[Commons-Law] Seven crafts of Guj go for GI

[Prashant Iyengar]

http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage_c.php?leftnm=10&autono=324270
Seven crafts of Guj go for GI
Wed May 28 2008 11:12:28 GMT+0530 (India Standard Time)
Vinay Umarji & Ritu Khatri / Mumbai/ Ahmedabad May 28, 2008, 5:05 IST

Gujarat is reviving its traditional crafts. At least seven crafts from
the state including Bandhani (tie and dye) cloth of Bharuch, Silk
Patola of Surendranagar, Kutch woolen shawls, Mashru industry in
Patan, Tangaliya handloom cloth of Surendranagar, Silk Gharchola and
Panetar sarees of Khambat and Sujini cloth of Bharuch are being
registered under the Geographical Indication (GI) system.

"Protection of GI has, over the years, emerged as one of the most
contentious Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) issues in the realm of
the WTO's Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property
Rights(TRIPS). Which is why, the Ministry of Textiles has come out
with 5,000 products for GI registration in India which is an
imperative step to save the dying art of India.

Out of which almost seven textile products have been identified for GI
registration in Gujarat," said R M Sankar, principal scientific
officer at Ahmedabad Textile Industry's Research Association (ATIRA).

The crafts are getting registered through the assistance of institutes
like ATIRA and National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT),
Gandhinagar. While ATIRA is acting as a catalyst for bringing Bandhani
industry of Jamanagar under GI system, NIFT has been assisting
craftsmen of Surendranagar to register Tangaliya craft of weaving.

Once registered, the crafts would get an international recognition
which could take them into the fashion industry in Paris and London,
said Sankar, adding that the production of Bandhani, which is
estimated to be around 60,000 units per annum, could rise up by four
times post-GI registration.

Around 75,000 traders and producers are involved in Bandhni industry,
while about one lakh females are involved in tying activity in
Jamnagar.

Registration of Tangaliya, on the other hand, is being carried out by
a Chennai-based attorney through NIFT. Unlike embroidery which is a
post-loom process of embedding design on the fabric, Tangaliya is a
loom process wherein craftsmen hand weave designs in the form of tiny
dots at the time of weaving.

To further facilitate sustenance of Tangaliya and other dying arts
like Single Ikat, Khadi, Sand Stone and Brass, the 2000-odd artisans
and crafsmen have formed around 174 self help groups (SHGs) with the
help of the institute, said Nitesh Vyas, director of NIFT,
Gandhinagar.

Besides creating SHGs, the artisans have also set up a federation
titled Surendranagar Vankar Samaj (SUVAS). Speaking about the
importance of having a federation of artisans, Vyas said, "Setting up
of a federation and GI registration are part of the SGSY project which
aims at reviving traditional crafts and making them commercially
viable.

NIFT will be involved in this project with the artisans and craftsmen
for about two and a half years. But once the project gets over, it is
important to sustain the crafts of the artisans along with its
collective marketing, for which they are being trained at our various
centres."

The crafts are marketed and promoted through exhibitions and fairs,
display at Gram Haat in Ahmedabad, NIFT's 'iM' store in New Delhi and
other stores like Fab India, Vanilla, Harita Kapur, and 360 degrees.

GI registration has already been sucessfully done for 'Pochampally
Ikat' of Hyderabad, 'Kanchipuram' silk sarees and 'Rumal' and other
silk sarees of Banaras. Due to the registration Pochampally sales have
gone up by almost 40 per cent while the production went up by three
crore units per month .

On getting an international recognition, the Pochampally industry got
an order for sarees from Air India and Indian Airlines for their
air-hostesses, said Sankar.