Intellectual Property Awareness to protect artists’ right

New Delhi, 21 AUG 2025:The Ministry of Culture is committed to promoting awareness and protection of Intellectual Property (IP) in relation to India’s rich cultural heritage. In this regard, the Ministry is establishing dedicated IP cells within its academies, centres, and constituent units to educate artists about IP rights, facilitate IP registration, and support Geographical Indication (GI) registration of traditional products, including musical instruments. As part of its mandate to preserve and promote both tangible and intangible cultural heritage, the Ministry places strong emphasis on recognizing and safeguarding the IP associated with cultural expressions.
The Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA) serves as the nodal agency for Intellectual Property Rights under the Ministry. It ensures that artists’ consent is secured prior to their participation in events and activities. Through its constituent units and regional centres, SNA provides training and performance opportunities to grassroots artists, thereby strengthening India’s cultural economy and supporting the protection of their creative rights.
The Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA) functions as the nodal agency for Intellectual Property Rights under the Ministry. Within the framework of the Ministry of Culture, the Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA) and the Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs) are extending the benefits of the Intellectual Property (IP) Cell project to a large number of artists, including folk and tribal performers, traditional craftspersons, theatre practitioners, dancers, musicians, puppeteers, storytellers, classical exponents, and contemporary cultural practitioners. This information was given by Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.