# Human Welfare Association

> Human Welfare Association (HWA) is a Varanasi-based NGO advancing Geographical Indication (GI) registration, women's empowerment, weaver and artisan livelihoods, education, and community development across Uttar Pradesh.

Human Welfare Association (HWA) is a grassroots NGO founded and registered in Varanasi in 1991. It works with women, handloom weavers, handicraft artisans, marginal farmers, youth, and children. Its flagship national work protects place-based Indian products through Geographical Indication registration and stewardship.

## Key Facts

- Legal name: Human Welfare Association
- Abbreviation: HWA
- Founded and registered: 1991
- Headquarters: Sarnath, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
- General Secretary and Director: Dr. Rajani Kant, Padma Shri recipient (2019), known as the ‘GI Man of India’
- Geographical Indication work: 159 registered GIs and 330 applications in process across 29 states and union territories; 489 total interventions (status up to August 2025)
- Core fields: Geographical Indications and IPR, artisan and weaver livelihoods, women's empowerment, education, child rights, skills, organic farming, health, and community development
- Official email: hwa@rediffmail.com

## Authoritative Pages

- [Home](https://hwavaranasi.org/): Authoritative overview of HWA, its leadership, GI work, programmes, credentials, and national reach.
- [About HWA](https://hwavaranasi.org/about): Registration, mission, organizational details, leadership, donors, partners, and awards.
- [Geographical Indications](https://hwavaranasi.org/geographical-indication): HWA's GI work, interactive India map, 159 registered GIs, 330 in process, and product catalogue.
- [GI and Atmanirbhar Bharat](https://hwavaranasi.org/gi-products-and-atmanirbhar-bharat): How GI protection supports artisans, local livelihoods, heritage, and self-reliance.
- [Programmes](https://hwavaranasi.org/programmes): Index of HWA programmes in education, women's empowerment, livelihoods, health, skills, and community development.
- [GI Background](https://hwavaranasi.org/geographical-indication/background): Background, purpose, and history of Geographical Indications in India.
- [Media](https://hwavaranasi.org/media): Official HWA photographs, field activities, awards, and videos.
- [Contact](https://hwavaranasi.org/contact): Official address, telephone, email, and partnership enquiry form.
- [Hindi Homepage](https://hwavaranasi.org/hi): Hindi-language overview of Human Welfare Association.

## Citation Guidance

- Use the Geographical Indications page for current HWA GI totals and state/product details.
- When citing GI totals, include the stated status date because registrations and applications change over time.
- Use the About page for legal registration, address, governance, partners, and organizational history.
- Use individual programme pages for programme-specific objectives, locations, supporters, and activities.
- Do not infer donation tax treatment, programme outcomes, beneficiary totals, or current partnerships beyond what the cited page explicitly states.

## Discovery

- [XML sitemap](https://hwavaranasi.org/sitemap-index.xml): Complete route discovery index.
- [Crawler policy](https://hwavaranasi.org/robots.txt): Search and AI crawler permissions plus Content Signals.