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synopsis
Champak magazine's publisher sued BCCI for naming the IPL robot dog 'Champak'. The Delhi HC issued a notice to the cricket board after the publisher argued trademark infringement, but the court noted the name was chosen by fan vote.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was sued by Delhi Press Patra Prakashan Pvt Ltd, the publisher of Champak magazine, in the Delhi High Court on Wednesday, April 30.
Delhi Press Patra Prakashan took BCCI to the Delhi High Court for naming IPL Robot Dog after their magazine. ‘Champak’ Robot Dog has been quite an attraction in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. The AI-designed mascot was unveiled ahead of the clash between Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on April 13.
The Indian Premier League has taken sports broadcasting to the next level with the introduction of Robot Dog, which will capture the on-ground footage, unique player perspectives, and deliver real-time content, offering different viewing experiences that blend innovation with entertainment. The robotic machine can dance, jump, run, and walk on its four legs. The Robot Dog has caught the attention of the fans and has become a viral sensation across social media platforms.
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When Robot Dog was introduced earlier in April, it did not have a name, and Danny Morrison, who is the commentator for the IPL 2025, asked the fans to give the machine a name. The BCCI launched a poll for fans to vote for their favourite names and majority of them picked ‘Champak’. Since then, the Robot Dog is called ‘Champak’, which is liked by many players in the IPL.
Will ‘Champak’ Robot Dog be renamed?
Advocate Amit Gupta, representing Delhi Press Patra Prakashan Pvt Ltd, argued in the Delhi High Court that the BCCI cannot use ‘Champak’ as a name for IPL Robot Dog, considering it falls under infringement of their registered trademark and has been associated with famous children’s magazine Champak for decades. The prosecutor directed the court to issue an interim order to BCCI to stop the use of Robot Dog’s name as ‘Champak.’
Though Delhi High Court issued a notice on the suit to the BCCI filed by publisher, Justice Saurabh Banerjee stated that the name was adopted by the entity, but by the online poll, where the fans voted overwhelmingly in favour of ‘Champak’. The High Court also asked the publisher whether ‘Chiku’ is a character and the same is also used as a nickname for Indian cricketer Virat Kohli. In response, Amit Gupta stated that no litigation has been filed with the regard to use of the game.
Justice Banerjee further observed that the magazine failed to prove that ‘Champak’ name was used for business purposes, adding that the BCCI’s decision is something that he cannot control.
“Where is the commercial element? They are using it for whatever reason, it’s very early for me to decide…… please appreciate. They are using the AI-generated dog for whatever reason but the Instagram page emphatically shows that the name is not of their choice and is based on fan votes. It’s a majority win,"Justice Banerjee observed.
‘Champak’ name derives from popular Hindi comedy serial
Representing BCCI in the case, senior advocate J Sai Deepak Iyer stated that the name ‘Champak’ was picked based on the fan poll. He further stated that the fans did not associate the name with the magazine but rather with the popular Hindi comedy serial ‘Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah.’
“Champak magazine is not the only entity using ‘Champak’. In the public domain, the name Champak is used for different characters – in series – Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. None has associated the name with the magazine but a character,” BCCI submitted through advocate J Sai Deepak Iyer.
After issuing the notice to the BCCI on the suit by Delhi Press Patra Prakashan, the Delhi High Court will next hear the case on July 9.
