Godrej introduced bicycle locks in November 1962. Within just four years though, it came to light that spurious bicycle locks with the Godrej name and logo marked on them had entered the market. These locks looked similar but were considerably inferior in locking arrangement, design, and finish. Other archival documents in the collection inform us how the Godrej bicycle locks were 5-pin tumbler locks, with black stove enamel finish and duplicate brass keys, while the fraudulent ones were operated only by a spring catch. Our Document of the Month is a Circular dated September 12, 1966, that underlines Godrej’s resentment against this infringement and the seriousness of the issue.

Our Document of the Month for July 2024 too featured a similar Circular dealing with the flagrant infringement of the Godrej trademark all over the country with respect to many products, including some which we did not even manufacture. Trademarks carry the status of intellectual property globally. Malpractice and misuse of trademark means a loss of goodwill and tarnishing of brand image. It not only adversely impacts the profits of the company and its business partners but also damages the interests of the customers who get swindled in return for low-quality products.

Today, in India, The Trademarks Act, 1999 provides redress to companies with its rules dealing with registration, protection and penalties against infringement regarding trademarks, which is enforced by the Indian Patent Office administered by the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks. It allows companies to file civil and/or criminal suits, and even pursue legal channels leading to border enforcement and online takedowns.