Banarasi Silk receives GI rights [India]

Banarasi silk products have been registered under Geographical Indication (GI) rights with the name ‘Banaras Brocades and Sarees’. This is the first ever GI status that any product in Eastern UP has received. Malihabadi Dussehri mango is another product that is enjoying GI status in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The GI rights curb others from processing or marketing any product under the same name and are as good as intellectual property rights. The GI certificate for Banarasi silk products have been received by the office of Assistant Director (Handloom) and other applicants.

The certificate will prove to be advantageous for the exporters and consumers, along with the handloom weavers, said Mr. Rajni Kant, President, Human Welfare Association (HWA) who is also one of the applicants.As GI status is the measure to restrict the misuse of Banarasi sari brand, it would benefit around 12 lakh people who are directly or indirectly associated with handloom silk industry of the region. According to the certificate issued by the registrar of GI, Banaras Brocades and Sarees come under four classes (13-26) that include silk brocades, textile goods, silk saree, dress material and silk embroidery. This registration is for 10 years, which can be renewed further. Organizations such as UK based Find Your Feet, Department for International Development and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) India offered support to secure the GI status, said Mr. Kant. Nine organizations had applied for the GI registration of world famous Banarasi saree and brocade, to the Chennai-based Geographical Indication Registry in July 2007 and they received the GI status on September 4 this year, nearly after two years.

The nine organizations were, Banaras Bunkar Samiti , Human Welfare Association (HWA), joint director industries (eastern zone), director of handlooms and textiles Uttar Pradesh Handloom Fabrics Marketing Cooperative Federation, Eastern UP Exporters Association (EUPEA), Banarasi Vastra Udyog Sangh, Banaras Hath Kargha Vikas Samiti and Adarsh Silk Bunkar Sahkari Samiti. Banaras, which is among the premier weaving centres in the country, is very popular for its glamorous, colourful and exclusive varieties of saris such as Jangla, Tanchoi, Vaskat, Cutwork, Tissu and Butidar, and also for brocade and dress materials.