Lokesh Vyas

Author name: Lokesh Vyas

Lokesh is a PhD candidate at Sciences Po, Paris, where he examines the “genealogy of international copyright discourse (1850s–2000)” under the guidance of Professors Séverine Dusollier and Alain Pottage. He graduated from the Institute of Law, Nirma University, and later pursued an LL.M. at American University Washington College of Law as an Arcadia Fellow and Arodhum Scholar. He was previously a visiting scholar at the University of Cambridge. Lokesh is interested in questions of knowledge governance, which he enjoys exploring through historical and philosophical inquiry. He also takes a certain, steady satisfaction in essay competitions—having been fortunate to fare fairly well—securing, for instance, the first Shamnad Basheer Essay Competition in 2020 and the ATRIP Annual Essay Competition in 2024. He can be contacted at lokesh.vyas[at]sciencespo[dot]fr.

‘Certificate of Registration’ Equals ‘License from Registrar’: Looking at Gujarat High Court’s Infringement Equation

October 7, 2022 / By Lokesh Vyas / Copyright

Copyright registration is not mandatory in India. However, one may register the same and it would be prima facie evidence of the registered details therein. But if a registered copyright is alleged of copyright infringement, can the “voluntary registration” come to its rescue? As per a recent order of the Gujarat High Court in Maheshbhai @ Kanbhai Haribhai Sojitra v/s State Of Gujarat, the answer is yes. This post examines this order and highlights certain anomalies that lie within or […]

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Taking IP “Rights” Too Seriously – A Look Through History

In his independence day speech, the Indian P.M. Modi urged people to focus more on ‘duties’. Earlier, he said that a focus on “rights” has made India weak. Previously, President Droupadi Murmu also spoke of duties and Justice N.V. Ramana highlighted the importance of knowing our constitutional rights and duties. While I may share some sentiments with this ‘right-duty’ talk, such focus on rights-duties language makes me wonder if we are becoming dependent on “Right” in the sense of ‘right-izing’