New Delhi: The Karnataka High Court’s Division Bench has ruled that Boman Rustom Irani, the co-founder of Classic Legends, is the rightful owner of the Yezdi trademark. This decision overturns a previous Single Judge ruling. The court said that Ideal Jawa, the old company that once made Yezdi bikes, had basically abandoned the trademark because it was not used or renewed for many years. According to the court, Ideal Jawa stopped making motorcycles in 1996 and was shut down in 2001.
After that, no one from the company or the Official Liquidator tried to renew the Yezdi trademark or use it in any active way. In this case, the court said the Yezdi name had lost all its goodwill because nothing was done to protect it for more than 15 years. The Bench also noted that when Ideal Jawa was liquidated, the Yezdi trademark was not even listed among the company’s assets. This showed that the company itself did not consider the trademark valuable at the time.
Reactions from Classic Legends
Yezdi trademark owned by Boman R Irani
Boman R Irani said the judgment recognises his efforts to bring the Yezdi brand back properly and legally. He also said the decision matches his family’s long connection with the name. Anand Mahindra, Chairman of the Mahindra Group, said the ruling is important because it sends a clear message for future trademark disputes in India. Anupam Thareja, another co-founder of Classic Legends, said the order supports the company’s stand on the brand’s ownership.
Brand background
The Yezdi name traces back to Irani’s family. His father first created the Yezdi logo in 1969 after the original Jawa licensing deal with Ideal Jawa ended. Irani later applied for fresh trademark registrations in 2013 and 2014. In 2015, he teamed up with Thareja and the Mahindra Group to form Classic Legends and revive older motorcycle brands. The court has now cleared all pending cases and accepted the appeals filed by Irani and Classic Legends.
The judges also clarified that the unpaid dues of Ideal Jawa had no connection with the value or ownership of the trademark because trademarks are intangible assets that must be maintained through active use.