Karnataka High Court Rules in Favour of Boman Irani

The division bench of the Karnataka High Court observed that Ideal Jawa had long abandoned the ‘Yezdi’ trademark and hence it has no right over this

The Division Bench of the Hon’ble Karnataka High Court has ruled in favour of Boman Irani in the ongoing Yezdi trademark case. In its judgement, the High Court confirmed Boman Irani’s rights over YEZDI after Ideal Jawa’s long abandonment of the trademark. It observed that Ideal Jawa had stopped using the Yezdi moniker in 1996, allowed registrations to lapse, took no steps to protect it, and as a result the mark had no surviving goodwill. Yezdi, co-founded by Boman Irani, comes under Classic Legends which is a Mahindra Group company.

The previous ruling by a single judge bench of the Karnataka High Court was overturned by the division bench of Justice DK Singh and Justice Venkatesh Naik T which stated in its judgement that Ideal Jawa’s prolonged non-use and failure to renew trademark registrations amounted to abandonment, and reaffirmed Mr Irani’s legitimate rights over the brand. It ruled that the registrations for brand ‘Yezdi’ obtained by Boman Irani are valid and comply with the Trade Marks Act.

Ideal Jawa ceased production in 1996 while it was liquidated five years later in 2001. However, it failed to renew the trademark registrations of Yezdi and abandoned it for over 15 years. On the other hand, Boman Irani proactively worked on reviving the legendary brand and lawfully acquired the requisite trademark registrations in 2013-14. A year later in 2015, Classic Legends was founded by Boman and Anupam Thareja in partnership with the Mahindra Group.

While announcing the verdict, the division bench of the Karnataka High Court dismissed all the pending applications while setting aside the earlier Single Judge’s order, and allowed all appeals by Mr Irani and Classic Legends. “The seminal decision in India’s IPR landscape will set the right precedent for disputes involving legacy brands and highlights the need for active stewardship in preserving brand heritage,” said the company in an official statement.

Boman Irani, Co-Founder of Classic Legends and Chairman and MD of Rustomjee Group, said, “The verdict feels much more momentous than a fateful personal victory for my family’s legacy. It reaffirms that the perseverance in keeping heritage brands alive never goes unrewarded. The honourable court and judges have supported our efforts to renew YEZDI through innovation and lawful means. I know my father would have wanted me to blaze a trail with brand YEZDI, which has been a part of me since my childhood, and I thank the Indian judicial system for recognising our efforts in carrying forward the legacy for future generations.”

Yezdi branding goes a long way back in the past as it has roots with Irani’s Parsi family legacy. Yezdi, in Persian language, stands for wind as a guiding force. It was Boman Irani’s father who drew the Yezdi insignia on a piece of paper when Jawa’s original licensing agreement with Ideal Jawa ceased in 1969. It paved the path for the brand to continue producing motorcycles.