ANDHRA PRADESH: In a landmark development at the International Conference "GI & Beyond 2024", Dr. Babar Afzal, the renowned pashmina advocate, innovator and founder of the Pashmina Goat Project (a Startup) from J&K, was invited to present his transparency framework and spearhead a groundbreaking transparency initiative to rejuvenate India's endangered crafts and transform them into sustainable million-dollar industries.
The prestigious international conference, organized by the Textiles Committee, HEPC and Ministry of Textiles, celebrated the Geographical Indication (GI) system as a key tool to protect and promote India’s artisanal heritage.
Dr. Babar Afzal’s keynote address “Beyond-GI” captivated audiences with his decentralized vision of combining innovation, technology, Government, Entrepreneurs, Startups and traditions to address systemic challenges in the craft sector. He shared the work and success of Pashmina Goat Project, which has pioneered the “World’s Ist Pashmina Transparency Framework”, poised to revolutionize the industry by building trust, quality, and traceability across the value chain for which his startup is now valued above USD 20 Million at a pre-revenue stage. His work was deeply appreciated by Rachna Shah, Secretary Textiles, Dr. M. Beena DC Handlooms, Amrit Raj DC Handicrafts and Roop Rashi, Textile Commissioner. The event was graced by Shri Giriraj Singh, Minister of Textiles, GoI and Pabitra Margherita.
Immediately following his address in New Delhi, the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Shri Chandrababu Naidu, extended an invitation to Dr. Babar Afzal for a high-level meeting at his office. In a remarkable show of support, the CM, accompanied by MoS Textiles Smt. S. Savitha and senior IAS officers Sri N. Yuvaraj, IAS Secretary to the Government, Smt. G. Rekha Rani, IAS Commissioner and others, sought Dr. Afzal’s expertise and advice to transform over 30 endangered crafts in the state into global enterprises.
Dr. Afzal’s groundbreaking work received widespread recognition during the New Delhi event and has been offered an advisory role to the Government. His innovative framework for ensuring transparency and trust in Pashmina production, beyond GI, is now poised to be adapted for other premium Indian crafts, setting a precedent for sustainable growth and global market integration. The Chief Minister honored Dr. Afzal with a shawl and a memento and graciously accepted his book, Wisdom of Shepherds for Individuals and Startups.
Dr. Afzal’s work positions him at the forefront of redefining India’s craft industries for the global stage. His vision, ground work and a hacker mindset approach underscored the alignment of craft revival efforts with India’s $5-trillion economy vision and the startup policy. The integration of traditional industries with cutting-edge startup policies has created an ecosystem where innovation thrives, artisans are empowered, and heritage is preserved. A celebrated changemaker, Dr. Babar Afzal is a Silicon Valley techie, ethical hacker and an Ex-McKinsey Analyst who a decade ago chose to become a Shepherd.
He has been profiled by TIME Magazine, BBC, Bloomberg, Nasdaq and has dedicated his life to understanding and breaking the Pashmina monopoly in favour of the original stakeholders (the shepherds, weavers, craftsmen and women across Himalayas). Babar’s work has been recognized globally for innovative approach to sustainable luxury, future tech, authentic branding, trust and artisan empowerment.
