[This post is co-authored by Swaraj and Praharsh]
It’s with great sorrow that we share the news that the Indian IP fraternity lost one of its brightest stars yesterday. Mr. Guruswamy Nataraj, founder of LCGN Advocates and alumnus of NLSIU (1988-1993), renowned for his formidable patent law practice, sharp wit, infectious smile, and warm sense of humour, passed away following a heart attack, after a courageous battle with cancer over the last few months.
Mr. Nataraj (affectionately called “Nutty” by his friends and colleagues, by his own insistence!) was a veteran IP law litigator with 33 years of practice behind him. For a patent law enthusiast, his name would be a familiar sight in many of the most interesting and high-stakes patent disputes. His contributions to Indian patent law go far beyond securing favourable orders and getting interim injunctions vacated for his clients; through his advocacy and deep engagement with complex questions of patent jurisprudence, he helped shape the contours of modern patent litigation in India. Some of the cases through which Mr. Nataraj helped shape the interpretation of the Indian Patent Act include the ones passed in Ticagrelor, Dapagliflozin, Linagliptin, Apixaban, Regorafenib, and CTPR Process. Mr. Nataraj was also a stalwart for accountability in the Indian IP regime and was among the few who openly challenged the functioning of the IPAB without a technical member to hear patent disputes! As many would also know, his LinkedIn page was a source of entertaining yet very useful insights frequently sprinkled with a heavy dose of self-deprecating humour. An example is shown in the image here <https://www.linkedin.com/posts/activity-7360637374747348993-36B-?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAALk6zgBp_iil2-GcokFKtYECepkVnLcJno>
A dear friend of the blog from its early days, he would regularly participate in the comments section as well as discuss and share developments with the team. Some of the comments left by him on these posts would qualify as incisive guest posts in themselves and would often be in the form of solid pushbacks against the posts, paving the way for intense and enriching discussion of the topic. Interested readers can particularly revisit the discussion on exhaustion, Section 92, Sunitinib patent saga, Compulsory Licenses.
A walking encyclopedia of patent law, those who had the good fortune of speaking with him would know that any “small” talk about patents could translate to sessions which could last for more than a couple of hours, touching upon the jurisprudence on the point across different courts, differences in the interpretation across the years and then what he thinks is or should be the correct position on law.
In his typical humour-filled, sharp-witted way, and kind manner, he would also regularly encourage younger advocates and law students. Soon after the pandemic, he had called to ask if we knew of any 1st generation advocates who might need an office space – that he had a few cubicles, and was ready to offer them to any IDIA or first-gen advocates who might need it, along with usage of his office resources, no rent needed.
Yogesh Byadwal from our team recollects how, during his internship with Mr. Nataraj, he was simultaneously brutally honest, yet so easy to talk to, always with such random facts out of nowhere. “A one on one conversation with him across the table could make you learn a lot more than simply reading”.
Vasundra Koul, 5th year at RGNUL, tells us, “My first IP internship was under him, and I was incredibly hesitant to work on patent matters. But he showed such confidence in my underdeveloped skills that, by the end of my internship, I found myself genuinely looking forward to working on more patent matters. He also had such great musical taste. He would blast Led Zeppelin and the Beatles in the office all day long!” She also recalls some ‘typically Guru’ lines that stuck with her.
‘I don’t bite, I only bark’
‘It is very important for a lawyer to read literature and poetry’
‘You remember that horse in Sholey, Dhanno, who had blinkers on? A lawyer should be like Dhanno’.
A glance through his LinkedIn posts gives us many more such lines, and aside from those lines, he would often share some important patent developments/ decisions marking the important paras for the readers, engaging in healthy discussion on them in the comment section.
A little less than a year ago, in an attempt to document and record parts of his vast experience in pharma litigation, we had sought to interview him for some research work on Cancer and IP. Regretfully, while he readily agreed, the interview never ended up happening.
Mr. Nataraj was all of this and much more. A formidable lawyer, generous mentor, and a person who would carry his brilliance and knowledge with humility and perspective. Reflecting on what perhaps animated this outlook, Praharsh recalls meeting him after the symposium on 10 years since Novartis. Following a rigorous and spirited discussion with the panelists, Mr. Nataraj remarked with his characteristic humor during the high tea that his style of advocacy stemmed from a fear of God. “Uparwala sab dekh raha hai, yeh sab jo hum kar rahe hain. Thodi na yeh sab leke jaana hai” (Trans.: God is watching all that we do. After all, we cannot take any of this with us when we go.)
As the Indian IP community mourns this profound loss, we pray that his family and loved ones find the strength to bear it. May his memory continue to inspire generations of lawyers and scholars, and may he rest in power.
