CEO, The Indian Performing Right Society Ltd.
Rakesh Nigam is a seasoned business leader and accomplished Chartered Accountant with over three decades of experience across technology, agriculture, and music. Born and raised in Mumbai, he completed his schooling at Rev. C. F. Andrews High School and graduated in Commerce from M. L. Dahanukar College of Commerce & Economics under Mumbai University. Over the years, he has held key leadership roles in globally renowned organizations, driving finance, strategy, and transformational growth.
His career spans Fujitsu ICIM (now Zensar Technologies), Cargill, Saregama India Ltd., Universal Music, and ultimately The Indian Performing Right Society Ltd. (IPRS), where he has been serving as CEO since 2004. Recognised for his sharp business acumen and deep understanding of the music ecosystem, he has been instrumental in shaping India’s copyright and publishing landscape.
Early Career & Music
After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in 1989, Rakesh Nigam began his professional journey with Fujitsu ICIM, where he spent six years managing Finance, Treasury, and Accounts. His experience expanded further when he moved to Cargill India in 1996 as Controller – Flour Milling, responsible for establishing the company’s flour mill operations along with its financial and administrative framework.
His entry into the music industry came in 1999 when he joined Saregama India Ltd. to lead Copyrights as a revenue vertical. Under his direction, copyright revenues grew exponentially, from ₹60 lakhs to ₹4 crores in just four years, establishing copyright monetisation as a core business function. He later had a brief stint with Universal Music before transitioning to IPRS, where his passion for music, creators, and rights administration found its true calling.
Leadership & Role
Since taking charge as CEO of the Indian Performing Right Society in 2004, Rakesh Nigam has played a key role in transforming the organisation into India’s leading copyright society for music creators. His leadership has focused on structural reforms, improved governance, and a strong creator-first approach that strengthened transparency and trust within the ecosystem. He helped resolve long-standing issues among authors, composers, and publishers, enabling democratic board elections and reinforcing IPRS’s functioning in line with the Copyright Act, 1957.
Beyond institutional reforms, Nigam has championed several initiatives that empower music creators and strengthen the creator economy. These include My Music My Rights, a nationwide campaign promoting awareness of copyright and royalties; KOLAB, a collaborative songwriting camp connecting Indian creators with international artists in partnership with societies such as Korea Music Copyright Association (KOMCA) and Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN); IPRS Stage, a platform supporting independent, traditional , regional and folk artists through live showcases; and Soundscapes of India, an international music conference connecting Indian music creators with global festival directors and industry leaders. Alongside these initiatives, his advocacy for creators’ rights has contributed to IPRS’s significant growth, with revenues increasing from ₹9 crores in 2004 to over ₹700+ crores in FY24-25.
About IPRS
The Indian Performing Right Society Ltd. (IPRS) is a Copyright Society recognized by the Government of India for administering rights in Musical Works and Literary Works associated with musical compositions. Representing composers, authors, and music publishers, IPRS licenses the usage of music across platforms and ensures rightful royalty distribution to its members.
With a rapidly expanding membership and increasing usage of licensed music across digital, broadcast, live, and public performance sectors, IPRS stands as one of India’s most important organizations in the creative economy. Under Rakesh Nigam’s leadership, IPRS has embraced global best practices, strengthened compliance, and modernized its processes to handle large-scale data, metadata, and royalty administration.
Impact & Vision
Rakesh Nigam’s impact on India’s music rights ecosystem has been profound. His efforts have elevated royalty awareness, strengthened creator representation, and positioned IPRS as a financially robust and globally respected Copyright Society.
His vision is centred on empowering music creators, building a fair and transparent rights management system, and expanding IPRS’s reach in India’s rapidly evolving digital and live music markets. He continues to champion innovation in rights administration, stronger international collaborations, and sustainable income opportunities for songwriters, composers, and publishers.
With a focus on growth, accountability, and creator welfare, he aims to steer IPRS toward becoming one of the world’s leading performing rights organisations, rooted in integrity and driven by the belief that creators must be fairly rewarded for their work.
