5. Traditional Knowledge in Manufacturing and Industry

Industry is the forte of modern knowledge. But here too, traditional knowledge-based products have a niche market, which is growing. Their market share is not very small either. This is not understood because the unit sizes are small and diverse. The first case we discuss is from the pharmaceuticals sector, of modern drug development using Ayurvedic medicinal knowledge. We introduce the initiatives that are on the road to success. Here, there is almost unlimited economic potential that awaits to be utilized. This is followed by three case studies from micro, small, and medium industries sector. These are a village agro industry of West Bengal, a distinctive design of gems and jewelery from Kerala, and from handicrafts sector a world famous toy making style of Karnataka. The case studies in this chapter deal with technology development, legal and administrative support, marketing, and role of leadership.