of a company downgrade was done taking which is subjected to various into account the adverse impact conditions, including that the of the second wave of the government may direct the name Coronavirus pandemic. changing a firm’s if it is identical with the name of another In the last quarter of fiscal year

54 AUGUST 2021 Executive Knowledge Lines 2020-21, India’s GDP growth nations have agreed to meet in recovered to 1.6%. A second the coming few months to chalk wave of the pandemic induced out the various modalities of this many state governments to QUAD cooperation with mutual impose strict containment consensus. measures hence, the growth projection for FY2021-2, was Cannes Film Festival downgraded to 10% from the 2021: ‘Titane’ wins previously predicted 11%. The projection for FY2022-23 is Palme d’or upgraded to 7.5% from 7% as most of the population will be vaccinated by that time and economic activity will normalise. US, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan to form French director, Julia Ducournau QUAD group of ‘Titane’, a horror drama becomes the first female director in the last 28 years to win the Palme d’or at Cannes Film Festival. On July 18, 2021, the awards of the 74th Cannes Film Festival were handed out at the closing ceremony of the event in the Grand Theatre Lumiere. The United States of America, runner up prize of the festival, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and The Grand Prix, was shared Uzbekistan, have made a by two films. They are Finnish principle agreement to establish director Juho Kuosmanen’s a new quadrilateral diplomatic ‘Compartment No. 6’ and Iranian platform with the primary Asghar Farhadi’s ‘A Hero’. Best aim to enhance regional Director Award was won by Leos connectivity. This QUAD Carax for the pop-opera musical group was announced by the ‘Annette’. This year, coming-of- administration of Biden. This age drama ‘Murina’ won The new QUAD group’s primary Camera d’or for the best first focuses will be on enhancing the film screened in Cannes. Caleb regional connectivity and the Landry Jones won the Best Actor country of Afghanistan. The four prize for his lead performance www.eklines.com AUGUST 2021 55 in ‘Nitram’. Norwegian Renate investors (individuals) will have Reinsve bagged the Best Actress the option to open & maintain prize for her performance in ‘The ‘Retail Direct Gilt Account’ (RDG Worst Persona in the World’. Jane Account) with RBI. RDG Account Campion of New Zealand was can be opened using an ‘Online the first woman to win the Palme portal’ provided for the purpose d’or for “The Piano” in the year of this scheme. Online portal 1993. will also provide facilities to registered users like access to RBI Retail Direct’ primary issuance of Government scheme- Highlights securities & access to NDS-OM. National Asset Reconstruction Company- Key Facts

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) introduced “RBI Retail Direct facility” scheme on July 12, 2021. It is a one-stop solution to facilitate investment in Government Securities (G-Sec) by individual investors. Under this scheme, retail investors will The National Asset be provided a facility to open Reconstruction Company and maintain Retail Direct Gilt (NARC) has finally become a Account (RDG Account) with RBI. legal entity registered with the This facility was launched as part Registrar of Companies (RoC) of continuing efforts towards Mumbai. NARC is also called as increasing retail participation bad bank is finally here in India. in government securities. It It is considered as a one-stop was launched to improve ease solution for banking systems of access by retail investors stressed assets menace. Under by online access to primary as the first phase, 22 stressed well as secondary government accounts amounting to Rs securities market. Date of 89,000 cr have been identified to implementation of scheme is not transfer to NARC. With this, Rs yet announced. 2 lakh crore worth of bad loans Under the scheme, Retail accounts will be transferred to

56 AUGUST 2021 Executive Knowledge Lines newly incorporated bad bank. cinema. But they are mostly SBI is expected to transfer bad limited to films from which they loans worth Rs 20,000cr. PNB can get revenue. In last one will transfer about Rs 8,000cr year, less than 15 Malayalam stressed assets while, Union Bank films, featuring big stars, have of India will transfer about Rs been taken up these platforms. 7,800cr NPAs to NARCL. Furthermore, smaller & home- grown OTT platforms such as NARC was Incorporated on Neestream and Mainstream TV July 7, 2021 with an authorised do not have much of finance to capital of Rs 100 cr and paid- match bigger players. Thus, the up capital of Rs 74.6cr. Sixteen state government proposed this banks, 12 state-owned and OTT platform which will ensure 4 private banks will invest in space and make some sort of NARCL. Canara Bank will be revenue share for lower budget sole sponsor of NARL with & independent films that are 12% stake. SBI is going to be struggling to find space among second-largest shareholder with public. 9.9%. NARC will be headed by stressed assets expert from SBI Govt creates named Padmakumar Madhvani as Managing Director. NARC is ‘Ministry of Co- having a public sector character. operation’ Kerala govt. to have Union government announced for creation of a new “Ministry its own OTT platform of Cooperation” on July 6, 2021 ahead of cabinet reshuffle. Ministry will provide a separate administrative, legal and policy framework to strengthen cooperative movement in India. It has been created to realise the vision of ‘Sahkar se Samriddhi’ (Prosperity through cooperatives). It will work to Kerala government has proposed streamline processes for ease of to have its own over-the-top doing business for cooperatives (OTT) platform. Government and enable development of has planned to launch it by multi-state cooperatives. With November 1. the creation of this ministry, Major OTT players like Netflix there will now be a total of 41 and Amazon have been showing central government ministries. more interest in Malayalam www.eklines.com AUGUST 2021 57 REFLECTION

Equanimity ne of the criteria of quality leadership is the restraint with which a leader speaks and conducts in the public. This is all the more relevant in politics and public administration. The most Oimportant aspect is that this restraint is expected to be maintained even under extreme provocation by adversaries or a highly stressful situation. A graceful and convincing leader is undoubtedly the one who has the above quality, which is known as equanimity. Equanimity is the evenness and steadiness of mind when under stress. It has a lot of significance in the life of every individual. Life these days gets caught up in some sort of conflicts or crisis, be it at work, at home or in relationship. It might be stress around processes, deadlines, budgets and job security, or personal relationships and unresolved conflicts, or how to resolve health or education challenges, or whether what they are doing is what they really want to be doing with their life. It is imperative to develop the quality of equanimity to cope with the day to day stresses life poses. Equanimity is the foundation for wisdom and freedom and for compassion and love. It is not, as sometimes mistaken, a coolness, or indifference or aloofness. It is not the suppression of feelings, apathy or inexpressiveness. The Buddha described equanimity as a mind that is abundant, immeasurable and without hostility or ill-will. In others words, it is the capacity to remain neutral, to observe from a distance and be at peace without getting caught up in what we observe. It’s the capacity to see the big picture with understanding. In essence, it is about taking nothing personally, refusing to get caught up in the drama - either our own or others’. Equanimity allows us to stand in the midst of conflict or crisis in a way where we are balanced, grounded and centered. It allows us to remain upright in the face of the strong winds of conflict and crisis, such as: blame, failure, pain, or disrepute - the winds that set us up for suffering when they begin to blow. Equanimity protects us from being blown over and helps us stay on an even keel. The significance of equanimity in life cannot be overemphasized. N. Vijayagopalan [email protected] | Mobile & WhatsApp No. 9567695559 https://www.linkedin.com/in/n-vijay-gopalan-a839046 https://mobile.twitter.com/NVIJAYGOPALAN

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