"Living Roots Originals" is Launched by IPRS and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs

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News Desk, News Nation 360: The Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India, in association with the Indian Performing Right Society (IPRS), launched Living Roots Originals, a tribal songwriting and creator rights initiative to promote and nurture original music from tribal communities across the country. The first songwriting residency of Living Roots Originals commenced in Kolkata from August 3 to 7, 2026. This event saw 25 artists from eight tribal communities across five states, including the Jenu Kuruba and Paniya of Kerala, Ho of Jharkhand, Koch Rajbanshi of West Bengal, Chakhesang of Nagaland, and Gond, Madia and Mahara of Chhattisgarh, coming together to create original songs in their respective mother tongues. Under the guidance of the Chief Mentor Dr Upali Chattopadhyay, with mentors Tarun Chaudhuri and Avik Mukherjee, all the participants’ compositions will be officially registered with IPRS for authorship, intellectual property rights, and royalty earnings. With support from the institutional partners, ARPO, Tata Steel Foundation, TaFMA, and BADAL Academy, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs Secretary Ranjana Chopra and IPRS CEO Rakesh Nigam note that professional production, online streaming platforms, and benefit sharing will enable tribal artists to reach their rightful place as credible stakeholders in India’s music ecosystem.

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