IPL 2025: Children's magazine sues BCCI for naming IPL robot dog 'CHAMPAK'

The IPL's AI robot dog, ‘Champak’, is embroiled in a legal dispute after Delhi Press, the publisher of the iconic children’s magazine Champak, filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against the BCCI.

IPL 2025: Champak magazine sues BCCI over robot dog name

What started as a fun, fan-driven addition to the IPL has now walked right into a legal storm. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is facing a lawsuit over the name of its AI-powered robot dog, ‘Champak’, and the Delhi High Court has taken notice.

The trouble began when Delhi Press, the publisher of the iconic children’s magazine Champak, filed a trademark infringement petition. Their concern? That the name Champak, long associated with their beloved magazine for kids, has been used without permission and that too, for a robot dog being showcased in one of India’s biggest sporting events.

Responding to the petition, the Delhi High Court has now issued a notice to the BCCI, asking the board to file a written response within four weeks. The next hearing is set for July 9.

For context, Champak the robot dog was introduced with much fanfare during Match 29 of IPL 2025, between the Mumbai Indians and the Delhi Capitals. BCCI rolled out the high-tech mascot through a special social media campaign, where fans were invited to vote on its name. Champak came out as the favourite, and this is how BCCI's AI robot got its name.

Since then, the robot has been a regular part of the IPL experience, popping up during tosses, wandering around the boundary line, and even sharing playful moments with players during warm-ups. Fans love it, kids adore it, and it’s quickly become one of this season’s biggest talking points.

But for Delhi Press, it’s not just a cute addition to the tournament; it’s a potential violation of trademark. They argue that Champak, a magazine loved by generations of Indian children since its launch in 1969, shouldn’t be used for a robotic dog without their consent. Their fear is that the brand could lose its unique identity or become confusing to younger audiences who might associate it with the IPL mascot instead of the magazine.

So now, what seemed like a light-hearted marketing move has become a serious legal matter, pitting a legacy children’s publication against India’s cricketing powerhouse.

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