Category Archives: Geographical Indication

Biological Diversity Geographical Indication Plant Variety Protection Traditional Knowledge

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, we are pleased to bring to you a guest post on gender and IP by our Fellowship applicant, Afreen Hashmi. This is her first submission for the Fellowship. Our earlier posts on this theme can be viewed here and here. Where are the Women in IPR? Still a Long Way to Go Afreen Hashmi James Watt invented steam engines, Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, the Wright Brothers invented aeroplane; whereas Thomas Edison…

Rice & IP: The ongoing Basmati imbroglio, the ‘Green Rice’ mystery & the IR8 celebrations

by Prashant Reddy December 5, 2016

Over the last year with the Monsanto-Nuziveedu dispute, India has witnessed one of its biggest IP disputes in the agricultural sector. The Basmati GI dispute also has huge implication but as I’m reminded, often, by several people, geographical indications (GI) do not qualify as IP. These disputes aside, we’ve also come across two other very interesting cases of green rice and IR8 celebrations. Basmati rice – When did geography become an issue? As we’ve written earlier on SpicyIP, there is…

G.I. Joe of India’s Geographical Indications

by Shan Kohli April 25, 2016

In this post, Balu Nair, our Spicy IP Fellowship applicant profiles the winner of the National Intellectual Property Award, 2016, Ganesh Hingmire and his contributions to the field of GIs. In an earlier post, Aparajita had raised the need for India to find a saviour to protect its Geographical Indications (“GI”). Ganesh Hingmire certainly seems to be answering this call with aplomb. According to a Times of India report, Mr. Hingmire has been chosen for the National Intellectual Property Award, 2016 for…

Scotch Whisky GI Suit Settled: The Loss of a Landmark Ruling

by Shan Kohli April 8, 2016

In this post our Spicy IP Fellowship applicant, Vasundhara Majithia discusses the recent Scotch Whisky GI decision. This is her fourth submission for the fellowship. “Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whiskey is barely enough.” –Mark Twain Despite approximately 260 Geographical Indications (GI) registrations, India has seen very few landmark decisions based on GIs. We have previously blogged about one such instance, in Tea Board vs ITC Ltd. here. More recently, the Scotch Whisky Association (“SWA”)…

Madras HC on Basmati row

by Mathews P. George March 1, 2016

I posted on the above mentioned topic here. After perusing the concerned Orders passed by the High Court, I have now decided to pen down my views. The Orders are available here and here. Please read [this, this, this and that] for background. As to make it easy for readers, I shall reproduce some of the main points of Orders of both AR and IPAB from here. Order of AR (31 December 2013): “Popular perception” has no statutory sanction as a…

SpicyIP Tidbit: Madras High Court on IPAB Order in Basmati row

by Mathews P. George February 18, 2016

SpicyIP has recently carried a guest post on the recent IPAB Order in Basmati row which went in favour of APEDA. As per Times of India, on a writ petition filed by Madhya Pradesh against the aforesaid IPAB Order, the Madras High Court passed the following orders: “Till a decision in the writ petition (is taken) no precipitative action will be taken by APEDA in respect of the produce (basmati rice) from Madhya Pradesh in respect of existing areas where…

Guest Post: An insider’s account of the Basmati row

by Mathews P. George February 12, 2016

Geographical Indication Trademark

[*Long Post] I am glad to introduce you all to a post written by Rajendra Kumar, Latha Nair, Ashish Kanta Singh and R. Rajalakshmi of KNS Partners, a leading IP boutique firm in India. While Rajendra Kumar, Latha Nair and Ashish Kanta Singh are partners, R. Rajalakshmi is a senior associate at the firm. KNS Partners appeared for APEDA. Latha R. Nair had written various guest posts for us in the past. Some of them can be found here, here,…

INTA to launch a new searchable guide on GIs, Collective and Certification Marks

by Thomas J. Vallianeth November 25, 2015