PUNE, Dec 25: After earning the title of the largest money spinning research laboratory of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) in Pune is now heading for yet another pathbreaking record in terms of highest number of patents filed by any scientific lab in the country.

During the current year, the laboratory has already filed a total of 94 patents which is nearly one third of around 300 patents filed by all the forty laboratories of CSIR collectively. The record achievement is also expected to open floodgates for the premier laboratory in terms of ``pure business'' as most of the patents filed by NCL have commercial applications in industrial and agricultural sector throughout the world.

Citing some of the reasons of NCL's outstanding success, RA Mashelkar, director general of CSIR, said, ``Undoubtedly it's innovation that has established NCL as a premier research institute on the world scientific map.'' A patent is granted for its novelty, non-obviousness and usefulness.

It is here that NCL, instead of following the conventional practice of reverse engineering, created a strong scientific base and accomplished the task of optimum amalgamation of high science with high technology, added Masheklar, who engineered the revamp of traditional scientific research at NCL during his tenure as the laboratory's director. He said that NCL has done exceedingly well during past few years and emerged as a flagship laboratory of CSIR. This is evident by the fact that last year 80 per cent of the total lab budget was generated indigenously through business activities with major companies all over the world. Going by last year's performance in which NCL filed 64 patents, this year it has recorded an overwhelming increase of around 35 per cent in the number of patents filed.

But what has come as a greater surprise is the fact that the biotechnology discipline, the most promising, though highly time-consuming field, has put up an exemplary performance at NCL this year. As compared to only four patents filed last year, this year a total number of 11 patents have been filed in the discipline, many of which also have tremendous commercial viability value. Showing keenness in capitalising on patents, PK Ranjekar, head of biochemistry division, said, ``The patents filed in biotechnology, of which some of them have already been granted, have great commercial value especially in the agriculture sector.

In order to cash in on the commercial applications, we will make all attempts to tap our knowledge base for attaining self sufficiency, thereby enhancing our research work. After estimating the commercial potential of our patents, there are plans to approach the world business market for sharing our patented knowledge base.'' With NCL maintaining an impressive track record in terms of the total income generated, Mashelkar's strategy of `knowledge-based investment' in scientfic research of the laboratory finally appears to have borne fruit. The fact that the laboratory has taken a quantum leap in business-oriented research is evident by the fact that the polymers discipline, which caters to a major portion of NCL's business purse, has filed 28 patents as compared to 11 last year.

Says Mashelkar, ``Last year 80 per cent of NCL's earning was in dollars. By sharing the knowhow with multinational companies like GE, DuPont, ICI and others, NCL is now heading for business fused with focussed scientific research on commercially viable areas of work.''

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.