In 1947, a newly independent India was saddled with a host of intellectual property (IP) laws left behind by the British. In the following decades, India broke away from colonial IP legacies, while navigating international treaty negotiations in the light of its redefined national interests. These changes affected ordinary lives-be it through medicines, music, movies, books, food, yoga, or the Internet-but have never been narrated to a larger audience. This book unravels the development of India’s IP law and policy in modern times, in a form and style designed for the general reader.

The chapters in the book centre on different industries and sectors, such as pharmaceuticals, book publishing, cinema, music, the Internet, food, yoga and traditional knowledge. Each chapter features a lively narrative that has been constructed from various sources, including parliamentary debates, expert reports, interviews, archival research and case law. The book’s unique focus is on the politics and history of Indian IP, rather than the black letter of the law.