A significant section of Indian commerce involves people dealing and working with traditional goods, handicrafts, textiles etc. that deserve the status of a Geographical Indication. That apart, these also constitute a large percentage of the export commodities. In a country with unique traditions and customs, schemes and skill-sets, affording protection to this realm of Intellectual Property seems to have been the intent behind legislating a sui generis system for its protection. The legislation is all the more necessary in the event of poaching from illegitimate exporters and other nations.

The Geographical Indications Registry seems to be in a sprint at granting registrations. Offlate the Registry granted ten GI registrations to five states, which included goods spanning the length and breadth of India, including Kathputlis (puppets) from Rajasthan, Machilipatnam Kalamkari from Andhra Pradesh and Sankheda furniture from Gujarat. With barely having completed the first three months of the financial year, the number of registered GIs has risen to whopping eighty-three (83) from the previous financial year’s total of sixty- one (61) registrations. The products that obtained registration successfully in the first quarter of FY 2008-09 include:

 

S.No.	Product	State	Geographical Indication
62	Stone carving	Orissa	Konark Stone Carving
63	Carpets, Rugs, Mats, etc.,	Orissa	Orissa Pattachitra
64	Handicrafts	Tamil Nadu	Swamimalai Bronze icons
65	Handicrafts	Rajasthan	Blue Pottery of Jaipur
66	Handicrafts	Rajasthan	Molela Clay Idols
67	Handicrafts	Rajasthan	Kathputlis of Rajasthan
68	Textiles	Karnataka	Ilkal Sarees
69	Textiles	Himachal Pradesh	Chamba Rumal
70	Milk Products	Karnataka	Dharwad Pedha
71	Agricultural Products	Kerala	Pokkali Rice
72	Handicrafts	Chhattisgarh	Bastar Iron Craft
73	Handicrafts	Chhattisgarh	Bastar Dhokra
74	Handicrafts	Chhattisgarh	Bastar Wooden Craft
75	Textiles, Clothing, Carpets	Andhra Pradesh	Machilipatnam Kalamkari
76	Wooden toys	Andhra Pradesh	Nirmal Toys and Crafts
77	Handicrafts	Madhya Pradesh	Leather Toys of Indore
78	Handicrafts	Madhya Pradesh	Bagh Prints of Dhar
79	Handicrafts	Gujarat	Sankheda Furniture
80	Handicrafts	Gujarat	Agates of Cambay
81	Handicrafts	Madhya Pradesh	Datia and Tikamgarh Bell Metal Ware
82	Handicrafts	Gujarat	Kutch Embroidery
83	Agricultural Products	Tamil Nadu	Eathomozhy Tall Coconut