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Shanghai court rules in favour of US studios in piracy case
MUMBAI: If there is one thing that India and China share in common, it is a common disrespect for copyright.
Therefore, the recent victory by three US studio majors Walt Disney Co, Vivendi Universal and News Corp’s Twentieth Century Fox in their continuing battle against piracy in mainland China is all the more significant.
According to a Reuters report, a Shanghai court has ruled in favour of the three Hollywood studios, who took the landmark legal action against local companies for pirating movies.
This is the second legal victory by the major studios in the last year or so. Last September, the three studios, along with AOL Time Warner’s Warner Bros, sued retailers and factories in Beijing for pirating films. Warner and Universal had won damages and apologies when they settled their Beijing lawsuits this spring.
The studios had sought a public apology, compensation of up to $75,000 per film and a halt to the alleged violations, MPAA regional legal counsel Mark Day was quoted as saying in an earlier report. Day said that piracy of movies was running at over 90 per cent of titles produced in China.
According to the MPAA website, piracy costs the US motion picture industry more than $3 billion each year in lost revenue worldwide, with China thought to be one of the worst offenders.
As a “piracy-infested” market, India faces similar problems to that of China though not to the extent that exists across the “bamboo curtain”. In a presentation during Ficci Frames 2003, Michael Ellis, vice-president & director, MPAA, said piracy in India was costing the US film industry a revenue loss of $75 million a year.
Said Ellis, “In India, piracy used to be 80 per cent. We were able to reduce that to 60 per cent in 2000 and a little bit lower in 2001, but it’s on its way back and our losses have increased from $70 million to $75 million (in 2002). China is more than twice that with about $168 million in estimated lost revenue due to piracy in 2002, the International Intellectual Property Alliance has said.
Ellis said that over 9,000 raids were conducted across Asia in 2002 resulting in over 7,900 favourable criminal prosecutions.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
