Champak magazine clashes with BCCI over robot dog name

Children’s magazine Champak has filed a trademark infringement case against the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in the Delhi High Court over the use of the name ‘Champak’ for a robotic dog introduced during the ongoing IPL 2025 season.

The robot, unveiled on April 23 after a public vote, shares its name with the decades-old magazine published by Delhi Press Patra Prakashan. The publisher argued that the BCCI used the name without authorisation, claiming it infringes on their trademark and affects their brand identity associated with animal characters for children.

Appearing for the publisher, Advocate Amit Gupta contended that while the robotic dog may be a different product, its branding could dilute the distinctiveness of the magazine’s name.

Justice Saurabh Banerjee questioned the extent of the alleged harm, asking, “Where is the direct harm? How has this robotic dog really impacted your brand’s business or reputation?” The bench further observed that use of a similar name does not automatically establish exploitation unless there is a clear commercial advantage.

The court also cited the example of ‘Chiku’—a character from Champak and also a known nickname of cricketer Virat Kohli—highlighting that no legal action had been taken in that case. Gupta responded that informal nicknames differ from officially launching a product under a trademarked name.

Senior Advocate J Sai Deepak, representing the BCCI, argued that ‘Champak’ is a commonly used term, also referring to a flower, and said the robotic dog character is inspired by the Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah universe. He maintained there was no intent to use the magazine’s goodwill for commercial benefit.

The court declined to issue an immediate injunction, citing lack of sufficient evidence, but issued a notice and scheduled the next hearing for July 9.

The case will determine whether the IPL’s use of ‘Champak’ constitutes a trademark violation or is merely a coincidental overlap.