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``Only protected usable knowledge can create wealth.''

Raghunath Mashelkar

Director General, CSIR

The Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) has 40-odd laboratories and 80 field centres engaged in fundamental and applied research in the whole gamut of science and technology.

During his stewardship of NCL (National Chemical Laboratory, Pune) from 1989 to 1995, Mashelkar launched his campaign to globalise Indian research and development (R&D). Instead of only producing a large mass of quality scientific papers (approximately 2 50), Mashelkar convinced his colleagues that to stake its claim in international knowledge markets, NCL must have patents...

``...India lost out on not having a strong intellectual property culture. Only protected usable knowledge can create wealth. We changed the value system at NCL from `patent or perish' to `patent, publish and prosper'. It paid rich dividends. It has now b ecome a catch phrase at CSIR.''

Mashelkar advises his colleagues to scan the patent databases before starting a research project, lest they waste time in reinvesting the wheel...

Mashelkar's `patent, publish, prosper' drive and its turmeric patent victory gave CSIR a massive boost. How does Mashelkar evaluate this victory? ``Of course, it was a matter of great pride for us all. This was the first time that from the third world th ere was a challenge thrown to the United States patents and trademark office, on a patent given on the traditional knowledge of India...''

``In the 1980s the US denied us the Cray supercomputer, which we wanted for weather forecasting. India decided to enter this area by using the alternative route of parallel processing. India's journey from 1986 to 1999 shows the way indigenous innovation changes the control regime and vice versa. I remember a headline in the Washington Post soon after India had exported its PARAM 8000 to Germany, the UK and Russia. It said 'Angry India Does It', that is, India having been angered at the denial of superc omputers, developed its own. So this anger was the driving force for India...''

``...The challenge before an innovator is to convert inspiration into solutions, and ideas into products. True innovators are those who refuse to preserve the status quo, those who put in all their energy to make things happen. Their incentives are perso nal and emotional...''

The above excerpts are from:

Thought Leaders

The Source Code of Exceptional Managers and Entrepreneurs

By Shrinivas Pandit

Publishers: Tata Mcgraw-Hill

Price: Not mentioned

The author is a management counsellor who has earlier worked with Blue Star, Hardillia Chemicals, Johnson & Johnson and Siemens. At present, he is a Fellow of the Institute of Personnel and Development, UK.

Picture: Raghunath Mashelkar, Director General, CSIR