The man behind Telangana’s GI push

Telangana’s rich legacy of handlooms, handicrafts and agricultural specialties is gaining stronger national recognition through the sustained efforts of Subhajit Saha, Founder and CEO of Resolute IP Services LLP. Over the past 22 years, since 2004, Saha has filed more than 50 Geographical Indication (GI) applications, positioning Telangana as a key force in India’s growing GI movement.

At the core of his work lies a focused push to protect Telangana’s iconic products. These include Pochampally Ikat, Hyderabad lac bangles, Tandur red gram and Warangal chapata chilli, along with heritage crafts such as Nirmal paintings, Nirmal furniture and Nirmal toys. His initiatives also extend to Adilabad dokra, Siddipet gollabama, Narayanpet sarees, Banganpalle mangoes, Cheriyal paintings, Silver filigree of Karimnagar, Pemberton metal crafts and Warangal durries.

Other Telangana products linked to his GI efforts include Narayanpet 24K gold jewellery, Nalgonda tribal jewellery making, Nalgonda banjara needle work, Naikpod masks, Hyderabad pearls, Siddipet batik paintings, Kothakota mutton and Balanagar custard apple. Through documentation, technical research and coordinated applications under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, these products have gained structured protection and visibility.

Working closely with artisan communities, farmer collectives, cooperative societies, state departments and academic institutions, Saha has helped translate traditional knowledge into legally protected identities. His work spans handlooms, handicrafts, agricultural produce and food products, ensuring that recognition results in market value and economic returns for grassroots producers.

Beyond Telangana, his contributions cover Tirupati Laddu, Bobbili veena, Mangalagiri sarees, Venkatagiri sarees and Etikopakka toys from Andhra Pradesh, as well as Pipriya toor dal and Kadaknath black chicken meat from Madhya Pradesh.

Several fresh GI applications from Andhra Pradesh are currently in process, including Paturu saree from Nellore district, Narayanavanam saree from Tirupati district, Angara saree from Konaseema district, Ethamukkala check lungies from Prakasham, Peddapuram silk dhotis and uppers from Kakinada, Pulugurtha cotton sarees and Muramanda shirting cloth from East Godavari, Chirala dress material and Cherukapalli shirting from Bapatla, and Ponduru dhotis and shirting from Srikakulam.

Additionally, three tribal products — Hill broom, Fish tail broom and Jaffra — from Rampachodavaram near Rajahmundry are under the filing process.

Speaking to Metro India, Subhajit Saha said that GIs go beyond intellectual property protection and serve as instruments of cultural preservation and rural empowerment. Each product, he noted, reflects the identity, geography and inherited skills of a region. Protecting them strengthens authenticity in markets and safeguards livelihoods in villages.

In 2023, Saha founded the NGO IPRAS with the objective of spreading intellectual property awareness among school students and supporting GI artisans through marketing and branding initiatives. Campaigns such as “Ghar Ghar GI” and “Gift a GI, Gift a Tradition” aim to take GI awareness beyond legal institutions and into homes and marketplaces.

With more than 50 products across Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh connected to his efforts so far, Subhajit Saha continues to reinforce Telangana’s leadership in the GI landscape while building a broader framework for heritage protection and inclusive economic growth.