One of the Life Science laboratories of Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), Defence Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR) has successfully developed technologies based on Seabuckthorn that has found to be having high nutritional values. It can be used as quality food supplements as they have very high anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals. Patanjali Ayurved Ltd. has taken Transfer of Technologies (ToT) through a “Non Exclusive” license from DRDO for five of the Seabuckthorn based products namely: Seabuckthorn Beverage, Seapricot Beverage, herbal Tea, Seabuckthorn Oil Soft Gel Capsules and Seabuckthorn Jam.
Patanjali Ayurved Ltd, being a major well recognised Indian brand in Ayurved and natural health products and with its extensive network of distributors throughout India, can take these products to the market more effectively. Being one of the biggest manufacturers of Ayurveda products in the country with WHO-GMP certified, Patanjali can further innovate and find more benefits for these products. These technologies were earlier given to 2 more companies on “Non Exclusive” basis namely: Pravek kalp Pvt. Ltd & Ambe Phytoextracts Ltd. As these Licenses are Non Exclusive in nature, DRDO can provide additional licenses, if required.
To ensure diffusion of DRDO developed spin off technologies to the civil society, DRDO has entered into an agreement with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) the premier Industry Chamber of the Country under a joint initiative DRDO-FICCI-ATAC (Accelerated Technology Assessment & Commercialisation) Program, the platform created to commercialise spin off technologies with special focus on social benefit technologies. Under this program FICCI facilitates bringing potential industries that can absorb the technologies from DRDO and helps it in licensing to industries to manufacture and market.
It is expected that such ToT to the industries will help the local population living in difficult terrains to derive the economic benefits through organised farming of local produce required for these products and the health products coming out from these industries will benefit the society at large.
The Leh based DIHAR has pioneered cold arid –agro animal technologies for augmenting local availability of fresh food in the region. The laboratory through its translational laboratory to land approach, develops technologies for fresh food cultivation, processed food, nutraceuticals, poultry, goat and dairy farming and green house cultivation in high altitudes where these are major challenges both for the local populations and for the Armed Forces. DIHAR through its pioneering R&D efforts over the years has brought about perceptible qualitative and quantitative changes in agriculture, animal husbandry and cold desert flora of Ladakh Region.