ITANAGAR : Padma Shri awardee Dr Rajnikant, popularly known as the “GI Man of India”, visited the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) Arunachal Pradesh Regional Office on Friday to discuss the promotion and preservation of the state’s unique Geographical Indication (GI) products.

The meeting was attended by NABARD Arunachal Pradesh General Manager S.V. Ranga Rao, Deputy General Manager Vivek Anand and other officials.

The discussions focused on NABARD’s initiatives to support rural artisans, weavers, craftsmen, farmers, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and Self-Help Groups (SHGs), with particular emphasis on facilitating GI certification for the state’s distinctive products.

The participants also deliberated on strategies to preserve and promote GI products, noting that such initiatives can enhance livelihood opportunities while enabling rural communities to derive greater economic benefits from Arunachal Pradesh’s rich cultural and natural heritage.

NABARD highlighted that it has supported the highest number of GI sanctions and applications in the country, covering a wide range of products, including several ethnic and tribal products.

Dr Rajnikant commended NABARD’s proactive efforts to promote the state’s unique products and underscored the importance of GI tagging in preserving traditional knowledge, enhancing product value and creating better market opportunities for local communities.

The discussions also reiterated the need to preserve traditional products while connecting them to wider national and global markets.

NABARD, in turn, acknowledged Dr Rajnikant’s significant contribution and the support extended by his organisation in advancing GI tagging initiatives in Arunachal Pradesh, and reaffirmed the value of its strategic partnership with him.