Akhtar attends World Copyright Summit

The composer-lyricist, Javed Akhtar launched a fight for authors and composers rights in India, claiming that despite a 30-year career, he still knew nothing on the subject.

Javed Akhtar was in Brussels recently, where he attended the World Copyright Summit. The composer-lyricist, who hails from a family of creators that goes back seven generations, launched a fight for authors and composers rights in India, claiming that despite a 30-year career, he still knew nothing on the subject. Facing a lot of opposition, he sent many letters to political representatives, ministers and MPs and got several supporters such as Ravi Shankar, to spread his message about the lack of royalties for composers and songwriters in India.

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Akhtar was also quoted by Robin Gibb (CISAC chair and member of the Bee Gees) in the Summit’s opening keynote: “I have witnessed with great pleasure that India, for example, has made some major steps forward towards the recognition of authors’ rights. I salute Javed Akhtar, who has led the fight for this recognition.”