The Delhi High Court has sent a notice to the BCCI. It concerns the name of its AI robot dog, used during IPL 2025. The robot is called ‘Champak’.
Meanwhile, Delhi Press Patra Prakashan has filed a legal complaint. The company publishes 31 magazines in nine languages. One of its most popular magazines is a children’s publication named Champak.
Their lawyer, Amit Gupta, said BCCI violated their trademark. He stated, “This AI tool [robotic dog] has been named as Champak. The IPL has been going on. The product was introduced earlier but it was named later on April 23 purportedly based on fan voting,” according to Bar and Bench.
BCCI Gives Its Explanation
However, BCCI denied any trademark violation. Its lawyer, J Sai Deepak, said the name had nothing to do with the magazine. Instead, he explained that BCCI named the robot after a character called Champaklal Jayantilal Gada. This character appears in the TV show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah.
Court Raises a Point
Interestingly, the court asked Gupta why his client never objected to Virat Kohli’s nickname ‘Cheeku’. That name also appears in the Champak magazine. In response, Gupta said Kohli’s nickname wasn’t used commercially. However, he argued that the robot dog’s name is being used for public promotion.
For now, the court has refused to stop BCCI from using the name. It has scheduled the next hearing for July 9.
Robot Dog at IPL Matches
The AI dog first appeared on April 13. It was seen at the Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Since then, the robot has made several appearances. It shows up during the toss and also during practice sessions. Many players have been seen interacting with it.
How the Robot Got Its Name
The robot dog was built by broadcast tech firm wTVision. It was made in collaboration with Omnicam and BCCI. Not only can it walk and move like a real dog, but it also features a high-definition camera. This camera captures unique angles from the ground.
Moreover, BCCI finalized the name ‘Champak’ through fan voting. The result of the poll was announced on April 20. The announcement was made on social media and during the live broadcast of the Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings match.
We asked and you answered ✍️
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 20, 2025
Based on fan votes, we present 'Champak' - the newest member of our family 🗳🥳#TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/D2x1o8FeDR