GI for Tirupathi Laddu: Whose Interests are Protected?

Contributed by Professor Madabhushi Sridhar, The Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanams (TTD) trustees of world’ richest temple on Tirumala Hills secured Geographical Indication (GI) Registration for sacred Laddu Prasadam, from Indian Patent Office, Chennai, recently, raising many eyebrows. It is criticized as its latest manifestation of brazen commercialization of divine abode. Ironically, sacred Tirupathi Laddu now joins the company of goods like Darjeeling Tea, Goa Feni, and Champagne wine etc. What hurts devotees is the way Prasadam is reduced to a commercial product. What is GI? The Geographical Indication of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999 has been made to secure the interests of...