Shamnad Basheer
Prof. (Dr.) Shamnad Basheer founded SpicyIP in 2005. He's also the Founder of IDIA, a project to train underprivileged students for admissions to the leading law schools.
He served for two years as an expert on the IP global advisory council (GAC) of the World Economic Forum (WEF).
In 2015, he received the Infosys Prize in Humanities in 2015 for his work on legal education and on democratising the discourse around intellectual property law and policy. The jury was headed by Nobel laureate, Prof. Amartya Sen.
Professional History:
After graduating from the NLS, Bangalore Prof. Basheer joined Anand and Anand, one of India’s leading IP firms. He went on to head their telecommunication and technology practice and was rated by the IFLR as a leading technology lawyer.
He left for the University of Oxford to pursue post-graduate studies, completing the BCL, MPhil and DPhil as a Wellcome Trust scholar. His first academic appointment was at the George Washington University Law School, where he served as the Frank H Marks Visiting Associate Professor of IP Law. He then relocated to India in 2008 to take up the MHRD Chaired Professorship in IP Law at WB NUJS, a leading Indian law school. Later, he was the Honorary Research Chair of IP Law at Nirma University and also a visiting professor of law at the National Law School (NLS), Bangalore.
Prof. Basheer has published widely and his articles have won awards, including those instituted by ATRIP, the Stanford Technology Law Review and CREATe. He was consulted widely by the government, industry, international organisations and civil society on a variety of IP issues. He also served on several government committees.
The dreams of Mr NN Prasad Jt Secy (Nodal officer to WIPO), now right hand to Mr Francis Gurry, Director General WIPO has shattered with the appointments of Mr RP Singh and Mr V Bhaskar.
The appointments of Mr NN Prasad as Chief of the Cabinet of Mr Gurry and Mr Swaspawan Singh Ambassador (retired) PMI Geneva made it clear to the Developing Countries Block that both cheated India by voting the only decisive vote in favour of Mr Gurry, representing the Developed Countries Block against the voice of the Indian Government. From the very beginning the appointments of Mr Prasad and Mr Swaspawan Singh have been question mark to the International Community as well as Indian community. Later the appointment of Mrs Anjali Prasad, Jt Secy (supposed to be the nodal officer to WIPO) wife of Mr NN Prasad made it crystal clear that it’s a conspiracy against the Indian IP policies and issues. Through this network the developed world wanted to achieve through Mr Francis Gurry (WIPO) which they could get through WTO.
In Mr NN Prasad’s case all the established rules and regulations for foreign appointments were flouted, where it indicates that a nodal officer needs four years cooling off period before joining the nodal agency. While Mr Prasad was a nodal officer to WIPO and without considering the cooling off period directly joined WIPO? Mr Anand Sharma Minister of Commerce and Industry should pay attention and ask CBI investigation in Mr Prasad and Mr Swaspawan Singh’s case.
Conspiracy theories at their best. Members of the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) will no doubt benefit from the expertise provided by WIPO under the MoU, should they take a very small step: remove the blinkers from their head so as to see that Intellectual Property is not limited to patents, that patents are not limited in their sector to those held by multinational companies, and that they would benefit from a well-designed IP (particularly trade marks) strategy (not least fight spurious drugs, which plague their business).
As to the anonymous comment on the election of the WIPO director general, beyond the ad hominem, it begs reminding that in a 42-41 score, each one of the 42 votes makes the difference.
And, by the way, mathematically, the 42 votes included other developing countries, including influential ones, so that one cannot speak of a Developing Countries Block (same for a non-existent Developed Countries Block).
Question is that why Mr NN Prasad and Mr Swaspawan Singh were given plum posts by Mr Francis Gurry, Director General, World Intellectual Property Organization, when the India was opposing Mr Francis Gurry openly? Why Mr Gurry so kind in Mr NN Prasad and Mr Swaspawan Singh’s cases? There should be some reasons. Then what are these reasons or grounds.
Why the Ministry of Commerce and Industry did not follow the established rules and regulations in foreign appointments, like “cooling off period of four years in the case of nodal officer”. Against this appointment a written objection was filed by the candidates due for the appointment in WIPO. Until May 2009, Mr Prasad was the nodal officer for WIPO then on what ground the Ministry given green signal to Mr Prasad’s appointment. Mr NN Prasad used the influence of his elder brother Mr MN Prasad, Secretary in PM Office that is why all the established rules and regulations were flouted by the Ministry. This appointment strictly needs a CBI inquiry.
Later the appointment of Mrs Anjali Prasad Joint Secretary, wife of Mr NN Prasad in replaced Mr Prasad to continue work with WIPO. What a co-incidence as one end Husband and on the other end Wife. Both hands full of “ladoos”. What a networking. Unfortunately that networking could not succeed. In future, ways will not be so easy to Mr Franis Gurry and Mr NN Prasad to undermine the Government of India and would be successful in playing with IP policy matters of Government of India.