Kashmiri handicraft granted GI

Six Kashmiri handicrafts have been granted Geographical Indication (GI), symbolising their exclusivity in the international market. “Six traditional crafts of Kashmiri origin — Pashmina, Sozni-embroidery, Kani-shawl, Papier-Mâché, Khatamband and Walnut Woodcarving — have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) by the government of India”, said Mohammad Shariq Farooqi, director of Craft Development Institute during a meeting with chief minister Omar Abdullah. The GI status is a sort of trademark or a patent given to the products which are indigenous to a community in a particular geographical region. The GI registration acts as certificate that the product is made by traditional methods and possesses certain qualities specific to the area and the community.