The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Intellectual property stamp for "Indian treasures"

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 21, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Intellectual property stamp for "Indian treasures"

A. Subramani

CHENNAI: Kancheepuram silk sarees, Madurai sungudi sarees and Bhavani jamakkalams now have one thing in common.

They have been recognised as "Indian treasures" by Intellectual Property India and have entered the Geographical Indication Registry.

The GI Registry has recognised the Tamil Nadu Department of Handlooms and Textiles as the registered proprietor of the products.

The Trade Related Intellectual Property Services (TRIPS) agreement refers to GI as "goods as originating in a particular geographical region, where a certain quality, reputation or characteristic is attributed to its geographical origin." In other words, there must be a link between the product and where it is produced.

With a view to bringing products unique to the State under the protective umbrella of the GI Registry, advocate P. Sanjay Gandhi was assigned the task of registering the products in September 2004. About 14 months later, the exhaustive procedural hurdles were completed, and the authority for the three products has been firmly vested with the Handlooms Department.

References to the Kancheepuram silk sarees in the Silappadikaram and the writings of Venkatasami Nattar helped, he said. The sungudi sarees, referred to as cotton sarees manufactured using the traditional tie or knot-dyeing process, have a "unique kaleidoscopic" effect. The jamakkalams (cotton carpets) are woven in pit looms for a "multicoloured crossbar effect."

The registration confers legal protection on the goods to facilitate action for infringement of rights, said Mr. Sanjay Gandhi.

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