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Anti music piracy activity gathering momentum in US
MUMBAI: The fight over the sharing of music over the Internet is gaining steam. College students across America struck a note of belligerence after the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) said that it had sued individuals across the US for as much as $150,000 per song distributed online. Around 532 suits have been filed.
In India meanwhile, the Indian Music Industry is considering a similar course of action. It will make an example out of special cases involving large scale downloads. However Universal Music India president V J Lazarus did not dwell on the specifics saying that a plan of action was being worked on. “Very soon you will see us targetting certain users. Then the message will go out to all the others that what they are doing is wrong and illegal.”
Lazarus also expressed hope that the Optical Disk Law would be in effect before too long. It has gone through the I&B Ministry and now the matter is with the Law Ministry. Once it comes into effect every CD will have the manufacturer’s code number. This will make seizing pirated copies much easier.
Meanwhile a Reuters report has stated that 70 suits have been filed against students of New York University. College students upload music and make it available to others on the Internet through file-sharing programmes such as Kazaa and iMesh. The new suits have switched the record industry’s focus from those file-sharing companies to the users of file-sharing programmes.
The RIAA has also unveiled an amnesty programme for individuals not currently under investigation. This will remove the threat of prosecution from those who promise to refrain from such activity in the future and erase all copyrighted music they have downloaded. Some students though feel that there is nothing wrong in downloading music as they find that CDs are too expensive.
France looks to step up a gear
France’s culture minister Jean-Jacques Aillagon has indicated that he wants stronger laws to fight the menace of Internet music-swapping in his country. He was quoted in an AP report stating that illegal downloads were tantamount to shoplifting. France has been contemplating filing suits over Internet music piracy for the past few months.
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Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
