In Hyderabad, amid controversy surrounding the authenticity of the revered Tirupati laddu, craftsmen living near the base of Tirumala hills are preparing to apply for a geographical indication (GI) tag. These artisans have specialized in creating intricately carved wooden statues of deities like Lord Balaji for more than a century. The distinctive Madhavamala wood carvings feature lifelike idols, royal dolls, toys, architectural elements, and furniture. The Sri Balaji Wood Carvings Mutually Aided Cooperative Society Limited, representing 510 artisans from 309 families, will be submitting the GI application with the assistance of NABARD. This will mark the 20th GI application from Andhra Pradesh, supervised by GI expert Subhajit Saha in collaboration with NABARD.