The famous 17th century ‘Basohli Painting’ from the Kathua district of Jammu & Kashmir has obtained the Geographical Indication (GI) tag following approval by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) Jammu.

Pertinently, Geographical Indications (GI) is a form of intellectual property right that identifies goods and products originating from a specific geographical location and having distinct nature, quality and characteristics linked to that location.

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The process for GI tagging of nine products of Jammu region was initiated by NABARD in consultation with the Department of Handicrafts and Handloom in December 2020, during the difficult times of COVID. The GI tags have now finally been granted to these products after a long legal process.

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal congratulated the country on getting 33 GI tags, the highest ever in a single year, by tweeting through his official twitter handle. The products from UT of Jammu and Kashmir have been included in the list of 33 products that have received the GI tag on 31 March 2023.

This is the first time in the history of GI registration that the Jammu region got GI tag for handicrafts.

Basohli painting of the Kathua district is the first independent GI tagged product from Jammu region. Now, only an authorised user has the exclusive right to use the Geographical Indication in relation to these products. Due to this, no person can copy it from beyond their geographical areas.

This will prevent unauthorised use of these registered Geographical Indication goods by third parties besides will boost exports and promote their brands at international level, thereby promoting economic prosperity of producers and related stakeholders including contribution to  GDP of the country.

Dr. Ajay Kumar Sood, Chief General Manager, NABARD, thanked the concerned departments of the UT government, all the GI applicant organizations and especially the skilled leadership of the Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha. He further informed that post GI development projects will now be taken up for the product for training and capacity building, brand building, improving marketability etc.

It is worth mentioning that Basohli paintings is a fusion of Hindu mythology, Mughal miniature techniques and folk art of the local hills, evolved in the 17th and 18th centuries as a distinctive style of painting.