2026 in Indian public domain
| Public Domain Day 2026 in India | |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Public Domain Day |
| Date | January 1, 2026 |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Country | India |
| Previous event | 2025 |
| Next event | 2027 |
When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain, becoming free for anyone to use, adapt, and share without restriction. The following is a comprehensive list of creators and works whose copyrights expire in India on January 1, 2026, as per the Copyright law of India.
Background on Indian Copyright Law
The Indian Copyright Act of 1957 governs copyright protection in India. Key provisions include:
- Literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works: Protected for the lifetime of the author plus 60 years[1]
- Cinematograph films, sound recordings, photographs: Protected for 60 years from first publication
- Government works: Protected for 60 years from first publication
- Anonymous and pseudonymous works: Protected for 60 years from first publication
Public Domain Day 2026 Overview
Public Domain Day 2026 marks the entry of numerous significant works into the public domain in India, including:
- Works by authors who died in 1965
- Films first published in 1965
- Photographs, sound recordings, and government publications from 1965
- Anonymous and pseudonymous works from 1965
This represents a significant cultural heritage becoming freely accessible to the public, researchers, educators, and creators.
Works Entering Public Domain in 2026
Literary Works (Author-based)
These works enter the public domain 60 years after the author's death (or, in the case of a multi-author work, the death of the last surviving author), counted from the beginning of the following calendar year[1]
List of Authors and their works entering Public Domain
| Name | Date of birth | Date of death | Occupation | Notable Works Entering into Public Domain | Original Language of works |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G. N. Balasubramaniam | 6 January 1910 | 1 May 1965 | Carnatic vocalist | Composed over 250 kritis and invented new ragas (Chandrahasita, Sivasakti). Known for renditions like "Brochevarevarura". Acted in films like Sakuntalai (1940). | Tamil |
| Satinath Bhaduri | 27 September 1906 | 30 March 1965 | Novelist | "Jagari" (1946, Rabindra Puraskar winner), "Dhorai Charita Manas" (1949/1951), "Gananayak" (1948), "Chitragupter File" (1949) | Bengali |
| Dhumketu (Gaurishankar Joshi) | 1 January 1892 | 1 January 1965 | Short story writer, novelist | "Post Office" (short story), "Tankha" (short story collection), historical novels like "Chauladevi" (1940) and "Aamrapali" (1954). | Gujarati |
| Zinda Kaul | 1 August 1884 | 1 January 1965 | Poet | "Sumran" poetry collection (first Kashmiri work to win Sahitya Akademi Award in 1956). | Kashmiri |
| Balwantrai Mehta | 19 February 1900 | 19 September 1965 | Politician, Chief Minister of Gujarat | Chaired the committee that recommended the three-tier Panchayati Raj system, earning him the title "Architect of Panchayati Raj." | Gujarati |
| Ardeshir Darabshaw Shroff | 1 January 1899 | 1 January 1965 | Industrialist, economist | Co-author of the "Bombay Plan" (1944), a plan for India's post-war economy, and represented India at the Bretton Woods Conference. | English |
| Swami Madhavananda | 5 December 1888 | 6 October 1965 | Religious leader, writer | Translations of Hindu scriptures, including the "Brihadaranyaka Upanishad" with Shankara's commentary, and "Vivekachudamani". | English, Bengali |
| Ullaskar Dutta | 16 April 1885 | 17 May 1965 | Revolutionary, writer | Memoir "Amar Karajiban" ("Twelve Years of Prison Life") on his imprisonment for revolutionary activities, including his role in the Alipore Bomb Conspiracy. | Bengali |
| Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass | 5 June 1914 | 15 January 1965 | Tamil writer | Wrote dialogues and lyrics for over 100 films, including "Missiamma" (1955) and the popular song "Jaalilo Jimkhaanaa". | Tamil |
| Godabarish Mohapatra | 10 January 1898 | 25 November 1965 | Writer, humorist | Award-winning poetry collections "Kanta O Phula" and "Banka O Sidha". Famous short story "Magunira Shagada". Edited the satirical magazine "Niankhunta". | Odia |
| Sundaram Seshu | 1 June 1926 | 1 January 1965 | Electrical Engineer & Professor | Co-authored "Linear Network Analysis" (1959) and "Linear Graphs and Electrical Networks" (1961). | English |
| Ganesh Bodas | 1 January 1880 | 1 January 1965 | Theatre artist | Known for roles like Phalgunrao in "Samshaykallol". Author of autobiography "Majhi bhumika" (1940). | Marathi |
| Muhammad Yusuf Kandhalawi | 22 March 1917 | 1 January 1965 | Islamic scholar | "Hayat Al-Sahaba" and "Muntakhab Ahadith". | Urdu, Arabic |
| Abinash Chandra Ghoshal | 1 January 1898 | 1 January 1965 | Writer | "Mrittika" (poetry collection), "Nabajug" (essays), edited "Bharati" literary journal | Bengali |
| Abdul Hameed Khan | 1 January 1894 | 1 January 1965 | Politician | Member of Madras Legislative Council (1927-1936) and editor-in-chief of The Deccan Times. | English, Urdu |
| Braja Mohan Panda | 1 January 1890 | 1 January 1965 | Educator & Poet | Founder of Larambha High School (1938) and Larambha College (1964). | Odia |
| Ashok Guha | 1 January 1911 | 1 January 1965 | Writer | "Shesh Parikalpana" (novel), "Nayan O Nandini" (short stories), "Ekti Banshi Batas" (poetry) | Bengali |
| Somanchi Vasudeva Rao | 1 January 1902 | 1 January 1965 | Writer | "Shivanandalahari", "Stutiratnamalika" (1961), "Sri Nirvachana Sundarakanda" (1961). | Telugu, Sanskrit |
| Chaudry Mohammad Aslam | 1 January 1900 | 1 January 1965 | Mathematician & Cartographer | Surveyor General of Pakistan; Mapped North West Frontier province, demarcated borders for East and West Pakistan and with Persia. | English |
| C. Tadulinga Mudaliar | 1 January 1878 | 1 January 1965 | Botanist | Co-authored "A Handbook of Some South Indian Grasses" (1921) and "A Handbook of Some South Indian Weeds" (1932). | English, Latin |
| Rameshwar Prasad Sinha | 1 January 1965 | Politician, writer | Political writings | English, Hindi | |
| Rajalakshmi | 2 June 1930 | 18 January 1965 | Writer | "Oru Sylluvinte Kadha" (short story collection), "Njanenna Bhavam" (novel), award-winning story "Thrihasikha" | Malayalam |
| Tamil Oli | 21 September 1924 | 24 March 1965 | Writer | "Kadaloram" (poetry collection), "Thenmazhai" (short stories), social reform essays in "Tamil Murasu" | Tamil |
| Kedarnath Chattopadhyay | 12 December 1891 | 16 May 1965 | Writer | "Bharater Swadhinata Sangram" (freedom movement history), "Bangla Sahitya Parichay" (literary guide), historical biographies | Bengali |
| Ibrahim Raza Khan | 1 January 1907 | 12 June 1965 | Religious scholar | "Tafseer-e-Quran" (Quranic exegesis), "Seerat-un-Nabi" (Prophet's biography), Islamic jurisprudence treatises | Urdu, Arabic |
| Jyotirmoy Ghosh | 1 January 1896 | 19 June 1965 | Writer | "Shahitya Charcha" (literary criticism), "Bangla Kavita" (poetry analysis), editor of "Prabasi" journal | Bengali |
| Prabodhendunath Tagore | 1 January 1907 | 28 June 1965 | Writer | "Rabindranath: A Biography" (biographical work), "Tagore Family Chronicles", translated Tagore's poems to English | Bengali, English |
| P. J. Thomas, Parakunnel | 25 February 1895 | 26 July 1965 | Economist, writer | "The Economic Development of India", "Agricultural Problems of India", "Indian Economic Policy" analysis | English |
| Ishwar Chand Nanda | 30 September 1892 | 3 September 1965 | Writer | "Likhari" (play), "Punjab Di Lokdhara" (folklore studies), "Jagat Tamasha" (dramatic works) | Punjabi |
| Malladi Ramakrishna Sastry | 16 June 1905 | 12 September 1965 | Writer | "Andhra Vignana Sarvasvam" (encyclopedia), "Telugu Kavula Charitra" (poets' history), classical translations | Telugu |
| Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad | 12 January 1889 | 7 November 1965 | Religious leader | "Haqiqat-ul-Wahi" (revelation theology), "Tafseer-e-Kabeer" (Quranic commentary), "A Message of Peace" | Urdu, Arabic, English |
| Durga Mohan Bhattacharyya | 13 October 1899 | 12 November 1965 | Academic, writer | "Indian Philosophy" (textbook), "Logic and Epistemology" research papers, "Sanskrit Literary Tradition" | English, Bengali |
| Taher Saifuddin | 4 August 1888 | 12 November 1965 | Religious leader | "Nasuhat al-Zahira" (spiritual guidance), "Al-Majalis al-Saifiyyah" (sermons collection), Dawoodi Bohra theological treatises | Arabic, Gujarati |
| Gunvantrai Acharya | 9 September 1900 | 25 November 1965 | Writer | "Dariyalal" (novel), "Saurashtra Ni Rasdhara" (cultural history), "Gujarati Sahityano Itihas" (literary history) | Gujarati |
| Asamanja Mukhopadhay | 4 June 1882 | 1 December 1965 | Writer | "Bichitra" (short story collection), "Kolkata Rajniti" (political essays), "Banger Sanskriti" (cultural studies) | Bengali |
| Ambalal Purani | 26 May 1894 | 11 December 1965 | Writer | "Sri Aurobindo: A Biography", "Yoga and Spiritual Life" essays, Gujarati literary criticism collections | Gujarati, English |
| Badri Datt Pandey | 15 February 1882 | 13 February 1965 | Historian, writer | "Kumaon Ka Itihas" (comprehensive history of Kumaon region), "Kumaoni Folklore" collection, editor of "Almora Akhbar" | Hindi, Kumaoni |
| Pio Gama Pinto | 31 March 1927 | 25 February 1965 | Journalist, activist | Editor of "The Daily Chronicle", "Kenya Freedom Struggle" columns, anti-colonial activist writings | English |
| Kartik Chandra Dasgupta | 6 August 1884 | 27 February 1965 | Writer | "Palliter Parikatha" (village chronicles), "Sambad Parichay" (literary criticism), edited "Bangashri" magazine | Bengali |
| Sabitri Prasanna Chattopadhyay | 6 July 1898 | 23 March 1965 | Writer | "Jhorer Dhoop" (novel), "Mukh O Mukhosh" (short stories), women's rights essays in "Sahitya Patrika" | Bengali |
| Hira Singh Dard | 30 september 1889 | 22 June 1965 | Writer | Punjabi |
List of Feature Films entering Public Domain
Pursuant to the Indian Copyright Act of 1957, cinematograph films in India are protected for a duration of 60 years from the date of their first publication. Consequently, on January 1, 2026, a total of 387 films[2] first published in 1965 will officially enter the public domain, becoming free for anyone to use, adapt, and share without restriction. This transition encompasses a vast array of Indian regional cinema, including the entire production catalogs for that year across multiple languages. According to archival data, the largest language-specific contributions to this cohort include 114 Hindi films, 51 Tamil films, and 51 Telugu films. The list further includes 35 Bengali films, 31 Malayalam films, 21 Kannada films, and 15 Marathi films, as well as Odia productions from 1965. This release of nearly 400 titles represents a significant expansion of accessible cultural heritage, providing a wealth of material for researchers, educators, and creators to preserve and repurpose.
- List of Indian Bengali films of 1965
- List of Kannada films of 1965
- List of Hindi films of 1965
- List of Odia films of 1965
- List of Malayalam films of 1965
- List of Marathi films of 1965
- List of Tamil films of 1965
- List of Telugu films of 1965
References
- ^ a b Indian Copyright Act, 1957
- ^ "indiancine.ma | 1965 Released Movies List".
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