Sonisha Srinivasan speaks to Dr. Zakir Thomas about the intersection of Generative AI with Copyright law and Policy, Technology Sovereignty, Open Access to information and the broader regulatory challenges shaping the future of AI.
About Dr. Zakir Thomas:Dr. Zakir Thomas has 35 years of experience of working in the Government of India as an officer of Indian Revenue Service had been instrumental in some of the major policy initiatives in field of intellectual property as a former Registrar of Copyrights and the Project Director of Open Source Drug Discovery Project. He holds an MSc (Physics), LLB (Delhi University) and Master of Intellectual Property, Commerce and Technology from Franklin Pierce Law Centre, University of New Hampshire, United States. He earned his PhD from the School of Social Sciences IGNOU, Delhi. He has authored several book chapters and articles in peer reviewed journals on Intellectual Property law and its interplay with open source innovation, pharmaceutical industry and copyright law. He was an invited faculty in WIPO seminars on Intellectual Property, delivered talks in the European Union Parliament, American Chemical Society and several other international fora. He was a faculty for a two credit course in NALSAR, Hyderabad. He has given talks in leading national institutions on copyright law, patent law and innovation. He has been the Indian delegate at WIPO and at the OECD tax forum. Dr Thomas is recipient of the Finance Ministers Award (2017), the highest honour conferred by the Income Tax department. Prior to retirement, he was Director General (Systems) of the Income Tax department, leading one of the largest e-governance projects in the country.All views expressed here by the speakers are in their personal capacity, and in general are to be considered as curious engagement with the subject at hand. If you want the formal language, then: This podcast is intended solely for informational and academic discussion purposes and does not constitute legal advice or create any attorney-client relationship.
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List of Additional Readings:-
Akshat Agrawal, ANI Media v. Open AI : The Opt-Out Strategy https://spicyip.com/2024/11/ani-media-v-open-ai-the-opt-out-strategy.html
Akshat Agrawal and Sneha Jain, Indian Copyright Law and Generative AI https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5028835
Goutham Rajeev and Vedant Bharadwaj Singh, Training GenAI: Infringement or Fair Use? https://spicyip.com/2024/04/training-genai-infringement-or-fair-use.html
Varsha Jhawar, An IP-Centric Approach towards AI Regulation in India- Part II https://spicyip.com/2023/05/an-ip-centric-approach-towards-ai-regulation-in-india-part-ii.html
US President Trump’s Executive Order, Removing Barriers To American Leadership In Artificial Intelligence https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/removing-barriers-to-american-leadership-in-artificial-intelligence/
Aman Gupta, Apple faces copyright lawsuit over training Apple Intelligence AI on pirated books: What we know so far https://www.livemint.com/technology/tech-news/apple-faces-copyright-lawsuit-over-training-apple-intelligence-ai-on-pirated-books-what-we-know-so-far-11757251724012.html
Jean Gil Barroca and Alfons Buxo, Cloud sovereignty: Three imperatives for the European public sector https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/topics/technology-management/cloud-sovereignty-three-imperatives-for-the-european-public-sector.html
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Visit SpicyIP.com for the latest insights on the Indian IP ecosystemConnect with us on our socials: https://x.com/spicyip https://www.linkedin.com/company/spicyip/ https://www.instagram.com/spicyipblog/ https://www.youtube.com/@SpicyIPTV
===================================
Credits:
Swaraj Paul Barooah: Producer, Director, Editor
Sonisha Srinivasan: Host, Researcher, Editor
Anjali Tripathi: Thumbnail Art
Our blogger Tanishka Goswami hosts the 1st episode in our Let's IPsa Loquitur series, bringing in Adyasha Samal and Akshat Agrawal, to discuss some on-going developments that surely everyone in the IP world has taken note of - the surge of "Personality Rights" cases. While this is no doubt good for lawyers, what does it mean for law, policy or society? In this 45 min episode, they touch upon various angles and facets of this question, as well as how it intersects with cultural meaning making, deep-fakes, free speech and other related issues.
About our Speakers:
Adyasha is a researcher at the Institute for European Tort Law in Vienna, Austria. Previously, she worked at AZB and partners in the areas of IP and data protection law. Adyasha has been associated with SpicyIP for several years now and was a student fellow in 2020-21.
Akshat is the founder and counsel at AASA Law Chambers. He possesses comprehensive experience in IP laws, having worked as a senior associate at Sai Krishna and Associates, as a Wikimedia Race and Knowledge Equity Fellow, as a counsel at the Chambers of Senior Advocate Jayant Mehta and as a judicial law clerk to Justice Prathiba Singh. He holds a BA LLB honours from Jindal Global Law School and an LL.M. in IP Law from the University of California, Berkeley.
All views expressed here by the speakers are in their personal capacity, and in general are to be considered as curious engagement with the subject at hand. In more formal language: This podcast is intended solely for informational and academic discussion purposes and does not constitute legal advice or create any attorney-client relationship.
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List of Referenced Blogposts and Related Readings from the Episode: (The hyperlinks work even though they look broken!)
1. https://spicyip.com/2017/08/the-supreme-courts-privacy-judgment-elevates-personality-rights-to-the-constitutional-plane.html
2. https://spicyip.com/2025/06/delhi-hcs-orders-in-sadhguru-ankur-warikoo-cases-what-indian-courts-are-getting-wrong-about-personality-rights.html
3. https://spicyip.com/2025/10/unpacking-meitys-proposed-it-rules-amendments-between-regulation-and-practicality.html
4. https://www.meity.gov.in/documents/act-and-policies/amendments-to-the-information-technologyintermediary-guidelines-and-digital-media-ethics-code-rules-2021-it-rules-2021-IjN4QjMtQWa?pageTitle=Amendments-to-the-Information-Technology-(Intermediary-Guidelines-andDigital-Media-Ethics-Code)-Rules,-2021-(IT-Rules,-2021)
5. https://spicyip.com/2023/05/world-of-possibilities-single-judge-bench-of-delhi-high-court-allows-use-of-celebrity-information-available-in-public-domain.html
6. https://spicyip.com/2024/05/after-anil-kapoor-jackie-shroff-follows-suit-taking-a-look-at-the-recent-dhc-order-from-the-perspective-of-personality-rights-right-to-livelihood.html
7. https://spicyip.com/2013/09/cold-news-for-cricket-score-monopolies.html
8. https://scholarship.law.bu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2959&context=faculty_scholarship
===================================
Visit SpicyIP.com for the latest insights on the Indian IP ecosystem
Connect with us on our socials: https://x.com/spicyip https://www.linkedin.com/company/spicyip/ https://www.instagram.com/spicyipblog/ https://www.youtube.com/@SpicyIPTV
===================================
Credits:
Swaraj Paul Barooah: Producer, Director, Editor
Sonisha Srinivasan: Researcher, Editor
Tanishka Goswami: Host, Researcher
Anjali Tripathi: Thumbnail Art
The SpicyIP Podcast took the opportunity to sit with our distinguished faculty and guest speakers at the SpicyIP Summer School 2025 to launch our first set of interviews!
In this episode (11), Sonisha Srinivasan speaks to Mr. Ashwani Balayan, Partner at ALG India Law Offices LLP (full bio below) about his journey from engineering to law, the importance of technical knowledge in patent prosecution, some guidance for students who wish to pursue IP litigation and prosecution, as well as ALG India’s Knowledge sharing initiatives.
00:00- Introduction
00:45- His Journey
04:13- Background in Science/Engineering in Patent Prosecution
06:11- Career guidance in IP Litigation and Prosecution
08:50- Knowledge sharing initiatives at ALG
11:00- Concluding remarks
About Ashwani Balayan: Ashwani Balayan, a Partner at ALG for over 15 years, leads the firm’s Patents, Designs, and IP Litigation practice, with a focus on advisory, prosecution, enforcement, and litigation relating to patents, trademarks, and designs in India. He holds a B.Tech (Biotechnology) and LL.M. (IPR) from G.G.S.Indraprastha University, New Delhi, and an LL.B. (IPR Hons.) from RGSOIPL, IIT Kharagpur. He is a qualified Patent Agent and Advocate enrolled with Bar Council of Delhi. His core expertise lies in drafting and enforcing patent claims – particularly in the pharmaceutical, biomedical, and bioinformatics sectors – handling pre-grant and post-grant oppositions, revocation proceedings, and infringement actions. He regularly advises on patentability, validity, and freedom-to- operate issues. Ashwani also has substantial experience in litigation, mediation, dispute resolution, including appeals, cancellation actions, and revocation proceedings before High Courts, the IP Offices, and arbitral and mediation panels. His practice further extends to strategic advisory on the protection and enforcement of industrial designs and trade secrets. Ashwani is actively involved in global IP discourse and holds leadership positions in several international IP organizations. He currently serves as Chair of the Designs Advocacy Subcommittee of INTA and Vice Chair of the Asia Pacific Committee of the IPO. He has authored publications for AIPPI, the INTA Bulletin, and IPO journals on topics including anti-suit injunctions and design law and has been invited to speak at various national and international conferences. He is recognized as a leading practitioner by IAM Patent 1000 as well as WTR 1000.
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Visit SpicyIP.com for the latest insights on the Indian IP ecosystem
-------------------
Connect with us on our socials: https://x.com/spicyip / spicyip / spicyipblog / @spicyiptv
More on the SpicyIP Summer School available here: https://spicyip.com/2025/07/event-rep... / spicyipacademy
Credits: Sonisha Srinivasan: Host, Researcher, Editor
Swaraj Paul Barooah: Producer, Researcher, Editor
Praharsh Gour, Md Sabeeh Ahmad: Camera, Mic, Set
Tanishka Goswami, Anjali Tripathi, Athreya Bhat: Graphics & Media
Praharsh Gour, Yogesh Byadwal, Bharathwaj Ramakrishnan: Research, Checks & General Setup
The SpicyIP Podcast took the opportunity to sit with our distinguished faculty and guest speakers at the SpicyIP Summer School 2025 to launch our first set of interviews!
In this episode (10), Sonisha Srinivasan speaks to Ms. Sheja Ehtesham about ALG India’s Knowledge sharing initiatives, importance of Networking as well as other skills outside of law schools for students to develop, her thoughts on Leadership, and approaches to building a meaningful professional journey rather than mechanical CV building.
00:00- Introduction
00:52- ALG's Knowledge sharing initiative
05:03- Networking in career development
08:38- Other skills outside of law school
15:33- Confusion over CV building
18:54- A meaningful professional journey
22:34- Concluding remarks
About Sheja Ehtesham: Sheja Ehtesham is the Managing Partner at ALG India Law Offices LLP and a leading expert in intellectual property. Sheja advises a global clientele on portfolio management, enforcement, oppositions, domain name disputes, and transactional matters such as brand licensing and franchising.Recognized consistently among the world’s top trademark professionals (WTR1000, 2021–2025), she is highly regarded for her strategic counsel and leadership. In 2023, she also received INTA’s Advancement of Association Objectives Award for her leadership in driving the association’s goals and shaping the dialogue on emerging areas of IP, particularly for her work on IP in Space. Under her leadership, her firm ALG boasts a remarkably diverse team—around 60 members, over 50% of whom are women at all levels, and collectively speaking more than 15 languages—reflecting her long‐standing commitment to inclusion.
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Visit SpicyIP.com for the latest insights on the Indian IP ecosystem
-------------------
Connect with us on our socials: https://x.com/spicyip https://www.linkedin.com/company/spicyip/ https://www.instagram.com/spicyipblog/ https://www.youtube.com/@SpicyIPTV
More on the SpicyIP Summer School available here: https://spicyip.com/2025/07/event-report-of-the-inaugural-spicyip-summer-school.html https://www.instagram.com/spicyipacademy/
Credits:
Sonisha Srinivasan: Host, Researcher, Editor
Swaraj Paul Barooah: Producer, Researcher, Editor
Praharsh Gour, Md Sabeeh Ahmad: Camera, Mic, Set
Tanishka Goswami, Anjali Tripathi, Athreya Bhat: Graphics & Media
Praharsh Gour, Yogesh Byadwal, Bharathwaj Ramakrishnan: Research, Checks & General Setup
The SpicyIP Podcast took the opportunity to sit with our distinguished faculty and guest speakers at the SpicyIP Summer School 2025 to launch our first set of interviews!
In this episode (09), Sonisha Srinivasan speaks to Dr. Kailash Nadh (bio below), CTO at Zerodha and a self-described ‘hobbyist’ software developer. A major FOSS supporter, he discusses his thoughts on re-imagining Copyright in the world of Artificial Intelligence(AI), the true meaning of technology sovereignty and methods to achieve it, as well as role of lawyers in the open source movement. He also shares his take on software patents and the relationship between patents and innovation. About Dr. Kailash Nadh: Dr. Kailash Nadh has a PhD in Artificial Intelligence & Computational Linguistics from Middlesex University. He has been the CTO at Zerodha since 2013, where he co-founded its tech arm. Zerodha is now the largest stockbroker, and one of the largest fintech companies, in India. He has been a hobbyist software developer for close to two decades and writes code every day, building technology at Zerodha, and building and contributing to open source projects. He has co-founded FOSS United Foundation (2020), promoting open-source software in India; Rainmatter Foundation (2020), supporting ecological preservation and climate change initiatives; Indic Digital Archive Foundation (2022), focusing on Indic language computing and cultural artifact preservation; and Samagata Foundation (2023), backing projects in science, culture, art, technology, and education to create public commons and community spaces.
-------------------
Visit SpicyIP.com for the latest insights on the Indian IP ecosystem
-------------------
Connect with us on our socials: https://x.com/spicyip https://www.linkedin.com/company/spicyip/ https://www.instagram.com/spicyipblog/ https://www.youtube.com/@SpicyIPTV
More on the SpicyIP Summer School available here: https://spicyip.com/2025/07/event-report-of-the-inaugural-spicyip-summer-school.html https://www.instagram.com/spicyipacademy/
Credits:
Sonisha Srinivasan: Host, Researcher, Editor
Swaraj Paul Barooah: Producer, Researcher, Editor
Praharsh Gour, Md Sabeeh Ahmad: Camera, Mic, Set
Tanishka Goswami, Anjali Tripathi, Athreya Bhat: Graphics & Media
Praharsh Gour, Yogesh Byadwal, Bharathwaj Ramakrishnan, Md Thahir Sulaiman: Research, Checks & General Setup
The SpicyIP Podcast took the opportunity to sit with our distinguished faculty and guest speakers at the SpicyIP Summer School 2025 to launch our first set of interviews!
In this episode (08), Sonisha Srinivasan speaks to Mr. Nikhil Narendran (bio below), a Partner at Trilegal (Bengaluru office) specializing in the Technology, Media and Telecom (TMT) practice about a career in the TMT practice. He discusses how adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) enhances efficiency at work, but also cautions that one must understand the strengths, weaknesses and risks of each model to effectively and responsibly use them. He also shares his experience of how working in the movie industry has shaped his role as a lawyer.
00:00 - Introduction
00:39 - Career guidance for TMT practice
03:47 - Importance of being a "Generalist"
05:39 - Maximising use of AI
07:14 - His Creative Journey
09:35- Concluding remarks
About Nikhil Narendran: Nikhil Narendran is a Partner at Trilegal’s Bengaluru office, specializing in the Technology, Media, and Telecom (TMT) practice. He holds a BA LLB (Hons.) from the National University of Advanced Legal Studies, Kochi, and is admitted to the Kerala Bar Council. His experience includes advising e-commerce, fintech, and technology companies on regulatory issues, data protection, telecom (mobile, enterprise, Satcom), and media (OTT, triple play). He has negotiated ICT agreements in South-East Asia, Europe, and America and advised on technology policy in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. He has won the ITechLaw Travelling Fellowship Award 2011, working with six European technology law firms, and is recognized as ALB India Top TMT/Fintech Lawyer (2021), IBLJ India’s Future Legal Leaders (2020), ALB 40-under-40 (2020), and by Chambers & Partners and Who’s Who Legal TMT.
-------------------
Visit SpicyIP.com for the latest insights on the Indian IP ecosystem
-------------------
Connect with us on our socials: https://x.com/spicyip https://www.linkedin.com/company/spicyip/ https://www.instagram.com/spicyipblog/ https://www.youtube.com/@SpicyIPTV
More on the SpicyIP Summer School available here: https://spicyip.com/2025/07/event-report-of-the-inaugural-spicyip-summer-school.html https://www.instagram.com/spicyipacademy/
Credits:
Sonisha Srinivasan: Host, Researcher, Editor
Swaraj Paul Barooah: Producer, Researcher, Editor
Praharsh Gour, Md Sabeeh Ahmad: Camera, Mic, Set
Tanishka Goswami, Anjali Tripathi, Athreya Bhat: Graphics & Media
Praharsh Gour, Yogesh Byadwal, Bharathwaj Ramakrishnan: Research & General Setup
The SpicyIP Podcast took the opportunity to sit with our distinguished faculty and guest speakers at the SpicyIP Summer School 2025 to launch our first set of interviews!
In this episode (07), Sonisha Srinivasan speaks to Ms Kruttika Vijay (bio below), an experienced litigator about what it takes to build a career in IP litigation. She sheds light on the realities of the field, along with valuable guidance for students who want to pursue this niche. She also shares her thoughts on effective client communication as well as reflects on other important qualities to develop as a legal professional.
00:00 - Introduction
00:33 - Career Guidance for IP Litigation
02:10 - Importance of subjects outside of IP
06:55 - Client communication/Client handling
09:02 - Other Skills to develop as a legal professional
10:10 - Concluding remarks
About Kruttika Vijay: Kruttika Vijay, Partner at Ira Law, is an experienced litigator who focuses on intellectual property litigation, civil and commercial dispute resolution, and intellectual property advisory and prosecution. She regularly appears in various courts across India and has also had the privilege of appearing before the Supreme Court of India as first chair. She is currently also a panel counsel for the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi in the District Courts, Delhi. She is an alumna of Stanford Law School, and NALSAR University of Law.
-------------------
Visit SpicyIP.com for the latest insights on the Indian IP ecosystem
-------------------
Connect with us on our socials: https://x.com/spicyip https://www.linkedin.com/company/spicyip/ https://www.instagram.com/spicyipblog/ https://www.youtube.com/@SpicyIPTV
More on the SpicyIP Summer School available here: https://spicyip.com/2025/07/event-report-of-the-inaugural-spicyip-summer-school.html https://www.instagram.com/spicyipacademy/
Credits:
Sonisha Srinivasan: Host, Researcher, Editor
Swaraj Paul Barooah: Producer, Researcher, Editor
Praharsh Gour, Md Sabeeh Ahmad: Camera, Mic, Set
Tanishka Goswami, Anjali Tripathi, Athreya Bhat: Graphics & Media
Praharsh Gour, Yogesh Byadwal, Bharathwaj Ramakrishnan: Research & General Setup
The SpicyIP Podcast took the opportunity to sit with our distinguished faculty and guest speakers at the SpicyIP Summer School 2025 to launch our first set of interviews!
In this episode (06), Sonisha Srinivasan speaks to Ms Zara Kaushik (bio below), a seasoned media and commercial lawyer, now an independent counsel. She reflects on building a career in media, entertainment, and sports law. She explores the structural challenges and power imbalances that arise in sports corporates, and the crucial role lawyer’s play in educating clients about what contracts actually mean, and why negotiating from a clear commercial rationale makes agreements flow better. The episode finishes with candid advice for students, who wants to pursue this as a career.
00:00- Introduction
00:37- Challenges in the Legal Framework for Sports Corporates
02:29- Examples of Work & Key Matters
03:46- Advice for Those Entering Media & Entertainment Law
06:01- Concluding Remarks
About Zara Kaushik:Zara Kaushik is an experienced commercial and media lawyer with over adecade of practice across global law firms, major media networks, and startups. She graduated from NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad in 2009 and holds a European Masters in Law and Economics from Rotterdam, Bologna, and Hamburg.She began her career at Trilegal, later serving as Senior Legal Manager at Disney Star, where she managed acquisitions of billion-dollar sports media rights with ICC, BCCI, and the International Hockey Federation. As former General Counsel at Mahila Money, a financial platform for women in India, she was part of the five-member senior leadership team. Now an independent general counsel and strategic advisor, she leads legal strategy for companies in industries ranging from AI and media to SaaS.
-------------------
Visit SpicyIP.com for the latest insights on the Indian IP ecosystem
-------------------
Connect with us on our socials: https://x.com/spicyip https://www.linkedin.com/company/spicyip/ https://www.instagram.com/spicyipblog/ https://www.youtube.com/@SpicyIPTV
More on the SpicyIP Summer School available here: https://spicyip.com/2025/07/event-report-of-the-inaugural-spicyip-summer-school.html https://www.instagram.com/spicyipacademy/
Credits:
Sonisha Srinivasan: Host, Researcher, Editor
Swaraj Paul Barooah: Producer, Researcher, Editor
Praharsh Gour, Md Sabeeh Ahmad: Camera, Mic, Set
Tanishka Goswami, Anjali Tripathi, Athreya Bhat: Graphics & Media
Praharsh Gour, Yogesh Byadwal, Bharathwaj Ramakrishnan: Research & General Setup
The SpicyIP Podcast took the opportunity to sit with our distinguished faculty and guest speakers at the SpicyIP Summer School 2025 to launch our first set of interviews!
In this episode (05), Sonisha Srinivasan speaks to Mr. KM Gopakumar, Senior Researcher and Legal Advisor at the Third World Network (TWN). Mr. Gopakumar shares insights into TWN’s working as a platform for research and advocacy on development issues, including climate change, biodiversity, and public policy. He speaks of the critical function of civil society organisations in policymaking and the generation of knowledge, the constant challenge of scarce resources, as well as the significance of voluntarism in maintaining effective work. He also talks about how students and young professionals can meaningfully contribute to civil society organisations through internships, legal research, and policy analysis.
00:00- Introduction
00:42- About the Third World Network (TWN)
02:24- The Role of Civil Society in Policymaking
04:48- Managing Resources and Finances
05:42- How Individuals Can Contribute
08:48- Concluding Reflections
About KM Gopakumar:KM Gopakumar is a Senior Researcher and Legal Advisor, Third WorldNetwork (TWN) based in New Delhi, India.
-------------------
Visit SpicyIP.com for the latest insights on the Indian IP ecosystem
-------------------
Connect with us on our socials: https://x.com/spicyip https://www.linkedin.com/company/spicyip/ https://www.instagram.com/spicyipblog/ https://www.youtube.com/@SpicyIPTV
More on the SpicyIP Summer School available here: https://spicyip.com/2025/07/event-report-of-the-inaugural-spicyip-summer-school.html https://www.instagram.com/spicyipacademy/
Credits:
Sonisha Srinivasan: Host, Researcher, Editor
Swaraj Paul Barooah: Producer, Researcher, Editor
Praharsh Gour, Md Sabeeh Ahmad: Camera, Mic, Set
Tanishka Goswami, Anjali Tripathi, Athreya Bhat: Graphics & Media
Praharsh Gour, Yogesh Byadwal, Bharathwaj Ramakrishnan: Research & General Setup
The SpicyIP Podcast took the opportunity to sit with our distinguished faculty and guest speakers at the SpicyIP Summer School 2025 to launch our first set of interviews!
In this episode (04), Sonisha Srinivasan speaks to Ms Chetali Rao, (bio below), Senior Scientific Advisor at TWN (Third World Network). Drawing from her pharmaceutical background, Ms. Rao shares what inspired her to enter civil society work and offers insights into the drug patent pharma landscape. She highlights the important role played by the Civil society and how they derive their strength from public opinion and advocacy. She also reflects on the importance of breaking down intricate scientific and legal issues to make them accessible to all.
00:00 - Introduction
00:43 - Her inspiration to Join Civil Society Work
02:05 - Bridging the Knowledge Gap
04:41 - Bargaining Power of Civil Societies?
07:18 - How to understand intricate concepts?
About Chetali Rao: Chetali Rao is a Sr. Scientific Researcher and Legal Advisor at TWN and aseasoned lawyer and industry expert with over 19 years of experienceglobally across pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and biotech, specializing in IP,global health, and innovation.
-------------------
Visit SpicyIP.com for the latest insights on the Indian IP ecosystem
-------------------
Connect with us on our socials: https://x.com/spicyip https://www.linkedin.com/company/spicyip/ https://www.instagram.com/spicyipblog/ https://www.youtube.com/@SpicyIPTV
More on the SpicyIP Summer School available here: https://spicyip.com/2025/07/event-report-of-the-inaugural-spicyip-summer-school.html https://www.instagram.com/spicyipacademy/
Credits:
Sonisha Srinivasan: Host, Researcher, Editor
Swaraj Paul Barooah: Producer, Researcher, Editor
Praharsh Gour, Md Sabeeh Ahmad: Camera, Mic, Set
Tanishka Goswami, Anjali Tripathi, Athreya Bhat: Graphics & Media
Praharsh Gour, Yogesh Byadwal, Bharathwaj Ramakrishnan: Research & General Setup
The SpicyIP Podcast took the opportunity to sit with our distinguished faculty and guest speakers at the SpicyIP Summer School 2025 to launch our first set of interviews!
In this episode (03), Sonisha Srinivasan speaks to Mr Adarsh Ramanujan (bio below) about the art of being a patent counsel and how to pursue a career in this field. Drawing from his experience assisting courts as amicus curiae, he discusses how a strong grasp of technical details are key to effective advocacy in patent litigation. He also reflects on whether a science background is essential for aspiring patent lawyers, shares candid advice for students entering the field, and comments on the present state of legal education in India.
00:00 - Introduction
00:34 - Explaining Technical and Scientific Matters to the Court
06:30 - Is a Science Background Essential for Patent Litigators?
07:55 - Advice for Students Interested in Patent Litigation
12:41 - The Gap Between Legal Education and Practice
25:18 - Concluding Reflections
About Adarsh Ramanujan: Adarsh Ramanujan is a Patent Agent and Independent Counsel/Founder at the Law Chambers of Adarsh Ramanujan with a diverse practice area, focusing primarily on litigation and commercial arbitration. Adarsh has an LL.M from the University of California, Berkeley, USA and is a gold medalistholding a B.Sc. LL.B (Hons.) degree, from NLU, Jodhpur, India. He is dual qualified to practice law in India and the State of California (USA). He is also accepted as a Fellow at the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, London one of the oldest arbitral institutes in the world. He spent 3 years as a Partner of a law firm in Geneva, handling international disputes. He is one of the youngest counsels to represent sovereign governments. He has also consulted on FTAs and, thus, brings considerable global experience to his practice in India. He is the author of “Ramanujan’s Patent Law” (Oakbridge, 2024) and “Cases and Materials on Patent Law: A Synthesis for India” (Thomson Reuters, 2022) and has authored more than 40 national and international publications in the areas of IP, International Law, Arbitration & Tax. He was appointed Amicus Curiae by the Delhi High Court on the issue of AI and copyright, Amicus Curiae by the Delhi High Court and the Madras High Court on the issue of patentability of diagnostic methods.
-------------------
Visit SpicyIP.com for the latest insights on the Indian IP ecosystem
-------------------
Connect with us on our socials: https://x.com/spicyip https://www.linkedin.com/company/spicyip/ https://www.instagram.com/spicyipblog/ https://www.youtube.com/@SpicyIPTV
More on the SpicyIP Summer School available here: https://spicyip.com/2025/07/event-report-of-the-inaugural-spicyip-summer-school.html https://www.instagram.com/spicyipacademy/
Credits:
Sonisha Srinivasan: Host, Researcher, Editor
Swaraj Paul Barooah: Producer, Researcher, Editor
Praharsh Gour, Md Sabeeh Ahmad: Camera, Mic, Set
Tanishka Goswami, Anjali Tripathi, Athreya Bhat: Graphics & Media
Praharsh Gour, Yogesh Byadwal, Bharathwaj Ramakrishnan: Research & General Setup
The SpicyIP Podcast took the opportunity to sit with our distinguished faculty and guest speakers at the SpicyIP Summer School 2025 to launch our first set of interviews!
In this episode (02), Sonisha Srinivasan speaks to Mr Sandeep Rathod (bio below) about his thoughts on how to make it in law school and build a success legal career, drawing from his vast experience. He starts with discussing what it takes to thrive as an in-house counsel, the importance of practical writing skills, and the shortcoming of present legal education system in India and how to overcome that. He also reflects on how to deal with FOMO and find purpose amid the evolving landscape of legal education.
00:00 - Introduction
00:49 - Building a Career as an In-House Counsel
07:20 - Rethinking Legal Education
16:12 - Dealing with FOMO and Finding Direction
23:21 - Closing Reflections
About Sandeep Rathod Sandeep Rathod serves as the Global General Counsel at Piramal Pharma Limited, bringing extensive expertise from the pharmaceutical industry. He graduated from Government Law College, Mumbai in 2002 and holds an LLM from Pittsburgh School of Law and another from Mumbai University.He has held key roles as General Counsel and IP Head at leading pharmaceutical companies, including J.B. Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Limited, Sebamed India, Mylan Laboratories, and Cadila Healthcare, among others. He has previously taught intellectual property law at NALSAR University of Law, Gujarat National Law University, NMIMS, and the Institute of Law, Nirma University as a visiting faculty.He is a recognised expert in pharmaceutical and regulatory FMCG legislation, patents, and in-bound product/technology licensing, and is a regular commentator on patent office decisions.
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Visit SpicyIP.com for the latest insights on the Indian IP ecosystem
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Connect with us on our socials: https://x.com/spicyip https://www.linkedin.com/company/spicyip/ https://www.instagram.com/spicyipblog/ https://www.youtube.com/@SpicyIPTV
More on the SpicyIP Summer School available here: https://spicyip.com/2025/07/event-report-of-the-inaugural-spicyip-summer-school.html https://www.instagram.com/spicyipacademy/
Credits:
Sonisha Srinivasan: Host, Researcher, Editor
Swaraj Paul Barooah: Producer, Researcher, Editor
Praharsh Gour, Md Sabeeh Ahmad: Camera, Mic, Set
Tanishka Goswami, Anjali Tripathi, Athreya Bhat: Graphics & Media
Praharsh Gour, Yogesh Byadwal, Bharathwaj Ramakrishnan: Research & General Setup
The SpicyIP Podcast took the opportunity to sit with our distinguished faculty and guest speakers at the SpicyIP Summer School 2025 to launch our first set of interviews!
In this episode (01), Sonisha Srinivasan speaks to Mr Murali Neelakantan (bio below) about his career journey and his perspective on legal education in India.. He explains how moving to Cipla changed his views on healthcare access and affordability and set him on his path for the last 12 years. He also highlights the critical need for Indian legal education to move beyond rote learning, and to encourage deep, critical engagement with real world issues, connecting legal education to societal challenges as well as the ability to question and understand better.
About Murali Neelakantan: Murali Neelakantan is the Principal Lawyer at Amicus, a dual-qualified lawyer (English solicitor and Indian advocate), who brings extensive experience from roles as Global General Counsel at Cipla and Senior Partner at Khaitan & Co. Previously, he served as a Partner at Arnold & Porter and Ashurst in London. He has held Board positions at Glenmark Pharmaceuticals and TTK Prestige Ltd. A prolific writer, he has penned incisive op-eds on healthcare for BloombergQuint, NDTV Profit, The Hindu, The Wire, Indian Express, Moneycontrol, and Scroll. A 1996 graduate of the NLSIU, Bangalore, he co-edited “An Idea of a Law School- Ideas from The Law School” and published in NLSIR, NLSBLR, Indian Public Policy Review, and The Lancet Regional Health – South East Asia. Recognized as an expert, he has been featured in the Financial Times, British Medical Journal, and podcasts like “The Firm, ” “Shortcast over Coffee,” and “The Seen and The Unseen.
-------------------
Visit SpicyIP.com for the latest insights on the Indian IP ecosystem
-------------------
Connect with us on our socials: https://x.com/spicyip https://www.linkedin.com/company/spicyip/ https://www.instagram.com/spicyipblog/ https://www.youtube.com/@SpicyIPTV
More on the SpicyIP Summer School available here: https://spicyip.com/2025/07/event-report-of-the-inaugural-spicyip-summer-school.html https://www.instagram.com/spicyipacademy/
Credits:
Sonisha Srinivasan: Host, Researcher, Editor
Swaraj Paul Barooah: Producer, Researcher, Editor
Praharsh Gour, Md Sabeeh Ahmad: Camera, Mic, Set
Tanishka Goswami, Anjali Tripathi, Athreya Bhat: Graphics & Media
Praharsh Gour, Yogesh Byadwal, Bharathwaj Ramakrishnan: Research & General Setup