The Saga of Geographical Indications Across the Globe: Dr. Raju Narayana Swamy Comes Out with a Book

A book written by IAS officer and versatile writer Dr. Raju Narayana Swamy, is attracting widespread attention. Focusing on the theme that GI fosters social capital, the book highlights the need to move from a state-driven trader-centric approach to a producer-driven bottom-up process. The international regime, the legal framework, and case studies from across the globe as well as trans-border GIs have been highlighted. The book was released by Binaya Srikanta Pradhan, Consul General of India, at a function held in New York. This is the 36th book penned by Dr. Swamy.

His earlier writings include the Sahitya Academy Award-winning travelogue "Shantimanthram Muzhangunna Thazhvarayil" as well as "Neelakkurinji: Oru Vyazhavattathile Vasantham" which won him the State Award for Children's Literature. Dr. Raju Narayana Swamy was in the news recently for performing a record number of 38 duties as Central Observer of the Election Commission of India, including a duty as International Observer in the 2018 Zimbabwe Elections. He also won in 2021 the acclaimed Leonardo da Vinci Fellowship instituted by the Center for Intellectual Property and Innovation Policy, George Mason University, for his scholarship in intellectual property law.

Swamy was awarded the 2018 Satyendra K. Dubey Memorial Award by IIT Kanpur for his fight against corruption. He also won the prestigious Homi Bhabha Fellowship in cyber law, which brought him into the elite company of stalwarts like Tanu Padmanabhan. Swamy has played a crucial role in the implementation of several key policies and programmes in the areas of rural development, education, and health. Dr. Swamy is also known for his innovative and proactive approach to governance, particularly in the use of technology, citizen engagement, transparency, and accountability.

A B.Tech from IIT Madras in Computer Science and Engineering and a PhD in Law from the Gujarat National Law University, he is the all-India first rank holder of the 1991 batch of the IAS. Swamy also holds a PG Diploma from the National Law School, Bangalore, as well as an LLM from NLU Delhi, both with gold medals.