Honble Calcutta High Court Safeguards IIHM logo and acronym from misuse by other Institutions
NEW DELHI, Dec. 11 (Agency) Victory at last for the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) after a long-drawn battle against the Indian Institute of Hotel Management that falsely been using the acronym ‘IIHM’. The Hon’ble Calcutta High Court has granted an injunction restraining the Indian Institute of Hotel Management from using the same expression mark or logo carrying the acronym IIHM for its business name, style or any use whatsoever. This means that the institute will not be able to communicate or publicise itself using the IIHM acronym either on advertisements, hoardings or other materials.
The authorities at the International Institute of Hotel Management have heaved a sigh of relief after the Hon’ble Calcutta High Court, after a four hour hearing, passed its injunction in an order dated 2nd December, 2020. Also offering hospitality education, the Indian Institute of Hotel Management has been using the same ‘IIHM’ acronym in their logo since 2010, as a result, clearly infringing on the legal registered trademark of the original International Institute of Hotel Management. The International Institute of Hotel Management headed by the reputed hospitality icon, Chairman and Chief Mentor, Dr Suborno Bose, filed a lawsuit against the false IIHM. Often students, institutions, schools, hotels and other people have been misled by the same acronym, most of them not comprehending from where the communication has come to them. It has been proved in court that the International Institute of Hotel Management, established was back in 1994, was the first to legally create and register the name and acronym IIHM and has consecutively renewed its patents over the years.
Over the past three decades, IIHM has grown into a leading brand of hospitality education with centres across India and the world. However, the disturbing infringement by a comparatively new and relatively unknown institution has been misleading many people. Despite a string of lawsuits filed by the International Institute of Hotel Management and interim orders by the Court, the Indian Institute of Hotel Management continued its activities, including using its logo and acronym, defying all orders and carried on their business with complete disregard for the order. However, this final judgement has brought the much-awaited end to the misunderstandings and miscommunications that have been taking place for so many years. Justice Ashish Kumar Chakraborty has now imposed an injunction on using the IIHM logo and acronym. According to the Court Order, “Injunction restraining the Respondents or any of them whether by themselves or through men, servants or assigns or through their distributors, marketers, franchisees, dealers, agents, stockists, representatives, advertisers, successors in business from using the expression mark or logo or acronym ‘IIHM’ as part of its business name or style in any manner whatsoever’.
Relieved and elated by the court order, Dr Suborno Bose, the Founder and Chief Mentor of the International Institute of Hotel Management, said that the other institute has been misleading people. “This institute was misleading school authorities, prospective students and hotels by using the acronym ‘IIHM’ and thereby infringing on our registered trademark. We were compelled to file a legal suit against them. The Hon’ble Calcutta High Court has found that the sole intention of the Indian Institute of Hotel Management was to ‘illegally exploit our goodwill and business reputation’ in the field of hospitality education. We are grateful to the Hon’ble Calcutta High Court for upholding the sanctity and business reputation of the brand, IIHM.”