New Delhi, March 16: The Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), Ahmedabad, continues to strengthen its efforts to protect traditional crafts and promote artisan livelihoods through Geographical Indication (GI) facilitation and intellectual property awareness initiatives. As part of these efforts, EDII hosted a two-day Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) outreach programme titled IP Yatra under the MSME Intellectual Property Facilitation Centre (MSME IPFC) scheme supported by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India, on March 13–14, 2026.
The event, organised in association with the IP Promotion Outreach Foundation (IPPO), brought together more than 500 stakeholders from across India, including MSMEs, startups, innovators, artisans, academicians and industry representatives.
The event was inaugurated by Smt. G. Latha, IAS, Commissioner, Entrepreneurship Development and Innovation Institute – Tamil Nadu (EDII-TN), along with Jatin Trivedi, Managing Partner, Y. J. Trivedi & Co., and Rajesh Kumar, Assistant Director, MSME Development & Facilitation Office (DFO), Ahmedabad.
In her keynote address, Smt. G. Latha highlighted a global patent dispute involving neem and said, “In 1995, a US-based company patented neem, although the use of neem as an antiseptic dates back thousands of years in India. Yet, due to a lack of awareness about protecting our traditional knowledge, others took advantage. Recognising the significance of patents, India fought the case for almost ten years before the patent was revoked. Hence, to safeguard our knowledge and legacy, patent protection is essential.”
A key highlight of the event was the Geographical Indication (GI) Regional Meet. On this occasion, Dr. Unnat Pandit, Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trade Marks (CGPDTM), DPIIT, Government of India, awarded the GI Certificate for ‘Surat Cut (Diamond)’ to Jagdishbhai Khunt, President of the Surat Diamond Association, along with other association members.
The Surat diamond industry plays a crucial role in the global diamond market and is known to produce around 90% of India’s polished diamonds, marking a significant milestone in recognising the region’s craftsmanship and heritage under the GI framework.
Dr. Pandit also awarded GI Authorised User Certificates to artisans associated with traditional crafts. A total of 57 authorised users of Tangaliya Shawl, represented by Lavjibhai Parmar, and 34 authorised users of Mata ni Pachhedi, represented by Bhanubhai Chitara, were acknowledged for their contributions to preserving and promoting these unique traditional crafts.
In his address, Dr. Pandit said, “India is home to a rich repository of knowledge developed through years of practice across multiple fields. It is very important to promote and protect ideas and processes at the right time. GI facilitation plays a crucial role in promoting the social and economic well-being of our producers and artisans. I am happy that we are actively supporting them in getting their products GI tagged so that they gain greater recognition.”
EDII has been actively supporting GI registration for traditional crafts and products. So far, the Institute has facilitated GI tags for five crafts — Gujarat Suf Embroidery, Ahmedabad Sodagari Block Print, Bharuch Sujani Weaving, Surat Sadeli Craft and Surat Cut (Diamond). In addition, the Institute has initiated GI tagging for 15 crafts and agricultural products from Gujarat under MSME IPFC, which are currently in advanced stages of processing.
To further strengthen support for artisans and producer groups, EDII has also established a NABARD-supported Regional Geographical Indication (GI) Facilitation Centre at its campus. The centre is the first of its kind in Gujarat and has been established to support artisans, producer groups and entrepreneurs across the state. The centre has generated cumulative sales of more than ₹3 lakh in the last six months, enabling artisans to access better market opportunities.
Commenting on the importance of patenting and GI tagging, Dr. Sunil Shukla, Director General, EDII, said, “Filing patents plays a crucial role in protecting our rich knowledge and traditions. Ideation must lead to innovation, and innovation must lead to commercialisation for ideas to positively impact economic and social well-being. Geographical Indications (GI) are also an important tool for protecting products with unique regional identity.”
The IP Yatra also featured expert-led sessions aimed at enhancing awareness and understanding of Intellectual Property Rights among entrepreneurs and innovators. The sessions were delivered by Nilesh Pandit, Lead (IPR – Patents), Tata Consultancy Services, and Neha Verma, General Counsel, Puniska Group, who shared insights on patent strategy, IP protection, brand-to-asset transformation, and the importance of leveraging intellectual property for business growth.
