May
Industry Insight
World IP Day with FICCI, in association with IPRS, Feel the Beat of IP!
New Delhi, 3rd May 2025: FICCI, in association with IPRS, celebrated World IP Day 2025 with the theme: “IP and Music: Feel the Beat of IP”, 29th April 2025 at New Delhi. The objective of this event was to acknowledge India’s vibrant music industry — including its creators, businesses, and platforms that showcase the nation’s creative talent and also discuss the challenges of the sector.
Mr Anil Rajput, Chairman, FICCI IPR Committee and President, Corporate Affairs, ITC in his opening remarks said, “The WIPO-FICCI partnership marks a landmark initiative in India’s intellectual property landscape. By combining WIPO’s global expertise with FICCI’s deep industry engagement, we could drive a paradigm shift—one where intellectual property is not just safeguarded but actively leveraged as a strategic asset for business growth, economic expansion, and global competitiveness. Through this collaboration, we can pave the way for a future where Indian enterprises thrive in an innovation-driven, knowledge-based economy.”
Javed Akhtar in his inaugural address talked about the unused potential of creativity and giving it the right impetus. “You have to make your market, that’s called marketing. If you are adhering to the market, then what kind of a marketing person you are? There is no creativity in you. No experiment, no courage. How do you make an artist be able to say ‘No, I will not do this. No, I have this right’? This is where the IP Law comes in”. “Whatever you do from the depth of your heart, it reaches other people’s hearts. Your dishonesty, cold-blooded attitude towards the work also gets conveyed instinctively”, he further added.
In the panel discussion, that included Atul Churamani, eminent lawyer Priyanka Khemani, Film Director Mayur Puri, Eminent IP lawyer Pravin Anand, Sanjay Tandon and independent Musician, Bollywood singer-composer and Live-Performer Ms Shibani Kashyap, industry experts deliberated and shared their insights on the role of Intellectual Property (IP) and the challenges artists face in today’s digital world.
“Music is the lifeline of humanity. It is a proud moment that the apex bodies representing composers, writers, singers, and musicians are uniting to create a stronger musical ecosystem for India,” said Sanjay Tandon, Founder and Managing Director of ISAMRA.
Representing the Bollywood music speaking at FICCI World IP Day 2025, Shibani Kashyap gracefully addressed the significance of Intellectual Property (IP) in the creative world. Shibani Kashyap said, “As an artist, I believe in empowering fellow artists by introducing them to organizations like IPRS, where their work can be safeguarded and generate revenue. By leveraging royalties, artists can achieve financial security, similar to a fixed deposit, while ensuring credit for their creations.”
FICCI and the WIPO signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at fortifying India’s intellectual property (IP) ecosystem. This strategic collaboration seeks to enhance awareness, enforcement, and commercialization of IP, with a particular focus on micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and startups.
The MoU was signed by Mr Marco Alemán, Assistant Director General of WIPO, and Ms Leena Jaisani, Deputy Secretary General of FICCI. During the event, Mr David Simmons, Counsellor, Division for Asia and the Pacific, Regional and National Development Sector, WIPO; Mr Carsten Fink, Chief Economist, WIPO; Ms Sarah Nassar, Associate Program Officer, IP for Business Division, IP and Innovation Ecosystems Sector, WIPO were present.
The delegation from FICCI included Mr Anil Rajput, Chair, FICCI IPR Committee & President, Corporate Affairs, ITC; Mr Narender Sabharwal, Former Deputy Director General, WIPO & Advisor, FICCI IPR Committee; Dr Rajeev Ranjan, Former Secretary & Think Tank Member, FICCI IPR Committee; Mr Suvashis Choudhary, Former IPS Officer & Think Tank Member, FICCI IPR Committee; Mr Sandeep Bhatnagar, Former Member, Customs, CBIC & Think Tank Member, FICCI IPR Committee.
India’s ascent as a global innovation hub necessitates a strong and dynamic IP ecosystem. This partnership between FICCI and WIPO aims to equip businesses with essential tools for leveraging IP effectively, thereby fostering sustainable growth and enhancing global competitiveness. A pivotal initiative under this collaboration is the establishment of the FICCI-WIPO IP for Business Center in India. This center will provide structured training, strategic advisory services, and direct access to WIPO’s global IP resources, empowering enterprises to safeguard, commercialize, and monetize their intellectual property assets.
Mr Marco Alemán, Assistant Director General, WIPO while highlighting the strategic importance of the MoU said, “By integrating WIPO’s global expertise with FICCI’s extensive industry engagement, we aim to drive a paradigm shift where intellectual property is perceived not merely as a compliance obligation but as a strategic asset for business growth.”
This partnership is poised to create an environment conducive to fostering an innovation-driven, knowledge-based economy in India. The immediate next steps in the collaboration include finalizing operational frameworks for the IP for Business Center, identifying key industry sectors for targeted IP support, and initiating the first phase of training and advisory services.
