MUMBAI: The Indian Music Industry (IMI) yesterday felicitated ex-police commissioner, Julio Rebeiro who is now IMI's chief coordinator for his services and invaluable contributions towards Intellectual Property protection.

Riberio's efforts along with the IMI have pioneered the concept of Intellectual property, its rights, management and protection in the country over the past 10 years. IMI in consultation with Mr. Rebeiro had set up the Anti-Piracy operation in its current format in the year 1996. Ever since, the IMI has to its credit more than 10000 raids registered across 250 cities leading to over 950 convictions in a sphere where awareness levels among many are very low.

Shabana Azmi, chairperson, Core Group on Piracy, Exhibition Sector including multiplex and issue of Certification felicitated Riberio on the occasion.

Rebeiro said, "The past decade has been a long journey in terms of creating awareness about respecting the basic rights of an artist and fighting off individuals who are out to make a fast buck on the efforts of others. We have trained the enforcers, i.e., the police, the judiciary and the public prosecutors about Intellectual Property protection. The efficient operations of the IMI has ensured that the legitimate physical product business of CD's and cassettes has survived in India whereas in neighboring countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, it is virtually non existent'.
Azmi said, "Organisations like IMI have done a lot for the safeguard of artists rights. The rampant piracy in the early and mid nineties had very adversely affected the music industry, it is through the timely intervention of IMI that people now are aware and respect intellectual property".

IMI says that its operations have ensured that that the country's legitimate physical product business has survived unlike neighbors Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh who have no legitimate music business today or even China that at present suffers from 90 per cent piracy.