LL.M Dissertation 2024 -25

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Legal and Ethical Challenges in Protecting Folk Songs in India: Cultural Appropriation, Traditional Cultural Expressions, and Copyright Issues
(National Law University and Judicial Academy, Assam, 2025-06) Kumar Garg, Rajat
Folk music has been an integral part of India’s cultural and artistic heritage, passed down through generations as an expression of collective identity. However, with the advent of modernization and commercialization, folk songs are frequently adapted, remixed, and reinterpreted by mainstream artists, often without recognizing their original creators or cultural significance. This raises critical legal and ethical questions regarding copyright, ownership, and the boundaries between cultural appropriation and adaptation. This dissertation seeks to examine the legal frameworks governing the remake of folk songs in India, the extent to which traditional cultural expressions are protected, and the reforms needed to create a balanced approach between intellectual property rights and cultural preservation. The remake of folk songs in India presents a complex intersection of law, culture, and commerce