Tirupati laddu may get intellectual property rights

New Delhi, Mar 15 (PTI) The Tirupati laddu, famous for
its size, may soon get intellectual property rights as the
the managing trust of the Temple is seeking geographical
exclusivity for the delicacy.

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), a trust which
manages the world's richest temple Tirumala Venkateswara
Temple at Tirumala in India's southern state of Andhra
Pradesh, has submitted an application before the Geographical
Indication Registry seeking the GI tag.

"We have received the application regarding the
Geographical Indication tag for Tirupati laddus," Controller
General of Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks P H Kurian said.

The Tirupati laddu, made at Tirumala, is intensely sweet
and made of tiny syrup-soaked balls called boondi. This is
sold as Prasadam of Lord Venkateshwara.

Without giving details about the application and the
basis on which this tag is being sought, Kurian said, "The
trust has applied for the GI tag before the Geographical
Indication Registry office in Chennai."

Under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration
and Protection) Act, 1999, the GI office functions under the
Controller General of Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks.

After several attempts to seek official comments from
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam's board, its Executive Officer &
Member-Secretary K V Ramanachary said, "We are not able to
give detail, ask GI officials in this regard."

However, the Chennai-based Geographical Indication
Registry Office didn't disclose any details about the
application, either.

Under legal protection, the GI tag facilitates action
in the case of any violation of its exclusive rights.

The GI tag aims to promote the economic prosperity of
producers of goods in a geographical area.

Usually, the tag is granted to goods that essentially
originate and are produced in a defined geographical
locality and region.

Geographical indications are covered as part of
intellectual property rights.

The GI tag has been awarded to a number of products or
goods including famous Darjeeling Tea, Madhubani Paintings,
Kashmiri Sozani Craft and Thanjavur Painting.