Assamese jewellery brand Zangfai's owner, Sulakshana B Bhuyan has expressed concern over the influx of imitation Assamese jewellery from outside the state even after the product received the prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
"Now that Assamese jewellery has received GI tagging, there must be a strict check on jewellery coming from outside Assam. Otherwise, our local artisans will starve. The new generation hardly knows about the rich legacy of Assamese jewellery, and others are taking advantage of this gap," said Bhuyan while speaking to Priyanka Chakrabarty of Business North East (BNE).
She emphasised that the industry had been on the verge of annihilation. “After us, there will be no trust left. People won’t know where to buy authentic ornaments from. Now, the GI certificate brings a certain confidence among buyers,” said Bhuyan, who also assured that Zangfai will continue to attract genuine customers.
However, Bhuyan lamented the lack of awareness among the masses. “When thousands of women participated in the Bihu dance to create a world record, not one Assamese ornament was purchased. All that money went outside the state,” said the entrepreneur, who has made a mark in the Assamese Jewellery industry with her brand.
Recounting her journey, Bhuyan shared that in 2017, she was honoured by the women’s wing of FICCI for creating awareness about Assamese jewellery. During the award ceremony, she highlighted the urgent need to protect and promote the art form before the then Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. Shortly after, she received an official letter, which led to further discussions with the Industry Department of Assam.
Joya Choudhury, an expert in Assamese jewellery history, and Jaideep Baruah, Director of ASTEC, supported the initiative. However, the momentum got stalled due to the outbreak of COVID-19.
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Later, the son of former Assam DGP Kula Saikia approached her, saying that an IAS officer was working on a GI project related to Assamese jewellery. She provided all the necessary information, but the process stalled again. “I called Jaideep Baruah, but nothing moved forward as the publication didn’t come out in the journal,” said Bhuyan.
Taking matters into her own hands, Bhuyan reached out to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and explained that while several products had received GI status, Assamese jewellery was still pending due to delays in Chennai. Her persistence paid off when the product officially got published in the GI Journal in March.
"It’s high time activists in the state raise these issues. Our cultural legacy must be protected," stated Bhuyan during the BNE interview.
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