Putting Indian heritage on the world map

An interview with Professor Ganesh Hingmire who has submitted his 100th GI application

Having filed over 100 Geographical Indication applications since 2007, Ganesh Hingmire strives to bring attention to popular and lesser-known products from across India as his tribute to the nation.

What do Darjeeling tea, cashews and alphonso mangoes from Vengurla, Nagpur’s Ranya Roti, Chanderi sarees and the Kavdi Mal from Tuljapur have in common? They’ve all caught the attention of intellectual property rights expert Prof Ganesh Hingmire who has managed to secure a Geographical Indication for all these products and more. “GIs help in drawing attention to products in certain regions and help bring prosperity to the local communities. That is my contribution to our nation,” says Professor Hingmire.

Over the past 18 years since he secured his first GI for the Puneri Pagdi, Hingmire has worked on GI initiatives across numerous states and has recently made his 100th GI application. For him, it’s his service to the nation. “My pursuit is to utilize GI as a potent tool for the socioeconomic growth of India. The significance of Geographical Indications is huge as they play a pivotal role in preserving the unique qualities and heritage of region-specific products. By championing GI, I am not only safeguarding our cultural diversity but also striving to drive economic advancement and uplift local communities,” he says.

Armed with five degrees, Hingmire returned to Pune from England in 2002 and was interested in spreading knowledge about Intellectual Property Rights and GI. Holding the then president APJ Abdul Kalam and his own uncle, a freedom fighter, as his role models, he wrote to the former president with his idea of working on GIs for various products in the country. Dr Kalam encouraged him to pursue this field and Hingmire started teaching law students about IPR and GI. In 2006, he selected the Puneri Pagdi to get a Geographical Indication for. “It was my tribute to my city of Pune and to the nation since Lokmanya Tilak always donned the Puneri Pagdi which was worn by the Peshwas earlier,” he says.

How do you choose a product?

Whenever I go to give lectures on patents, I always ask the locals about any unique products from their region. This is backed by research. I have taken 1200 lectures in 30 states and this gives me an opportunity to discover and explore local unique products.

I have written more than 250 articles so sometimes even people approach me. Over the past 20 years or so, there is awareness on this topic. The former governor of Maharashtra had invited farmers and I got an opportunity to acquaint people with the concept of GI. In Maharashtra alone, I have applied for GIs for 59 products of which 41 have been accepted and the others are under the stage of examination. Another 10 will be awarded the GI by next month.

Which are the most unique products you’ve secured GIs for?

Every product has a tradition and heritage, food heritage, musical or cultural heritage. It is tied with the soil and the ethos of the place. My journey which began with the Puneri Pagdi has spanned various unique products, agricultural and local crafts. So, we have secured a GI for Bodoland’s eri silk and the sifung, a five holed bansuri. But I enjoy working with agricultural produce such as the Navapur tur dal, Ajra Ghansal rice or the Waigaon turmeric—these are all unique in their own way

Does a GI tag bring in benefits?

GI is a tag of quality and of the skills of a community. Patents, trademark, GI—all this is intellectual property. A GI belongs to a community; whether a weaver or a farmer, they use their expertise and creativity to grow a certain crop or make a product. That effort gets recognised. GI comes from the West so these products get a platform on an international stage.

It benefits an entire community by commanding a good price. There are several such examples—kesar amba from Marathwada, bananas from Jalgaon, figs from Purandar have all found a place in the international marketplace. The Waghya Ghevda which is grown in the North Koregaon part of Satara is known by that name because of the reddish stripes on it. At one point, its production had dropped from 2000 metric tonnes to 200 metric tonnes because it was getting low prices. After we got it a GI, farmers from there started fetching a higher price and now the cultivation has also gone up to almost 6000 metric tonnes. Several small and big businesses have been set up and are flourishing because of the GI tag. It helps preserve the cultural or culinary heritage of a region and community.

Does it benefit consumers too?

Yes, because customers can be sure of the quality. Whether in Alphonso mangoes or Paithani sarees, getting a GI prevents duplication, replicas and fake products.