New Delhi: After 'Vastu', it has now been found that over 40 Indian concepts including Veda, Ayurveda and Gayatri have been registered as trademarks in Germany.

"It has been found that not only Vastu but 40 ancient Indian concepts including Indian Sanskrit books 'Veda' and medical entreaties 'Ayurveda' and a religious chant 'Gayatri' have been registered as trademarks in Germany," Ashwinie Kumar Bansal, Director of the Vastu Shastra Institute told reporters in New Delhi.

The institute had last week discovered that Vastu - an ancient Indian architectural concept had been registered as a trademark by a German organisation - Samhita sometime in 1998-99.

These trademarks have been registered by several organisations including Samhita, which is run by followers of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Bansal said adding that Mahesh Yogi was using Maharishi Veda and Maharishi Ayurveda as registered trademarks since Veda and Ayurveda had been already registered by other organisations in Germany.

While Veda had been registered as early as in 1984, Gayatri had been registered very recently, he said.

Bansal, who is an arbitrator on the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) since 1996, said that he would soon approach the government and WIPO on this issue.

"I have also recently floated an Intellectual Property Rights Forum for the protection of Indian concepts which will work as a watchdog against Indian concepts being used by foreigners abroad," he said.

PTI