Wednesday, 3 January 2024

7 Latest Registered GI Products of Odisha India #OdishaGI

Truly proud to share that 7 Odisha products have been registered as Geographical Indications (GIs) 



Some other GIs registered today belong to states like- Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir & West Bengal and their latest registered GI products such as - Arunachal Pradesh Wancho Wooden Craft etc, Kachchhi Desi Kharek, Ramban Anardana & Kalonunia Rice etc. respectively.

All these are now GIs- "Invaluable Treasures of Incredible India".

GIs are always a matter of great pride and prestige for our nation.

As a grassroots GI worker, proud to have initially suggested some of the brand-new registered Odisha GIs for filing.

Had mentioned some GI names in my talk during a panel discussion held at Bhubaneswar on Makar Sankranti, January 14, Rasagola Mahotsav 2019, organised by Tarang Music and Odisha Television (OTV) group-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TysPkOx3Thc

Watch from 49:05-50:05 and I have shared the names of some potential Odisha GI products including-

  • Saura Art (Idital Paintings)
  • Dungaria Kondh Embroidered Shawl (Kapadaganda)
  • Cuttack Tarakasi (Filigree)
  • (Nabarangpur) Lakha
  • Bellaguntha Pitala Machha (Brass Fish)

Had shared about rice and other agricultural products GIs too on the same stage. (However, that discussion has not been included in this video as a part of the above Tarang Music video recording).

Happy that filing has been done for all these and some from the list are now registered!


We had followed up for the GI filing for Saura paintings and Kapadaganda shawl with the Tribal Museum, Bhubaneswar, from 2018 onwards.

In March 2021, got a chance to share about GIs with National Rice Research Institute (NRRI) scientists in the Platinum Jubilee lecture that Odisha has yet to register a Rice GI. 

That is when NRRI scientists like Dr B.C.Patra suggested Kalajeera, the first among other varieties.

Having personally interacted with and motivated the stakeholders for GIs, I feel extra happy and privileged having constantly shared GI information and intelligence and followed up and ensured correct representation in the GI filing.

Rasagola Dibasa celebration from 2015 onwards and thereafter, Odisha Rasagola GI filing and registration introduced many to Geographical Indications. 

It is nice to see that earlier who were either opposed to such "claims" or were not aware or working for GI registration, have now joined in as interested GI parties understanding the gravity, importance, and process. 

Yesterday, I received a call from an Odisha farmer representative to whom I had explained the importance of registering more agricultural products like rice as GIs. He suggested that let us file GI for "Khechudi" (Khichdi).

It is another story that the general and generic Khechudi cannot be GI. Nevertheless, it is heartening to see the interest of community representatives and their willingness for GI participation and registration.

As GI is a community right, more people must be genuinely involved.

It should not be simply a "numbers game" though.

The race must not be for "quantity" of registrations.

There must be a focus on "quality".

After all, GIs are famous local products and they get registered because of their unique, special and distinct qualities and characteristics.

The 7 latest Registered Odisha GI products are as follows-

  1. Odisha Khajuri Guda
  2. Dhenkanal Magji
  3. Similipal Kai Chutney of Odisha
  4. Nayagarh Kanteimundi Brinjal 
  5. Kapadaganda: Dungaria Kondh Embroidery Shawl 
  6. Koraput Kalajeera Rice
  7. Painting of Lanjia Saura (IDITAL), Odisha

7 GIs of Odisha registered on a single day!

The previous number of 18 Odisha GIs has now increased to 25.

Last year, there was a lot of euphoria after wrong information was published and shared that these had already "got registered as GIs".

Actually, the GI information about these was published in the journal and GI registration had not happened then.

However, after getting the wrong information from the stakeholders, the media shared and then there was a deluge of congratulatory messages.

The information found its way to quizzes too!

The celebratory messages started months in advance!

There indeed is a lot of difference between "has got" and "will get".

After our information sharing and striving to stress the need to correctly share and avoid misrepresentation as above, a month later, there was correct reporting of the Kendrapara Rasabali GI's registration.

Now, many news journalists and also the general public like social media users and stakeholders are aware of how and where to verify regarding GIs before sharing.

The "Registered" status has to show up. Happy to have done our bit in sensitizing many over the years.

Now that the above products are registered GIs, there must be efforts to register GI Authorised Users (GIAU), who will sell and promote the GIs and ensure their availability and reach.

GI registration is just the initial process. There is a long road ahead.

Let us start with using the registered GI names.

All must use the names consciously.


Plus, just like GI work for Odisha Rasagola has inspired the registration of many GIs like Kandhamal Haladi and Kendrapara Rasabali and the recently registered new GIs, similarly, these new GIs will inspire many more stakeholders and community members to propose their own products as GIs.

We request those doing so to please present the correct information in the GI documentation.

Our correct identity is our responsibility -

e.g. -

A) Kendrapara Rasabali does NOT have "a hole like a doughnut".


B) Kalajeera Rice is NOT called the "Prince of Rice" and does NOT "look like coriander seeds".

Those sharing information online must beware. 

Do all have a fact verification system in place?

Are we sure of what we are sharing? 

Have we consulted with local producers and experts? 

Kindly note that no one knows the product better than the stakeholders themselves. 

Why are outsiders given this important task and there are no checks by the locals on their incomplete and erroneous representation/submissions?

Whatever we share will be used as our identification/documentation now, and will form a part of our future documentation and identity!

If we have submitted wrong information, that will be quoted and widely shared and further propagated, quoted and referred to in the future "media articles" and "research papers". 

They will become established facts!

We are happy to have pointed out errors, informed, and successfully ensured some correct updates as in A) & B) above to name a few, working passionately for the correct representation.

If you spot any errors anywhere regarding our local, traditional and GI products, please share and make all aware. Let us make corrections and ensure correct representation before it is too late.

Let us all join, participate and contribute to our GI cause.

This is our collective responsibility.

Have you heard of these Odisha products before?

If yes, when did you first learn of these? Please share in the comments below.

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