HYDERABAD: The Naikpod Tribal Arts and Crafts Society has applied for Geographical Indication (GI) registration of Naikpod Masks, officially marking it as the 29th GI application from Telangana.
This represents a critical step forward in recognising and protecting the unique cultural heritage of the Naikpod tribal community.
The application has been filed with support from the MSME - Intellectual Property Facilitation Center (IPFC) housed at Guru Nanak Institutions Technical Campus, Hyderabad.
The Naikpod Tribal Arts and Crafts Society has applied for GI tag under application number 1644.
This initiative reinforces the institution's commitment to safeguarding India’s intangible cultural assets through strategic intellectual property (IP) interventions, said Dr H S Saini, Managing Director, Guru Nanak Institutions, and Sardar Gagandeep Singh Kohli, Vice-Chairman, Guru Nanak Institutions.
They said that the GI recognition will not only bring visibility and value to the traditional art form but will also generate livelihood opportunities for the artisans.
This application follows a detailed field investigation and documentation process undertaken on October 14, 2025, by Subhajit Saha, CEO of Resolute IP Services LLP, and M Srivathsa, legal counsel.
Their groundwork and research were pivotal in capturing the craft’s authenticity and aligning the submission with the requirements of the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.
P Anjan Kumar, president of the Naikpod Tribal Arts and Crafts Society, said that: “GI recognition ensures that our ancestral community knowledge is not lost to time but preserved for future generations with dignity and protection."
The Naikpod tribal art is now being practised in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district.