You Can’t Park Patent Rights in the E-Ricksha Registration Lane
In the case of M/s Sunhok Wheels Pvt. Ltd. & Ors. vs The State of West Bengal & Ors., the Calcutta High Court addressed whether claims of patent…
Dr. Kalyan Kankanala
281 articles
Dr. Kalyan Kankanala is a practicing intellectual property (IP) attorney and author. He is a senior partner at BananaIP Counsels, a well-known IP firm based in Bangalore, India. His writings cover a range of topics relating to IP law, business, and policy, and he has authored several books and articles in the field. He has been contributing to this blog since 2007.
The views expressed here are his own and do not represent those of BananaIP Counsels or its members.
Gen AI, Copyrights, and Hybrid Licensing in India Why the Assumptions May Not Sustain the Model
The DPIIT committee’s proposal for a hybrid licensing model for AI training rests on a set of assumptions about creativity, copyright ownership, collective management, and regulatory control. A…
Is a Smarter Scooter Frame Patentable? Court Orders Rethink on Inventive Step
In the case of TVS Motor Company vs Patent Office, a scooter maker's patent claim for a simple yet novel frame design was rejected for lacking inventive step.…
No Music License, No New Year Party: Why Hotels Must Tune In Legally
In the case of The Indian Performing Right Society Limited vs Chocolate Hotels Private Limited, the petitioner alleged that Chocolate Hotels planned a New Year’s Eve celebration on…
Copied Tractor Parts, Not the Drawings? That’s Not Infringement
Can you infringe copyright without ever seeing the original work? In a case about tractor parts and engineering drawings, the Madras High Court answered no. It ruled that…
Indian Express vs New Indian Express: Who Owns The Trademark?
In the case of The Indian Express P Ltd vs Express Publications (Madurai) Pvt Ltd, the Bombay High Court considered the terms of a court-recorded settlement to decide…
UNPLUG YOURSELF Allowed, BOULT Logos Still Blocked
In the case of Exotic Mile vs Imagine Marketing Pvt Ltd, the court considered claims of trademark infringement and passing off in relation to competing marks used for…
Shalimar Coconut Oil Bottle Trade Dress Protection and Injunction Confirmed
In the case between Shalimar Chemical Works and Edible Products, the Calcutta High Court considered whether the trade dress of coconut oil bottles—including shape, colour scheme, and packaging—used…
Old Music, New Platforms, No Rights: 1977 Bhikari Bal Odia Music Agreement Limitations
In a dispute concerning copyright in Odia devotional music, the Calcutta High Court declined interim protection to the petitioner who claimed exclusive rights in the song “Sathi Pauti…
Music Copyright Dispute Over Sagara Sangamam, and Shankarabharanam: Infringement Remedy Survives Even if Declaration Is Time-Barred
The Madras High Court looked at a copyright ownership dispute over the music of Salangai Oli, Sagara Sangamam, and Shankarabharanam, where both parties claimed rights through assignments from…