Pemberthy brassware artisans seek GI tag

Hope to get subsidies from the Andhra Pradesh government. 

The Vishwakarma Brass, Copper and Silver Industrial Cooperative Society Limited, a body comprising 35 artisans from Pemberthy village in the Warangal district of Andhra Pradesh, plans to secure a geographical indication (GI) tag for its brassware. 

“Many private artisans are manufacturing and marketing brassware under the Pemberthy brand. We have approached the All India Handicrafts Board, which in turn filed an application with the GI Registry in Chennai. We expect the GI tag, which will legally prohibit others from selling the Pemberthy crafts, to be issued during this year,” Society President K Buchaiah Chary told Business Standard. 

The manufacture of Pemberthy brassware dates back to the Nizam’s rule, when the artisans made cooking utensils, paan daan(betel leaf boxes), attar daan (perfume boxes) and soap boxes from brass. 

This craftsmanship continued in the post-Independence era as well. However, with stainless steel replacing other metals, the Pemberthy artisans gradually shifted their focus to ornamental bells, traditional lamps, religious idols, brass logos and mementoes. 

The dusty village, about 80 km from Hyderabad, also has a special bond with film personalities, police personnel and journalists. For, it makes the Nandi awards, presented annually by the state government to Telugu film and television actors; the state police medals for gallantry and meritorious services; Raghupathi Venkaiah awards (regarded as Tollywood’s Dada Phalke award); and “best journalist” awards. 

“We get orders worth Rs 40,000 for Nandi awards and Rs 1 lakh for medals from the Andhra Pradesh police department every year,” said Rangu Lakshmanachary, secretary of the Society. 

Despite registering an annual turnover of Rs 40 lakh, Lakshmanachary rued that the almost 200-year-old tradition is slowly fading out. “Three years ago, Pemberthy had 80 artisans engaged in brassware making. Now there are only 35, with some passing away and the remainder migrating to neighbouring cities like Hyderabad in search of greener pastures,” he said. 

The Society, registered under the Andhra Pradesh Cooperative Societies Act, 1964, is seeking subsidies from the Andhra Pradesh government and the All India Handicrafts Board to give its art an economic uplift. 

“The price of brass had shot up to Rs 400 per kg against Rs 300 last year. We have made many representations to the government to provide the Society with interest-free loans of up to Rs 10 lakh, which will enable us to purchase the required metal and other raw material, besides opening retail outlets in the state capital. The government, however, has not responded yet,” Chary said.