Legal and Ethical Challenges in Protecting Folk Songs in India: Cultural Appropriation, Traditional Cultural Expressions, and Copyright Issues
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Date
2025-06
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National Law University and Judicial Academy, Assam
Abstract
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
Description
Dissertation submitted to National Law University and Judicial Academy, Assam
in partial fulfilment for award of the degree of
MASTER OF LAWS / ONE YEAR LL.M. DEGREE PROGRAMME
Submitted by:
RAJAT KUMAR GARG
SM0224024
Master of Laws (LL.M.)
Supervised by:
PROF. (DR.) DIPTIMONI BORUAH
Professor of Law