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Big Win for Classic Legends: Court Declares Yezdi Trademark Belongs to Boman Irani
Yezdi: This High Court ruling has made it clear that the Yezdi legacy now rests with Classic Legends and Boman Irani. This decision could set an important precedent for the Indian motorcycle industry and the preservation of historic brands.
In a major development, the Division Bench of the Karnataka High Court has ruled that the co-founder of Classic Legends, Boman R. Irani, has valid and legal rights over the 'Yezdi' trademark. This judgment has set aside a previous single judge order delivered in 2022, wherein Ideal Jawa India Pvt Ltd was declared the exclusive owner of the trademark.
The High Court noted that Ideal Jawa discontinued production of Yezdi motorcycles in 1996 and has neither used nor renewed the trademark since. The trademark registration lapsed between 2007 and 2013, yet neither the company nor the official liquidator made any effort to protect it. The court clearly stated that this represents "complete abandonment of the trademark."
The court stated that the absence of business for three decades, the lack of renewals, the non-use of the brand, and its subsequent failure to include it in any asset sale had eroded the Yezdi brand's goodwill. Therefore, Ideal Jawa or the liquidator cannot claim any rights.
An earlier order had prevented Boman Irani, Classic Legends, and others from using the Yezdi name. The division bench overturned this order, stating that Ideal Jawa's outstanding debt had no connection to the Yezdi trademark and that the liquidator could not use it as a basis for claiming the trademark.
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Reacting to the decision, Irani said that this was not merely a personal victory but an official recognition of the efforts to revive the legacy. He said the court supported efforts to revive the Yezdi brand through innovation and legitimate means.
When the original licensing agreement for Jawa Motorcycles ended in 1969, Boman Irani's father hand-designed the Yezdi Insignia. Ideal Jawa ceased production in 1996 and the company was liquidated in 2001.
Boman Irani then legally acquired the trademark in 2013-14 and founded Classic Legends in 2015 with the Mahindra Group and Anupam Thareja. The company revived the brand with three new Yezdi motorcycles in 2022.
