THE TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY vs THE VAGDEVI EDUCATIONAL SOCIETY & ORS.

Judgment text excerpt

* IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI Reserved on: 22.07.2025 Pronounced on: 26.09.2025 + FAO(OS) (COMM) 239/2023 & CM APPL. 56185/2023, CM APPL. 56186/2023 THE TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY .....Appellant Through: Mr.Chander M. Lall, Sr. Adv. with Ms.Nancy Roy, Ms.Ananya Chug and Ms.Annanya Mehan, Advs. versus THE VAGDEVI EDUCATIONAL SOCIETY & ORS. .....Respondents Through: Mr.J. Sai Deepak, Sr. Adv. with Mr.Avinash Kumar Sharma, Mr.P. Mohith Rao and Mr.Eugene S. Philomene, Advs. for R-1 to R-7 CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE NAVIN CHAWLA HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE RENU BHATNAGAR JUDGMENT NAVIN CHAWLA, J. 1. This appeal has been filed, challenging the Judgment dated 06.09.2023 passed by the learned Single Judge of this Court in I.A. 6494/2022 in CS(COMM) 270/2022, titled The Trustees of Princeton University v. The Vagdevi Educational Society & Ors., whereby the Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed By:REYMON VASHIST FAO(OS) (COMM) 239/2023 Signing Date:26.09.2025 Page 1 of 53 18:12:15 learned Single Judge has dismissed the said application filed by the appellant under Order XXXIX Rules 1 and 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (in short, „CPC‟) inter alia praying for an ex parte ad interim injunction against the respondents herein, restraining them from using the mark „PRINCETON/PRINCETON UNIVERSITY‟. Case of the appellant: 2. It is the case of the appellant that it was founded in the year 1746 as the College of New Jersey, and is the fourth oldest institution of higher education in the United States. In the year 1896, the appellant educational institution achieved University status and was officially renamed „Princeton University‟. It is currently a private research and educational University located in Princeton, New Jersey, and a member of the prestigious and world