Patenting culture in CSIR: Generating new knowledge and protecting its Intellectual Property has been one of the core missions of CSIR. CSIR believes that performing good science and protecting intellectual property are not mutually exclusive. This credo was ingrained in the ethos of CSIR by none other than its founding Director General, Sir Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar. Dr. Bhatnagar was a globally renowned physical chemist, a Fellow of the Royal Society and was cited as an inventor in as many as 50 Patents. He licensed two of his patents to global companies and earned handsome royalties, which he generously donated to the organization that employed him.

This spirit pervades CSIR even today, after seventy years of its inception. Post 1990, CSIR has pursued its strategy of protecting its knowledge base with renewed vigour. CSIR has provided leadership to the nation in articulating the importance of IP protection, so that India's knowledge creates wealth for India, rather than wealth in other parts of the world.

CSIR was granted greater than 90% of the US patents filed by any Indian publicly funded R&D organization and has a wide portfolio of patents in its armoury. About 9% of its patents are licensed, a number which is above the global average. Amongst its peers in publicly funded research organizations in the world. CSIR-lndia is a leader in terms of filing and securing patents worldwide. CSIR's IP has led to the creation of both wealth as well as widespread societal impact. For example, the Soft Coke Over Technology has generated 342 licensees with a Direct Value Creation Multiple of at least 400. A portfolio of patents on chemistry and technology of polycarbonates) was licensed to General Electric (GE) Plastics which resulted in licensing and research income exceeding US $10 million.

These patents have played both, strategic and tactical roles. They have catalyzed the growth of a strong domestic industry, protected Indian companies from infringement and provided them with the necessary IP support to enter competitive export markets. IP of CSIR has also brought respect to the organization and visibility to India as an Innovative Nation. CSIR has demonstrated to the world that India is second to none when it comes to inventions and securing patents and has dispelled the prevalent notion that India merely thrives on imitation and copying.