Lata Mangeshkar

A five-year-long effort by copyright society Indian Singers Rights Association (ISRA) is finally bearing fruit. In January this year, the association, which has been fighting for the royalty rights of singers since 2013, was able to procure approximately Rs 52 lakh for 730 singers. Sonu Nigam, who was among the few to earn royalties for his ditties, says, "This is the beginning of a new era. Something that we have been working on for several years is finally seeing the light of day." The government body, which has also been trying to earn royalties for its singers from music labels, has been able to earn the amount from sporting events, restaurants and gyms, among other facilities.