Asia's 1st human DNA bank in UP

Be it a terrorist attack, mass tragedy or police verification, this bank can be of great use for security agencies and doctors.

Combining Biometric, anthropology and information technology together, Asia's first human DNA Bank has been set up in Biotech Park of Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow.

The unique bank stores all information of a person including fingerprints and other vital details collected from four drops of blood in a card, which is transferred to a smart card to be read through special readers.

"The information will be stored in the bank for 50 years and is of great help in ascertaining identity of a person and providing medical aid to them," Chief Executive Officer, Biotech Park, P K Seth told PTI.

"This is Asia's first and world's second bank having DNA identification system (DIS) and has been established in the Biotech park under the public private partnership with IQRA Biotech Services," Seth said, adding that Federal Bureau of Investigation is so far the only agency that could boast of a DNA bank.

Citing major uses of the card, he said that it could provide details about an unconscious person during an accident, identify bodies during mass tragedy and help tracking lost children besides it can also be used at important establishments such as airport, immigration counters and high risk zones.

The card will have general information, anthropological and medical information, biometrics DNA and fingerprint- details of a person and some very rare personal and confidential information will also be stored in it, Seth said.

Realising the utility of the bank, governments of Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir and Tamil Nadu have shown keen interest in the project and expressed their desire to establish such a bank in their state, an official of the firm said.

After serial blasts in Jaipur, Rajasthan government wants to prepare DNA bank and prepare smart cards for Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's office, secretariat and District Magistrate officer for security reasons, he said.

Similarly, Tamil Nadu government has asked Family and Social Welfare department to check viability of the project while Jammu and Kashmir government is also keen to start the bank soon, the official claimed.

The bank is offering membership to interested persons at Rs 640 only for 50 years in Lucknow.

Once someone becomes member of the bank, he will get a microchip based DNA card containing his vital information.

With the help of this card, all information about a person will be accessible on the click of a mouse.