by Suman Gupta
Ten years ago, the Indian Singers’ Rights Association (ISRA), a Non-profit making Company Limited by Guarantee under the Companies Act, 1956, was formed under the Chairmanship of Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar who together with Asha Bhosle, Alka Yagnik, Sonu Nigam, Sanjay Tandon, Usha Mangeshkar, Suresh Wadkar, Pankaj Udhas, Anup Jalota, Talat Aziz, Kumar Sanu, Abhijeet Bhattacharya, Kavita Krishnamoorty, Shaan, Hariharan, Jassi, Sunidhi Chauhan, Mahalaxmi Iyer among others, to fight for Singers’ rights and to collect their royalty and distribute the same to them.
Today, as ISRA turns 10, the Performer’s Right Society for Singers, turned Indian Singers and Musician Rights Association (ISAMRA), including musicians under its wings.
To bless ISAMRA on its birthday, over 100 Indian singers including Anup Jalota, Sanjay Tandon, Sonu Nigam, Suresh Wadkar, Shailendra Singh, Alka Yagnik, Kavita Krishnamoorthy, Shaan, Udit Narayan, Kumar Sanu, Hariharan, Sunidhi Chauhan, Lalit Pandit, Shankar Mahadevan, Himesh Reshammiya, Shahid Rafi, Amit Kumar, Sumit Kumar, Meet Bros, Nitin Mukesh, Sudesh Bhosale, Jaspinder Narula, Mahalakshmi Iyer, Saumya Raoh, Aditi Singh Sharma, Shahid Mallya, Roopkumar Rathod, Usha Timothy among others gathered at Raheja Classique, Mumbai.
For the uninitiated, ISRA is the only Performer’s Copyright Society that in its 10 years of existence, has emerged stronger amid challenges soaring to greater heights.
After establishing the Singers’ Right to Receive Royalty by procuring two Judgements from the Hon. Delhi High Court in 2016, and in October 2022, ISRA entered into a Historic Agreement with all Music Labels in the Country. This agreement marked the end of a long going litigation and procured Royalties for Singers. And how!
The Hon’ble Minister for Commerce and Trade Shri Piyush Goyal had announced this Historic Achievement in April 2023 of 50 Crore plus Royalty for the Indian singers, creating history.
The latest is that Musicians will now start getting Royalties from ISRA. To enable this, ISRA is rechristened ISAMRA (Indian Singers’ And Musicians’ Rights Association). ISAMRA represents Singers and Musicians of not only India but of the entire world. The organisation, by virtue of Reciprocal today controls 95 per cent of the Performer’s (Singer’s) Rights and has members from North, South, East & West of the Country.
ISAMRA is also affiliated with 18 foreign societies, signifying its global presence.
Recalling the words of ISRA founder Chairperson, Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar on ISRA’s success, “I am so happy ki jo maine mudda uthaya tha ab who rang laa raha hai… Singers ko ab jaake unka Royalty ka Haq Mil Raha hai. Congrats and Thank You ISRA”.
The Board of Advisors of ISRA include A Hariharan, Anuradha Paudwal, Kavita Krishnamurti* Shaantanu Mukherji, Udit Narayan, Nagoor Babu, Sudesh Bhosle, Kailash Kher and Mahalaxmi Iyer.
The Board of Directors of ISRA includes Asha Bhosle (Chaiman Emeritus), Anup Jalota (Chairman), Sonu Nigam, Talat Aziz, Suresh Wadkar, Alka Yagnik, Pankaj Udhas, Kumar Sanu, Shailendra Singh , Jaspinder Narula K G Ranjith and Sanjay Tandon.
ISRA Chairman Anup Jalota averred, “I am happy and proud to see ISRA now expand into ISAMRA to include Musicians too. It pleases me that our musician brothers will start getting royalties from ISAMRA. This is truly historic.”
Adds Sonu Nigam, “This is a giant leap for Singers & Musicians of India. With ISAMRA, all Artists (past, present & future) can now look forward to Royalties the way overseas Artistws receive. At last, the dream has come true.”
Concludes Sanjay Tandon, Co-founder and CEO of ISRA, “What a historic 10th year for ISRA! After establishing Singers rights, ISRA signed the historic agreement with Music labels earlier this year and now it is extending its services to Musicians too. I am very happy to see this date. There is still a lot more that will come. But I am most elated that Lataji’s dream is now a reality.”
