Dehradun court restrains Srinagar school from using ‘The Doon School’ name

New Delhi, April 7: A commercial court in Dehradun has granted interim relief to The Doon School, preventing a Srinagar-based educational institution and other unidentified entities from using its registered trademark, The Doon School, Bar and Bench reported.

The order was passed in response to a trademark infringement suit filed by the 94-year-old Dehradun-based boarding school. The suit alleged unauthorised use of its name by a school operating in Jammu and Kashmir under the banner Doon School, Srinagar. The court issued an interim injunction barring the Srinagar institution from using the name The Doon School, directly or indirectly, while the matter remains sub judice.

Appearing on behalf of the plaintiff, Dr Ajar Rab submitted that the Srinagar-based institution was operating under a deceptively similar name and had been featured in multiple news articles and online videos. These included a report in The Kashmir Horizon and a YouTube interview, both referring to the school by the same name, raising concerns about potential public confusion and reputational harm as reported by Bar and Bench.

The Dehradun institution, managed by the Indian Public Schools Society, has held a registered trademark for its name since 2014.

The suit seeking a permanent injunction was filed in November 2024 after it came to light that an institution under the Akbar Education Trust was allegedly operating under the disputed name in Srinagar. The court’s interim ruling is aimed at preventing further dilution of the prestigious school's brand identity while legal proceedings continue.