Guwahati, Jan 16 (IANS) The GI Mahotsav, an initiative of the Union government’s Ministry of MSME, is emerging as a key platform to promote India’s rich cultural heritage through Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged products, while opening new market opportunities for artisans, farmers and small producers, organisers said on Friday.
Organised in Guwahati by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the four-day exhibition brings together GI product holders from across the country, with a special focus on the northeastern region.
The event showcases a wide range of GI-tagged food products, handicrafts and textiles that reflect the unique cultural identities of different states.
Officials said the Northeast alone has nearly 40 GI-recognised products, most of which originate from rural and small-town areas.
The Mahotsav provides these producers a national and international marketing platform, helping them gain visibility beyond local markets. Several exhibitors are presenting value-added GI products, including organic Assam Orthodox teas blended with natural herbs and spices. These innovations highlight a combination of traditional craftsmanship, health benefits and modern consumer preferences, drawing strong interest from buyers and visitors.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Kanchan Joshi, Director of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the initiative reflects the Union government’s vision of giving GI products the recognition they deserve. “Every state has its own GI products rooted in culture and heritage. Our objective is to provide them a proper platform so that they receive market attention not only within India but across the world,” she said.
Advisor to the PHD Chamber and former NSIC Chairman H. P. Kumar said the Mahotsav aims to create wider awareness about GI products, particularly those from the Northeast. He noted that the Centre has identified at least 39 GI products from the region and stressed the need to popularise them nationwide.
Kumar also underlined the role of GI products in strengthening the rural economy. He said GI-tagged goods have the potential to generate large numbers of first-generation entrepreneurs, enabling people to start enterprises from their homes using GI user certificates and creating sustainable livelihoods.
Through GI Mahotsav, producers are also being connected with MSME schemes, market linkages and intellectual property rights awareness, reinforcing GI products as engines of inclusive growth and heritage-led development.
–IANS
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