AI Steps In to Save Kashmir Crafts—Will the Government Respond?
IUST’s Patented Technology Offers a Way to Protect Pashmina, Carpet Heritage
SYED BASHARAT
SRINAGAR, July 23: As Kashmir grapples with a growing menace of craft counterfeiting, especially after the recent Tangmarag carpet fraud, a homegrown innovation from the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), Awantipora, has emerged as a powerful weapon to protect the region’s heritage industries. But the real question now is — will the government of Jammu and Kashmir rise to the occasion and adopt this game-changing solution?
The scandal that triggered public outrage involved a Tangmarag-based seller who passed off a machine-made rug as a GI-certified hand-knotted Kashmiri carpet to an unsuspecting tourist. Sold for Rs 2.55 lakh, the product carried a fake GI label and a forged QR code. An investigation by the Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT) confirmed the fraud, leading the Directorate of Handicrafts and Handloom to blacklist the seller under Order No. 10-HD(QC) of 2025 and initiate legal action under the Geographical Indications (GI) Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
At a time when consumer trust is eroding and artisan livelihoods are under threat, IUST researchers—led by Dr. Muzafar Rasool and Dr. Assif Assad—have unveiled two patented, AI-powered systems capable of scientifically verifying the authenticity of handmade Pashmina shawls and hand-knotted carpets. These systems are specifically designed to safeguard Kashmir’s GI-tagged products from fraudulent imitations.
Using deep learning algorithms and high-resolution image analysis, the technology can detect minute differences in fiber structure and weave patterns—features invisible to the naked eye but critical in distinguishing genuine handwoven goods from machine-made fakes. The innovation is also designed for use beyond labs: it can be integrated into checkpoints, artisan hubs, retail stores, and even mobile apps for consumers and tourists.
“This is not just about technological progress; it’s about our cultural preservation,” said Dr. Muzafar Rasool, while talking to the Kashmir Despatch. “If we lose authenticity, we lose identity—and that’s something we cannot afford.”
Talking to Kashmir Despatch, the other scholar Dr. Assif Assad remarked, “The market is being flooded with machine-made replicas claiming to be GI crafts. Our systems can act as real-time, tamper-proof guards against such deception, ensuring artisans get their due and consumers get what they pay for.”
The research has already passed pilot validation and was funded by the J&K State Council for Science and Technology (JKST&IC) under grant number JKST&IC/SRE/388-391. Discussions are underway with agencies like IICT for broader collaboration. However, for this innovation to have meaningful impact, it needs official adoption and institutional support from the government—particularly the Department of Handicrafts and Handloom.
“The time for symbolic gestures has passed. If the Jammu and Kashmir administration is truly serious about preserving the originality of its world-renowned crafts, it must now act decisively,” said, Sheikh Ashiq former president Kashmir Chambers of Commerce and industries (KCCI), adding that the government needs to integrate these AI tools into its certification and regulatory processes, roll them out across artisan clusters, and make them part of the consumer verification journey—whether at airport craft outlets or international trade expos.
Kashmir’s centuries-old craft legacy is under siege from modern counterfeiting, and no amount of penalties or blacklisting alone can solve the problem. Only a forward-looking, technology-backed response can stem the damage and rebuild confidence.
“The ball is now firmly in the government’s court. The technology is ready. The artisans are waiting. The world is watching,” Sheikh Ashiq opined while talking to Kashmir Despatch.
