Lodha vs Lodha: Top real estate scions Abhishek and Abhinandan settle trademark dispute through mediation

Three months after Abhishek Lodha, the MD and CEO of Macrotech, India's leading real estate developer, moved court in a bid to restrict younger brother Abhinandan Lodha from using the "Lodha" brand in his ventures, the two and companies led by them have agreed to amicably resolve all the outstanding disputes under the guidance of their parents. 

 

Under the terms of the settlement, Macrotech Developers will retain the exclusive right to use the brand names "Lodha" and "Lodha Group." Abhinandan will have the exclusive right to use the brand name "House of Abhinandan Lodha" (HoABL). The two brands will not have any connection with each other and both entities will communicate that widely.

 

Importantly, Abhinandan will have no rights or claims in the Lodha Group, Macrotech Developers or any other businesses of Abhishek. Similarly, the elder brother will have no rights or claims in HoABL or other businesses of Abhinandan. 

 

Lodha Group was founded by Mangal Prabhat Lodha, now a BJP legislator from Mumbai, back in 1980. His two sons decided to part ways back in 2015, when the elder Abhishek got control of the flagship real estate business—Macrotech Developers. Younger brother Abhinandan got Lodha Ventures. The separation was formalised through a family settlement agreement in 2017. Abhinandan eventually entered real estate again through plot developments business under the HoABL in 2021. Macrotech went public the same year. 

 

Macrotech predominantly is involved in developing multi-story real estate projects under Lodha brand. HoABL has developed plotted land projects in the Konkan region Maharashtra, Goa and Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh among others.

 

Macrotech contended in its lawsuit that since the family settlement was executed, it had been observed that the trademark "Lodha" and "Lodha Group" continued to be used by HoABL in their marketing materials and that there has been a lot of confusion in the market over the usage. 

 

The two brothers later agreed to settle the issues through a mediation process after the Bombay High Court proposed to send the trademark dispute to mediation.

 

"Both Abhishek and Abhinandan express their heartfelt gratitude to Justice R.V. Raveendran (Retd.), whose guidance in the mediation process was invaluable. The family is grateful to the Justice Arif Doctor for encouraging them to follow the process of mediation," a joint statement said.

 

"They also extend their sincere appreciation to all family elders and well-wishers who provided their counsel and support throughout the resolution process," the statement added. 

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Manju Lodha, Abhishek and Abhinandan's mother had written a letter to the two in February urging them to stop all the disputes immediately directing among other things that they had no right against each other's business and shareholding, and that neither of them had to give anything to each other. 

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