The iconic handicraft, Ladakh wood carving gets the Geographical Indication (GI) Tag. This is another feather in the cap of Ladakh that had received the GI Tag for Raktsey Karpo apricot last December. Earlier this year, the products were registered with the GI Registry Chennai.

In 2020, the process process for GI Tagging of these products was started by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) in consultation with and support of the Department of Handicrafts and Handloom.

The objective of the GI Tag is to provide a legal protection to the original producers and prevents their unauthorised use by third parties. GI Tag also helps in boosting tourism as people are excited to know and learn about the particular product and for this tourists visit the state. Apart from tourism, it also enables to boost exports, promotes the goods at the international platforms and in return this brings financial prosperity to producers and stakeholders.

Congratulating Ladakh on getting the GI Tag Prime Minister, Narendra Modi expressed happiness and said, “This will make Ladakh’s cultural traditions even more popular and benefit artisans.”

Member of Parliament Ladakh Jamyang Tsering Namgyal tweeted, “Greetings to the people of Ladakh for getting #GITag to Ladakh’s #WoodCarving, a first of its kind. It will surely promote the handicraft culture of the artisans as well as the local economy of the artisans of Ladakh globally.”

“Congratulations to the generations of artisans who have carried forward this unique art to help it gain the much deserved international recognition,” tweeted Lieutenant Governor Ladakh Brigadier B D Mishra.

Wood carving of Ladakh has been an aesthetically vibrant art form in the Ladakh region, including the capital Leh and Kargil. The GI Tag is a matter of cultural pride for the region. This recognition will encourage the younger generation to continue the legacy of wood carving, ensuring its preservation and promotion.