Hand Made Woolen Carpets/ Area Rugs produced in Bhadohi region of (roughly 9 district) of Eastern Uttar Pradesh, INDIA have been accorded GI Tag No. 148 on 3rd Sep-2011 as "HAND MADE CARPET OF BHADOHI". The Nominated proprietor of GI-148 are as under : 

1. All India Carpet Manufacturer Association,"Kaleen Bhawan", Maryadpatti, Post Box No. 63, Bhadohi, District Sant Ravidas Nagar (UP) - 221401 INDIA, Phone +91-5414-225352, Fax +91-2414-227552, email : acmabdh@gmail.com / acma_bdh@sify.com 
2. The Great Bhadohi Handicraft Society, Chakkishundas (Kawal), Gyanpur District Sant Ravidas Nagar (UP) 221401 India 
3. Joint Director, Office of Joint Director (Industries), Varanasi Region, Uttar Pradesh, India

Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act,1999 of INDIA seeks to provide for the registration and better protection of geographical indications relating to goods in India. The Act is administered by the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks who are designated Registrar of Geographical Indications through Guna Complex No. 443/304 Anna Salai, Teynampet, Chennai 600 018 INDIA.

GI is a notice of a specific product having been produced in a particular place. The producer can use this indication only for products from the specified region. Unlike a trademark, however, the GI is not an individual property for use by the owner alone, but it suggests the geographical indication of that region, which any producer may use. The consumer has faith in the quality of the product of the region for e.g. Alphanso Mango of Ratnagiri, chilies of Kolhapur, Sonpapadi of Nagpur, Champagne from France, etc. Geographical indication is in relation to goods originated or manufactured in the territory of country or a region or locality in that territory where a given quality-reputation or other characteristic of such goods is attributable to its geographical origin. In case such goods are manufactured goods one of the activities of either the production or of processing or of preparation of the goods concerned takes place in such a place, region or locality (Appellation of origin).India faced numerous difficulties in fighting a legal battle against American Patent of Basmati, as the country has not understood importance of a strcutured approach for written & published documentation and use of such documents in regular commercial transaction (like country of origin) in international trade. In response to this new threat of intellectual piracy, both the house of parliament have passed THE GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS OF GOODS - REGISTRATION & PROTECTION ACT[1999] of INDIA. Section 2(e) of the act defines Geographical Indication (GI) in relation to goods as agricultural goods, natural goods, manufactured goods originated or manufactured in the territory of country or a region or locality or a region or locality in that territory where a given quality reputation or other characteristics of such goods are attributable to its geographical origin. The structured process is based on having a formal "community registers". A number of different steps are crucial in creating such registers as under :

1. Compile a list of the special products grown or manufactured in a region, which have geographical peculiarities.
   
2. Obtain detailed information of the relation of geography to the product - for e.g. the soil quality, weather, water, etc.
3. Identify the specific human resources required in the manufacturing process.
4. Perform a qualitative & quantitative classification of the product.
5. Establish the commercial viability of the product.
6. Compile a history of the profession whether it is hereditary & belongs to a particular community.
7. Record whether the product is used for domestic purpose e.g. for medicinal, cosmetic or as diet ingredient.
8. Most importantly, clearly identify its traditional, religious or cultural uses.

The economic security of artisans who are earning their living through handicraft items and the international trade centered around such items is highly dependent on identifying rightful geographic indications, and in remaining vigilant about potential abuses of these rights by competitors. Developed nations around the world have created the infrastructure by which their intellectual property is safeguarded very well. In order to remain competitive and to prevent the loss of its own properties. The nature of international agreements has created a strange beast - the trade agreements tend to define the nature of trade, rather than the other way around. Because there was a process by which the Basmati patent could be awarded to an American company, and because India had not engaged that process fully and vigorously, the export of 45,000 tonnes of Basmatic was suddenly under threat. 


Interested individuals may send their queries either to us through our contact form OR approach directly to Indian Institute of Carpet Technology through their specific industry guidance forum "Bhadohi Development Services (BDS) for MSME Sector, Woodland Bhavan, Ring Market, Near-BIDA / Bhadohi Tehsil, Rajpura, District - Sant Ravidas Nagar (UP) - 221401, Ph +91-5414-226022,  url : www.Bhadohibds.com"